Investing in Community Colleges
As the 88th Texas Legislature examines funding recommendations proposed by the Texas Commission on Community College Finance including (i) state funding for outcomes, (ii) affordability for students, and (iii) investment in college capacity, there is an immediate need to ensure adequate investment in community colleges for the 2024-2025 biennium.
Adequate investment in community colleges for the 2024-2025 biennium is minimally $2.03 billion, as recommended by the Texas Association of Community Colleges and the Community & Technical College Formula Advisory Committee.
The formula would factor core operations, student success points, and contact hours, providing for $100 million, $418.2 million and $1.5 billion, respectively.
Successful passage of this funding measure will help Build a Talent Strong Texas that expands on the success and progress of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s 60x30TX Plan (i.e., by 2030, at least 60 percent of Texans ages 25 – 34 will have a certificate or degree).
Successful passage of this recommendation will also operate to increase employment opportunities and incomes for individuals, create a deeper talent pool for employers, and align students’ skills with workforce demands.

Dual Credit and Senior Waivers – Disadvantaged Student Supplement
Equitable access and adequate funding are critical components of promoting high-quality programs, particularly for certain student populations.
Like many Texas community colleges, HCC serves a predominately minority and disadvantaged student population, many of whom require supplemental funding for wrap-around services.
HCC grants tuition waivers to dual credit students because it has a high concentration of economically disadvantaged students who cannot otherwise afford tuition. HCC waivers total about $12 million, per fiscal year.
Success of the dual credit program is important to Texas. It increases the likelihood of students achieving degrees and certificates (necessary for achieving the state’s 60x30TX goal) and saves the state money.
Dual credit access was greatly expanded in Texas 20 years ago when the state’s share of funding of community colleges represented over half of the cost.
The state’s share of funding today has been significantly reduced, with more of the cost
shifted to tuition.
Successful passage of any legislation that would grant disadvantaged students – both dual credit and seniors – a funded waiver will also help promote the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s goal of Building a Talent Strong Texas.

Revised January 20, 2023

Equitable Access - Relating to designation of unassigned Fort Bend ISD service areas to Houston Community College
HCC has a campus in Missouri City and provides significant dual credit instruction to Fort Bend Independent School District (FBISD).
HCC partners with FBISD at three early college and P-Tech high schools.
HCC also provides traditional dual credit instruction at 11 FBISD high schools.
Services are made available for FBISD high schools within HCC’s Service Area, including some in the unassigned service areas.
Service area means territory where the college provides instructional services and is inclusive of both taxing districts and non-taxing areas.
State statutes assign a portion of FBISD to Wharton County Junior College (WCJC); however, the two areas in question are not assigned to a community college district.
HCC desires to assign to HCC the part of FBISD in Fort Bend County that is not located in the incorporated areas and extraterritorial jurisdiction of the City of Sugarland located in Fort Bend County, as existed on January 1, 2021.
Successful passage of the proposed legislation relating to this matter will enhance the ability of HCC to meet the educational needs of the identified community with the intent of promoting student success and Building a Talent Strong Texas.

Adequate Funding - Resiliency Operations Center
In addition to requesting that the 88th Texas Legislature fund contact hours at 100% of cost, HCC seeks continued funding support (i.e., $2.375 million) for its Resiliency Operations Center (ROC) project.
In the 86th and 87th legislative sessions, the Texas Legislature favorably voted upon HCC’s Legislative Appropriations Request, appropriating $2.5 million and $2.375 million, respectively, believing the ROC project serves the public interest and the state of Texas well.
Notably, Texas has endured eight major flooding events and amongst them three 400-year floods, which have adversely impacted not only the Houston region but the state of Texas.
Considering these repetitive events and their adverse impact, often resulting in loss of life, HCC will continue to serve the community and perform its promise to secure the need for well-trained emergency responders.
Training opportunities extend to first responders within and outside the state of Texas and HCC will soon build the state-of the art emergency response center focused on water-based rescue in swift and high-water scenarios.
Continued funding of this measure will help HCC continue its work on the ROC and help meet this compelling need for our region and the state of Texas.