2003 Legislative Priorities, Austin
Community College (adopted 10/7/2002)
1. Support the TACC recommendation to allow community colleges to call annexation elections every five years, allowing existing districts in taxing base to vote with proposed added districts for the annexation.
Suggested addition to the TACC recommendation requested by the Round Rock Chamber of Commerce: To broaden the current annexation laws which now only allow ISDs and Counties to, in the future, pursue annexation to include cities.
Background and rationale: Reduced funding from state appropriations by percentage, along with significant growth and expanded costs require additional funding in order for the college to continue its mission and scope of services. Allowing districts to vote that are already part of our funding base will dramatically increase the potential for successful annexation. The additional language above would expand the types of political subdivisions eligible to pursue annexation, and will provide additional avenues for achieving the goal.
2. Relax eligibility requirements for Texas Grants program students with zero EFC (poorest of the poor economic status) after all others who fully meet eligibility requirements have been served; this will bring more into the pipeline and avoid return of available appropriated funds. Currently, only students who have followed the recommended high school curriculum are eligible for Texas Grants programs.
Background and rationale: Millions of dollars of grant funding for the Texas Grant and Texas Grant II programs were returned unspent. There is strong evidence of large numbers of students who, if provided such assistance, could go on to college and have the opportunity to change their economic future. The proposed legislative concept would allow for providing grant funding to the next group of low income students after all students who fully meet stated guidelines have been funded. This would be much better use of funding, and reduce or eliminate returning funds.
3. Consider adding IT training as a priority with nursing and allied health in the High Priority Program Development Fund language
Background and rationale: Previous recommendations have included funding for development and program redesign to address workforce-training needs as they become critical, particularly for high technology programs and special skill programs such as nursing and allied health. The legislation has passed, but has not been funded. The TACC’s recommendations include such specific funding requests to address health careers, but for the ACC service area, IT training should also be a priority.
4. Establish coordinated funding for Workforce Investment Act through the community colleges statewide, to improve delivery of training and education opportunities, with community colleges designated as the primary system for workforce training and adult education.
Background and rationale: The national Ford Foundation-funded report on developing public systems that promote career pathways, (Workforce Strategy Center, August 2002), made a series of recommendations to enhance workforce outcomes nationally. One of these addressed to state administrators suggested “states should explicitly designate community colleges as the primary deliverer of workforce training…and [be given] responsibility for administering all adult education programs.” Community colleges around the country have expressed frustrations in delivering training, particularly in addressing the Workforce Investment Act, the federal program designed to respond to welfare reduction and growing a skilled workforce. Federal dollars flow to the each state’s Workforce Commission or agency, then are disseminated through local workforce boards, which in turn require extensive “recertification” of workforce programs to be approved for WIA participants. Since all Community and Technical College certificate and degree programs are approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, additional approval should not be required by local Workforce Boards, as the process creates unnecessary paper work and significant staff time. The Texas Workforce Commission is not set up to evaluate education programs, nor are local Workforce Boards, and the designation recommended by the study above (North Carolina has used such language and passed legislation to this effect) would streamline the process for serving adults.