EDITORIAL: Passing marks at college
Higher education hasn’t garnered much discussion this past election cycle, but if you believe community and technical colleges should be funded according to how responsive they are to the needs of community and industry, you must support the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s recent proposal.
The board proposes that such colleges receive state funds partly based on results. Specifically, it advises 10 percent of allocations of state money be based strictly on outcomes such as students completing 15 credit hours or 30 credit hours or transferring to a four-year institution.
This strikes us as another move toward demanding accountability on the part of education, whether in public schools or higher education venues. Officials at McLennan Community College and Texas State Technical College Waco, both successful in this area, wholeheartedly endorse this move.
In an era where state budget deficits loom and will almost certainly continue in the foreseeable future, linking precious taxpayer dollars to institutions of higher learning must be based on schools’ ability to focus on preparing new generations for a fast-changing, highly technical, even merciless world.
MCC President Johnette McKown says she’s all for it. Considering the success we’ve seen at MCC through its growing enrollment and its readiness to meet new needs, we’re not surprised. It has a higher rate of three-, four- and six-year graduations, according to 2008 higher education accountability data.
TSTC officials like the move, too, and even favor expanding the funding formula beyond the 10 percent cited.
Gov. Perry, who has long touted state funding allocations based on performance rather than enrollment, and legislators do have to be cautious if they consider this proposal. Some education officials are justified in worrying that educational standards at some colleges might be “dumbed down” to produce more graduates.
That’s an important caveat. But it’s also time higher education compete for tax dollars based on real successes.
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