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Higher Education Participation
The strategic plan for higher education adopted by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board calls for increasing the participation rate of Texans in our higher education system from the current rate of 5 percent of the population to 5.7 percent by the year 2015. That is the average participation rate of the highest participation states. But to achieve this goal, Texas would need to add 600,000 more students to its system by the year 2015 - a more than 50 percent increase. This challenge is heightened by the changing demographics of the state where the fastest growing populations are those that have had the lowest participation rates. The Higher Education Coordinating Board in coordination with the state's community, technical, and state colleges, as well as the universities and medical schools are working to attain this goal through a variety of ongoing and dynamic programs.
Current Efforts in Increasing Participation
Following the recommendations of the Special Commission on 21st Century Colleges and Universities and the Higher Education Coordinating Board's strategic plan for "Closing the Gaps," the legislature approved and Governor Perry signed into law several measures to improve access and participation in higher education. Some of these measures were targeted at student populations with low participation rates, including:
Increasing the funding for the TEXAS Grant program to $324 million for the 2004-05 biennium (an increase of $56 million from 2003-04);
Continuing the funding for the TEXAS Grant II program for community college students;
Supporting the College for Texans information campaign, a public awareness campaign to inform families of the importance of higher education and encourage students to prepare for college; and
Making the Recommended High School program the standard curriculum.
In addition, many higher education institutions around the state have developed programs aimed at increasing participation rates overall, and some specifically targeting under-represented populations.
The Need for Change
If we are to reach the participation goals recommended in the strategic plan for higher education for "Closing the Gaps," we must make concerted, focused efforts to motivate and assist students that traditionally have not viewed college as a pathway to the future. Those students who would be the "first generation" of their family to attend college should be one of the targeted populations because of the lasting impact that will have for pursuing a college education for generations to come.
Gov. Perry's First Generation College Student Initiative
Through the use of $20 million in funding from the Workforce Investment Act, the Governor has initiated a program through the Texas Education Agency, the Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Texas Workforce Commission to increase the number of first generation students attending college.
The Higher Education Coordinating Board has worked to provide enrollment and financial aid workshops to more than 5,000 students which assisted the students in completing college applications and financial aid forms. Sub-grants totaling more than $2.7 million have been provided to individual higher education institutions to support recruitment, retention and mentoring programs for first generation students. In addition scholarships have been provided to more than 3,500 students as an incentive to pursue a college degree.
Today, more than 100 Go centers have been established in high schools with low college-going rates which assist students and parents in understanding the process of applying to colleges, and for financial aid. These centers are staffed predominantly by volunteers who have been trained to provide this service to the students and their families.
The Texas Workforce Commission has provided grants to local workforce development boards to create innovative outreach programs to first generation students with the assistance of local businesses and educational institutions. These groups have worked to target high schools with low college going rates and work collaboratively to improve their students participation in higher education. The newest component to be added to this initiative is a work study program which will encourage students to excel in educational studies which will aid them in developing the skills needed in the work force.