Contempo Magazine Blog

A proposal, Texas HB 3276, would add academic performance to the criteria for weighting the main program in the state for Texas for awarding financial aid to needy high school graduates to pursue higher education. Although the program awards $428 million it is currently only enough for about half of all potential candidates who could qualify based upon graduation criteria and financial need alone. Some controversy has arisen as to the fairness of measure in how it would qualify students and how it might disfavor junior colleges.

In 1999 the Texas legislature created the Texas Grant Program to help financially needy students who had completed a recommended high school program that is preparatory for college. This program has become the foundation for such students financial aid in Texas. To qualify a student must meet the following criteria

• graduate from a public or private accredited Texas high school

• enter higher education within 16 months of graduation

• complete the recommended or advanced high school program

• meet financial aid requirements

• apply for financial aid

The grants are part of the Texas Success Initiative to improve the performance of students entering college. Up to now the program placed priority based upon financial need and first-come first-serve basis.

The issue that brings up changes in legislation is the current demand for aid allows only about half to eligible students to receive aid. There is now a competition for the limited aid between students with higher academic achievements who often are attending four year colleges or universities and students with lesser achievement who more likely but not always attend junior colleges.

State Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, the sponsor of the bill says that that students who are better prepared and have higher grades have historically done better in the program than lesser achieved students. With the limited resources available to only about half of eligible students she says that the right course content is not enough. Citing the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board that about half of all entering college freshman need remedial work that cost state $200 million per year the program is missing its target.

Opponents of the measure say that changing the criteria would push most junior college students out of the program while supporters say the new criteria do not inherently discriminate against junior colleges. Others have suggested formally dividing the Texas grant program into separate programs for four year and two year schools.

The measure is being supported by the Texas Grant Coalition which includes many Texas Chambers of Commerce including Arlington, Houston, Dallas, El Paso, Fort Worth, and Austin. In addition the Education Trust, Center for Public Policy Priorities, Texas A&M International, University of Texas at Pan American, and the ChemShare Corporation are also backing the change.

The Austin Statesman said the bill might be discriminatory against minorities but several prominent minority business leaders and two predominately Hispanic South Texas universities are supporting the measure.

In my opinion a financially needy student who qualifies for admission to a four year school with higher grades should get priority. It is not that lesser academically achieved students deserve it that much less but the greater wrong is to deny the student with a greater chance of success and at less cost. At the same time there are some students who do attend junior college because of financial limitations or family responsibilities that would otherwise qualify for a four year school. The intent of the bill as proposed by Rep. Howard would include these students rightfully in its priority. Sometimes government has to make some hard choices based upon what will help the most with best chance for success and the least cost.

Thanks for reading Contempo Magazine blog which discusses issues for McAllen, the Rio Grande Valley, and America from a conservative Hispanic point of view. Tony Magaña grew up in McAllen Texas, attended Texas A&M University, served as an officer in Army Reserve, and holds a doctorate from Harvard University. The co-founder of Contempo Magazine has participated in Valley business for over 20 years. He is a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and also writes for the American Daily Review

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 6th, 2009 at 19:45 and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.