Bill Caption

Relating to student success-based funding recommendations for certain continuing workforce education courses offered by public junior colleges.

Fiscal Notes

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. It is assumed that the direct costs associated with the bill's provisions relating to student success-based funding recommendations for certain continuing workforce education courses offered by public junior colleges could be absorbed using existing resources. However, while the bill does not make an appropriation, because the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board currently collects only a subset of continuing workforce education course data the impact the bill's provisions would have on formula funding cannot be fully determined.

Bill Analysis

A portion of public junior college formula funding by the state is based on student success measures. That success-based funding does not consider shorter continuing workforce education courses for which credit toward a certificate or associate’s degree is not awarded certification.

SB 959 would require the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to incorporate the consideration of student success measures, and include funding recommendations based on those success measures, achieved in qualified continuing workforce education courses. This would effectively broaden the coursework to be considered when making success-based funding recommendations, therefore likely increasing funding overall. 

Vote Recommendation Notes

Texas Action is opposed to SB 959 based on the principle of limited government because no one, including the Legislative Budget Board, has any idea how much this would increase funding for public junior colleges in the future. The legislature should not pass a law to expand the formula funding basis for public junior colleges without first understanding and taking into consideration the actual cost. It would be better to conduct a study to determine what this proposal would cost and use the results of the study to inform future legislation on this issue.