ATC Training Announcement

10/10/08: In a recent meeting regarding proposed rules for Uniform GPA Calculation, Commissioner Paredes  (higher ed) expressed his view that CTE courses are “largely irrelevant” to studies in a four year institution and dismissed suggestions that career and technical education prepares students for a variety of educational and occupational pursuits. However, he indicated that the Fine Arts should be included in the calculation, allowing some enrichment courses to be included to the exclusion of others for the purposes of predicting success in pursuing a baccalaureate degree.
It was acknowledged that Texas is making great strides to include career and college readiness standards in K-12 courses to prepare students for a highly competitive workforce requiring both academic and technical skills and that we must do more to align coursework and rigor between K-12 and higher education. Labor market statistics indicate that 85 percent of current and emerging occupations require a two year degree or less and 15 percent require a baccalaureate degree or higher, yet Commissioner Paredes supports a proposed rule for calculation of GPA that is a predictor of success solely in pursuing a baccalaureate degree. This policy contradicts the focus Texas places on career and college readiness to the extend that it excludes career & technical education.   

When the 80th Texas Legislature passed HB 3851 and amended the Texas Education Code § 51.807 to require the THECB to establish a standard method for computing a student’s high school grade point average, the intent seemed to be that this would be something done “behind the curtain” for institutes of higher education. As we now recognize, any rule that is promulgated by the THECB will have a significant impact on high schools and is generally viewed as negative by local school trustees, public school personnel, and parents. Again, the proposed rules don’t include courses in the broad subject areas of career & technical courses to be counted in the Uniform GPA calculation.

On a positive note, an alternative proposal for GPA point conversion system was made to Commissioner Paredes that would encourage districts to continue calculating GPA as they do today and allow more time for stakeholders to work with Commissioner Paredes on this issue. He will most likely make his ruling on this at the Oct. 22 meeting.

HB 3851, passed by the 80^th Texas Legislature, requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) to create a uniform high school GPA formula for admission to Texas public universities. The Commissioner of Higher Education Raymund Paredes has recommended dramatic changes in GPA calculation—numbers that are very important to students and parents for admission to selective colleges and universities. Extra weight will be given to dual credit, international baccalaureate (IB), and advanced placement (AP) courses. Parents, students and teachers are con

For the first time in 10 years, Congress has approved a new version of the Higher Education Act. As reported in ACTE’s last legislative update, a deal was imminent in the last week of July. However, at that time, final action wasn’t expected until September. Since then, several procedural issues were cleared, and Members of Congress wanted at least a small victory before the August recess.

The New York Times (9/18, A21, Dillon, Lewin) reported that "college students are seeking federal financial aid in record numbers this year" in response to the worsening economy, "leading Bush administration officials to warn Congress that the most important federal aid program, Pell Grants, may need up to $6 billion in additional taxpayer funds next year." According to the Department of Education, "Congress appropriated $14 billion for the grants for the current fiscal year, but because of the increase and because of accumulated shortfalls from previous years, lawmakers will need to add $6 billion in new funds next year or cut the size of the grants." Terry W. Hartle, senior vice president for public affairs at the American Council on Education, explained that one reason for the increase in applications for federal aid is that nontraditional students are "returning to school to improve their job skills during the economic downturn." However, House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) said that he was "committed to ensuring that the scholarship doesn't decrease in the future."

The Senate Education Committee will meet at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, October 20, 2008, to hear invited and public testimony on 3 interim charges (public testimony will be limited to 3 minutes per person.).  Please contact TIVA if you are interested in submitting written testimony or would like to testify before this committee.