Texas commission recommends tying community colleges’ state funding to their performance

Houston Community College’s Northeast Campus on April 26. A commission charged by the Texas Legislature to suggest new ways of financing the state’s community colleges has unanimously approved its recommendation that lawmakers tie state funding to how successful schools are at getting students to graduate or transfer to four-year universities. (Credit: Justin Rex for The Texas Tribune)

A commission charged by the Texas Legislature to suggest new ways of financing the state’s community colleges unanimously approved its recommendation Tuesday that lawmakers tie state funding to how successful schools are at getting students to graduate or transfer to four-year universities.

The Commission on Community College Finance made minor changes to the draft recommendations initially released last month. That report included the suggested shift to an outcomes-based funding model, but also recommended that the state provide schools more funding for students who are considered more difficult to teach (such as low income or academically unprepared students), increase the pot of financial aid for community college students and financially help schools meet demand for certain programs as the state’s population grows.