Community College Funding in Texas: Panel Discussion and Question-and-Answer session (REL Southwest)

Public community colleges serve a vital role in offering individuals from various social backgrounds enhanced opportunities in the labor market and subsequent financial stability. Determining how to fund community colleges in an adequate and equitable manner to achieve the desired outcomes for students is a hotly debated issue. In Texas, the Success Points funding system calculates the distribution of state dollars to community colleges. Points are based on outcomes such as students’ successful completion of credits, transfers from two-year general education to four-year degree programs, and completion of two-year degree programs. Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Southwest conducted a study to help leaders at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board better understand the extent to which Texas community colleges have adequate funding for reaching the desired levels of student success, as measured by Success Points milestones used in the state’s performance-based funding system. This REL Southwest webinar, “Informing policy development about equitable funding levels for Texas community colleges,” was recorded on October 27, 2022. The webinar archive includes four videos: (1) an introduction to the webinar by Dr. Jesse Levin and an overview of the importance of community colleges by Dr. Richard Kahlenberg; (2) information about the context of Texas community colleges, the Texas Commission on Community College Finance and their recommendations by Commissioner of Higher Education for the State of Texas, Dr. Harrison Keller; (3) a summary of REL Southwest’s report, An Examination of the Costs of Texas Community Colleges, by Dr. Bruce Baker; and (4) a discussion about the report and community college funding with the President of El Paso Community College, Dr. William Serrata, Martha Snyder from HCM Strategists, LLC, Commissioner Keller, Drs. Baker and Kahlenberg, including and a question-and-answer session. In Video 4, Dr. Levin leads a discussion with Drs. Baker, Kahlenberg, and Serrata, Commissioner Keller and Ms. Snyder, and facilitates a question-and-answer session. This video was prepared under Contract This video was prepared under Contract 91990018C0002 by REL Southwest and administered by the American Institutes for Research through funding from the Institute of Education Sciences at the U.S. Department of Education. The content does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Institute of Education Sciences or the U.S. Department of Education, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. government. Keywords: Postsecondary Education, Community College, School Finance, Education Costs, Texas Community College, Community College in Texas, REL Southwest