Education

Economic growth begins with an educated work force. The foundation of any region’s economic prospects is laid in the classroom.

The area’s young population is growing faster than the rest of the state.

The South Texas region has a number of positive indicators for future economic prosperity, and ranks above the statewide average on several education benchmarks. South Texas shows an enormous potential for producing a large educated work force, with a large number of school-aged children and school districts showing improvement. The areas’ young population is growing faster than the rest of the state. The region has a higher share of school districts ranked Academically Acceptable than in the state as a whole, and its higher education institutions are increasing enrollment and the number of degrees they award.

PHOTO: Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi

A graduate student reads to children at the Early Childhood Development Center at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.

Public Education

The South Texas region is home to 11.2 percent of Texas’ 4.7 million public elementary and secondary students. It has 102 public and nine charter school districts with 844 campuses. These schools provide early childhood through Grade 12 education for more than 500,000 students.

The region’s number of students has increased by 14.6 percent since the 2001-02 school year, outpacing the statewide increase of 12.7 percent over the same period and representing a net gain of almost 70,000 students.

In 2007-08, the region’s largest independent school district (ISD) by enrollment was Brownsville ISD in Cameron County, with nearly 50,000 students. The smallest district with students through 12th grade was Big Springs Charter in Real County, with 115 students.

The region’s public school student population reflects an increasing Hispanic population share that is now nearly twice as large as the state average, at 91 percent versus 47.2 percent (Exhibit 54).

Exhibit 54

Ethnicity of Public School Students, South Texas Region

Ethnicity	2001-02	2007-08
White	9.8%	7.2%
Hispanic	88.4%	91.0%
Black	1.1%	1.0%
Asian/Pacific Islander	0.5%	0.6%
Native American	0.2%	0.1%

Note: Numbers may not total due to rounding.

Source: Texas Education Agency.

Exhibit 55

2007 Accountability Ratings, School Districts

Rating	South Texas	Statewide
Exemplary	1.8%	2.2%
Recognized	12.6%	17.8%
Academically Acceptable	83.8%	75.3%
Academically Unacceptable	1.8%	4.6%
Not Rated: Other	0.0%	0.2%

Note: “Not Rated: Other” includes campuses such as alternative education programs or early childhood education centers. These data include charter districts.
Numbers may not total due to rounding.

Source: Texas Education Agency.

Although the number of students in the region identified as economically disadvantaged has increased since 2001-02, their percentage share of the total population is about the same. More than 350,000 students, or 77.7 percent of total enrollment, were identified as economically disadvantaged in 2001-02; by 2007-08, more than 420,000 students, or 79.8 percent of the region’s students, were classified as economically disadvantaged. The statewide average was 55.2 percent in 2007-08.¹

South Texas exceeded the state in percentage of districts ranking Academically Acceptable or better.

Accountability

The region’s districts compared favorably with statewide averages in the 2007 district accountability ratings established by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). South Texas exceeded the state in percentage of districts ranking Academically Acceptable or better; in addition, its districts had a smaller-than-average percentage of Academically Unacceptable districts (Exhibit 55).²

As of August 2007, two of the region’s 111 districts were rated Exemplary; 14 were rated Recognized; 93 were rated Academically Acceptable; and two were rated Academically Unacceptable.³

The South Texas region tied the statewide average in its percentage of campuses rated Academically Acceptable or better (Exhibit 56).

Of the 844 total campuses in the region’s districts in 2006-07, including charter schools, 43 were rated Exemplary, 262 were Recognized, 440 were Academically Acceptable, 34 were rated Academically Unacceptable and 65 were listed as “Not Rated: Other.”⁴

Among the region’s districts that teach all grade levels, San Isidro ISD had the highest percentage of students passing all Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) tests in 2007, at 85 percent (excluding charters). TEA reported the statewide average as 67 percent. (An average for the South Texas region is unavailable since TEA reports district data only as percentages.)

South Texas graduating students registered higher-than-average participation in the SAT or ACT college entrance exams in 2006. Leakey and Woodsboro ISDs had the highest participation rate at 100 percent; the statewide average was 65.8 percent. Of the 90 South Texas districts for which data are available, 52 had participation shares above the state average.

The percentage of students taking the tests who scored at or above the criterion score that TEA uses to measure college readiness was highest in Port Aransas ISD, with 45.2 percent. Statewide, just 27.1 percent of the students who took at least one of the tests scored at or above the criterion score.⁵

Exhibit 56

2007 Accountability Ratings, School Campuses

Rating	South Texas	Statewide
Exemplary	5.1%	8.0%
Recognized	31.0%	29.2%
Academically Acceptable	52.1%	51.0%
Academically Unacceptable	4.0%	3.4%
Not Rated: Other	7.7%	8.4%

Note: “Not Rated: Other” includes campuses such as alternative education programs or early childhood education centers. These data include charter campuses. Numbers may not total due to rounding.

Source: Texas Education Agency.

Exhibit 57

2007 High School Graduates South Texas Region vs. Statewide Averages

Graduation Plan	South Texas	Statewide
Distinguished Achievement	23.6%	10.8%
Recommended	62.1%	67.0%
Minimum/IEP*	14.3%	22.1%
Distinguished Achievement & Recommended as Percent of Total	85.7%	77.9%

*IEP: An individual education plan for students in Special Education. Note: Numbers may not total due to rounding.

Source: Texas Education Agency.

Outcomes

In the 2006-07 school year, 24,251 students graduated from the South Texas region’s public high schools, about 10 percent of the statewide total in that year. Corpus Christi ISD had the largest number of graduates (1,993) while Gabriel Tafolla Charter School had the smallest number, with one graduate.

About 23.6 percent of the region’s students graduated under the Distinguished Achievement plan, the state’s most stringent graduation plan, compared to 10.8 percent statewide; 62.1 percent under the Recommended plan; and 14.3 percent under the Minimum plan, a less-stringent graduation plan that requires both parental and school approval, or under an Individual Education Plan offered through Special Education (Exhibit 57).⁶

According to TEA, 47 of the region’s 88 non-charter districts serving high school students had dropout rates lower than the statewide average of 3.7 percent. Among the nearly 80 South Texas districts, including charters, for which student totals are available, more than 6,500 Grade 9-12 students dropped out during the 2005-06 school year.⁷

School Finance

In 2006-07, the South Texas region’s total school spending per pupil, including capital outlay and debt service, averaged $10,196, slightly higher than the statewide average of $10,162.

In all, 29 districts in the region were 20 percent or more above the statewide spending average, while only 12 districts, including charters, fell more than 20 percent below the statewide average.

Excluding charter districts, which do not receive funding from local tax revenue, the region’s lowest total tax rate in 2006 was in Webb ISD, at $1.092 per $100 of property value. Woodsboro ISD levied the highest rate, at $1.806. The statewide average was $1.452; 48 districts in the South Texas region had higher rates.

About 23.6 percent of the region’s students graduated under the Distinguished Achievement plan, the state’s most stringent graduation plan, compared to 10.8 percent statewide.

The average regional property wealth per pupil was $162,119, which is 47 percent lower than the statewide average of $305,208. Texas law requires districts with relatively high property wealth per pupil to share it with less-wealthy districts through a process called “equity transfers.” In 2006, ten districts in the South Texas region transferred $54.8 million, an average of $107.80 per pupil, to other districts; the statewide average was $286 per pupil. Point Isabel ISD transferred the largest amount ($13.8 million), while Kenedy County Wide ISD had the highest per-pupil transfer amount at $69,738.

The region’s revenue from local taxes was lower than the statewide average, at 23.5 percent versus 45.8 percent. Comstock ISD obtained 77.2 percent of its revenue from local taxes, for the highest share in the region, while Edcouch-Elsa ISD had the lowest share, at 5.6 percent. The percentage of revenue from local sources such as transfers and tuition was lower in the region than statewide, at 4.8 percent compared to 6.7 percent.

Encino ISD received about 86.2 percent of its revenue from the state in 2006-07, the highest share among non-charter districts. Kenedy County Wide ISD received the smallest state share, at 9.6 percent. The regional average for 2006-07 was 56.6 percent, much higher than the statewide average of 37.8 percent. The region also received a higher share of federal funds than the statewide average, at 15.1 percent versus 9.8 percent.¹⁰

The South Texas region is home to a number of museums, performing arts organizations and other cultural organizations (Exhibit 58).

Exhibit 58

Museums of Arts, Science and History, Performing Arts Organizations and Film Commissions

County Name	City	Venue or Organization Name
Aransas	Rockport	Texas Maritime Museum
Cameron	Brownsville	Brownsville Border Film Commission
Hidalgo	Edinburg	Museum of South Texas History
Hidalgo	McAllen	McAllen International Museum
Kenedy	Sarita	Kenedy Ranch Museum of South Texas
La Salle	Cotulla	Brush Country Historical Museum
Nueces	Corpus Christi	Corpus Christi Ballet, Harbor Playhouse, Art Museum of South Texas, Asian Cultures Museum, Texas State Aquarium, Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History and the U.S.S. Lexington Museum
Val Verde	Del Rio	The Upstagers and the Whitehead Memorial Museum
Webb	Laredo	Laredo Center for the Arts

Source: 2006-2007 Texas Almanac.

Teachers

The average South Texas teacher salary in 2007-08 was $45,742, close to the statewide average of $46,178. Webb ISD had the highest average salary at $57,991. (Note that a district’s average salary is strongly affected by the length of teachers’ tenure as well as wage levels; in other words, District A may have a higher average salary than District B because it has a higher percentage of experienced teachers, even though its wage levels for various levels of experience may be lower than District B’s.)

According to TEA, 47 of the region’s 88 non-charter districts serving high school students had dropout rates lower than the statewide average of 3.7 percent.

Average teacher salaries in the South Texas region rose by 16.3 percent from 2002-03 to 2007-08, compared with a statewide average increase of 15.5 percent. Charter School Gateway Academy in Webb County had the highest percentage increase over this period, at 50.7 percent.

The region’s teacher salaries accounted for 29 percent of its total district expenditures from all funds in 2007-08, including capital expenditures and debt service, slightly lower than the statewide average of 30.1 percent. The highest expenditure share within the region was 42.3 percent for Ricardo ISD. In all, 51 of the region’s 111 districts devoted a higher-than-average percentage of expenditures to teacher salaries.¹¹

The region’s teacher turnover rate from 2005-06 to 2006-07 was 12.4 percent, below the statewide average of 15.6 percent. The rate was lowest for Lasara and Encino ISDs, which had no teachers leave. In all, 51 South Texas districts had turnover rates lower than the statewide average.

In 2006-07, the region had a higher average number of students per teacher, at 15.2 versus a statewide average of 14.7. Big Springs Charter School and Webb ISD had the smallest number of students per teacher, at 7.7.¹²

Historically, the South Texas region has been mostly rural, with an economy largely based on goods-producing sectors such as agriculture and textile manufacturing. In the past decade, however, apparel and textile manufacturing jobs diminished, spurring the regional economy to adapt and diversify. Now the region is home to some of the fastest-growing metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) in the United States.

These MSAs – McAllen-Mission-Pharr, Brownsville-Harlingen and Laredo – are experiencing employment growth at rates greater than the state average. These growth rates are a testament to a more diversified regional economy and demonstrate an ability to adapt to changing employer demands.

A report, 2005 Skills Gap Report: A Survey of the American Manufacturing Workforce, written by Phyllis Eisen, Jerry J. Jasinowski and Richard Kleinert, details the results of a series of surveys given to employers to determine skills gaps in the manufacturing sector. Among other findings, the report found that, “High-performance work force requirements have significantly increased as a result of the skills gap shortage and the challenge of competing in a global economy, according to nearly 75 percent of survey respondents.”⁸ To address the manufacturing work force skills gap, the University of Texas-Pan American (UTPA) has created a Rapid Response Manufacturing Center to serve the region’s industrial and manufacturing community by supporting research, development and demonstration projects leading to new products and businesses.

The UTPA Rapid Response Manufacturing Center opened with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 11, 2008, and is the first of its kind in the world.

Keith Patridge, president and CEO of the McAllen Economic Development Corporation, recently told the San Antonio Business Journal that the new center will support and serve 20 to 30 new manufacturers moving to McAllen each year, as well as the nearly 300 international manufacturers already located in the greater metropolitan area. Mr. Patridge explained that manufacturing industry employers typically create a large number of jobs and economic benefit to a community.

He notes that the goal is to grow and retain the total number of high-wage, high-skilled advanced manufacturing jobs to at least 10 percent of total employment in the Rio Grande Valley over the next decade or so.⁹

A collaboration of state, federal and private support provides funding for the center. The North American Advanced Manufacturing Research and Education Initiative (NAAMREI) is an effort to develop a workforce with industry-specific skills and reduce a product’s time to market. The center is part of this initiative to develop a manufacturing research park in the Rio Grande Valley. The UTPA Rapid Response Manufacturing Center is the link to the NAAMREI service network. According to the NAAMREI website, “As part of its focus on developing world-class and rapid response advanced manufacturing capabilities, initiative partners have invested in a variety of applied research, development and demonstration programs and services through The University of Texas-Pan American’s Rapid Response Manufacturing Center.” Research, development and demonstration services are “already available to help companies plan, design and prototype the products of tomorrow today.” NAAMREI is a U.S Department of Labor Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) project devoted to developing a highly skilled workforce in the South Texas region and increasing business opportunities.

WIRED is an innovative regional approach to workforce and economic development. The WIRED model directs regions to combine economic and workforce development activities and demonstrate that skill development can lead to economic revitalization in regional economies across the United States.

Higher Education

The South Texas educational landscape is undergoing a dramatic change. Although 24 of the region’s 28 counties have high percentages of adults without high school diplomas, college attendance rates are growing much faster than in the rest of the state.¹³ The number of degrees awarded by South Texas public universities from fiscal 2000 to fiscal 2007 rose considerably, with the University of Texas at Brownsville booking a notable 75.9 percent increase.

South Texas has 13 institutions of higher education that operate 26 campuses in the region, as well as eight health-related centers affiliated with the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and Texas A&M University System Health Science Center (Exhibit 59).

College attendance rates in South Texas are growing much faster than in the rest of the state.

Exhibit 59

Institutions of Higher Education South Texas Region

(Institutions of Higher Education South Texas Region in Text Format.)

Twelve of the region’s 28 counties have at least one higher education campus (Exhibit 60).

The South Texas region has six public universities: Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, the University of Texas at Brownsville, the University of Texas-Pan American at Edinburg, Texas A&M International University at Laredo and Sul Ross State University Rio Grande College, which has three campuses located at Eagle Pass, Del Rio and Uvalde.

The South Texas region also has six community college districts – Coastal Bend College, Del Mar College, Laredo Community College, South Texas College, Southwest Texas Junior College and Texas Southmost College – with a total of 12 campuses in 11 counties. In addition, the region has a branch of Texas State Technical College in Harlingen.

The region has eight public health-related campuses of the University of Texas at San Antonio, the University of Texas at Houston and Texas A&M University System located in Cameron, Hidalgo, Kleberg, Nueces and Webb counties.¹⁴

Exhibit 60

Higher Education Campuses, South Texas Region

Institution	City	County
Coastal Bend College	Beeville	Bee
Texas Southmost College	Brownsville	Cameron
Texas State Technical College-Harlingen	Harlingen	Cameron
The University of Texas at Brownsville	Brownsville	Cameron
The University of Texas Health Science Center-Houston School of Public Health	Brownsville	Cameron
The University of Texas Health Science Center-San Antonio Lower Rio Grande Valley Regional Academic Health Center	Brownsville	Cameron
The University of Texas Health Science Center-San Antonio Lower Rio Grande Valley Regional Academic Health Center	Harlingen	Cameron
South Texas College (5 campuses)	McAllen	Hidalgo
Texas A&M University System Health Science Center-Center for Rural Public Health	McAllen	Hidalgo
Texas A&M University-Kingsville Teaching Site	Weslaco	Hidalgo
The University of Texas-Pan American	Edinburg	Hidalgo
The University of Texas Health Science Center-San Antonio Lower Rio Grande Valley Regional Academic Health Center	Edinburg	Hidalgo
Coastal Bend College Alice Center	Alice	Jim Wells
Texas A&M University System Health Science Center-Coastal Bend Health Education Center	Kingsville	Kleburg
Texas A&M University-Kingsville	Kingsville	Kleburg
Coastal Bend College-Kingsville Center	Kingsville	Kleburg
Sul Ross State University Rio Grande Branch Campus-Eagle Pass	Eagle Pass	Maverick
Southwest Texas Junior College-Eagle Pass Outreach Center	Eagle Pass	Maverick
Del Mar College	Corpus Christi	Nueces
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi	Corpus Christi	Nueces
Texas A&M University System Health Science Center-Coastal Bend Health Education Center	Corpus Christi	Nueces
South Texas College Rio Grande Extension Center	Rio Grande	Starr
Southwest Texas Junior College	Uvalde	Uvalde
Sul Ross State University Rio Grande College	Uvalde	Uvalde
Sul Ross State University Rio Grande Branch Campus-Del Rio	Del Rio	Val Verde
Southwest Texas Junior College-Del Rio Outreach Center	Del Rio	Val Verde
The University of Texas Health Science Center-San Antonio Teaching Site	Laredo	Webb
Texas A&M International University	Laredo	Webb
Laredo Community College	Laredo	Webb
Southwest Texas Junior College-Crystal City Extension	Crystal City	Zavala

Source: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Enrollment

Cecilia G. Corral earned her associate’s degree in engineering three weeks before graduating as the salutatorian of Pharr-San Juan-Alamo High School. Corral graduated as part of South Texas College’s Dual Enrollment Engineering Academy (DEEA). The Academy is designed to motivate high school students to undertake engineering as a profession by providing them college course-work and engineering related opportunities to complete an Associate of Science (AS) degree in engineering by the end of their high school senior year. South Texas College also operates the Dual Enrollment Medical Science Academy for students interested in pursuing health related occupations. In addition to earning her high school diploma and associate’s degree simultaneously, Corral earned almost $600,000 in scholarships, including a full scholarship to Stanford University in California.16

In fall 2007, 110,301 students were enrolled in South Texas colleges and undergraduate universities. Enrollment in the undergraduate universities accounted for 40.5 percent of the total, while the remaining 59.5 percent were enrolled in two-year institutions.

The region’s largest higher education institution by enrollment is South Texas College, with 19,808 students enrolled in fall 2007. The smallest institution is Sul Ross State University-Rio Grande College, with 941 students enrolled.

The South Texas region has seen phenomenal enrollment growth. Enrollment in its universities rose by 37.1 percent between 2000 and 2007, compared to a statewide growth rate of 19.9 percent. Enrollment in two-year colleges rose by 44.7 percent compared to a state increase of 31.1 percent. During this period, universities in the region added 12,070 students and community colleges gained 20,280.

In 2007, a little more than 2 percent of the South Texas region’s population was enrolled in public universities, while 3 percent were enrolled in two-year public institutions. Added together, 5 percent of the South Texas region’s population was enrolled in a public higher education institution. Statewide, 2 percent of the population was enrolled in a public university and another 2.5 percent was enrolled in a two-year public institution.

Among the region’s institutions, South Texas College had the largest enrollment growth between 2000 and 2007, adding 8,625 students, while Texas Southmost College had the highest percentage growth at 94 percent (Exhibit 61).¹⁵

Exhibit 61

South Texas, Fall Enrollment at Higher Education Institutions

Institution	Fall 2000 Enrollment	Fall 2007 Enrollment	Enrollment Change	Percent Change
The University of Texas at Brownsville	3,157	5,953	2,796	88.6%
The University of Texas-Pan American (Edinburg)	12,760	17,435	4,675	36.6%
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi	6,823	8,563	1,740	25.5%
Texas A&M University-Kingsville	5,942	6,547	605	10.2%
Texas A&M International University	3,038	5,179	2,141	70.5%
Sul Ross State University Rio Grande College	828	941	113	13.6%
Regional Total – Public Universities	32,548	44,618	12,070	37.1%
Statewide Total – Public Universities	414,626	497,195	82,569	19.9%
Coastal Bend College	3,026	3,113	87	2.9%
Del Mar College	9,683	11,138	1,455	15.0%
Laredo Community College	7,284	7,737	453	6.2%
South Texas College	11,183	19,808	8,625	77.1%
Southwest Texas Junior College	3,716	4,875	1,159	31.2%
Texas Southmost College	7,245	14,055	6,810	94.0%
Texas State Technical College-Harlingen	3,266	4,957	1,691	51.8%
Regional Total – Two-year Public Colleges	45,403	65,683	20,280	44.7%
Statewide Total – Two-year Public Colleges	447,998	587,244	139,246	31.1%

Note: Regional data do not include enrollment for branch campuses of health-related institutions in South Texas since enrollment is not reported separately to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Data for all institutions includes health-related and independent institutions.

Source: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Summer camp is filled with fun outdoor activities, making new friends and learning new skills. In South Texas, Camp Get FIT offers children all the elements of summer camp while at the same time teaching lifelong lessons in nutrition and health. Peggy Visio, a consulting dietician and adjunct assistant professor in the School of Allied Health Sciences at the U.T. Health Science Center in San Antonio, is the Camp Get FIT director. College students from the U.T. Health Science Center, Texas State University-San Marcos and Universidad Iberioamericana in Mexico City work as camp counselors for students from Carrizo Springs CISD and Crystal City ISD.

The four weeklong day camps are offered free of charge to students. Eligible students must have Body Mass Index (BMI) profiles higher than 95 percent, using U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention standards. Camp Get Fit is funded by the Methodist Healthcare Ministries, working with local school districts to provide daily swimming, nutrition and cooking lessons, talent shows and arts and crafts projects. Parents are required to attend one evening class per week.

Camp Get Fit gives the school districts’ menus a make-over as well, changing every recipe the school districts serve at their summer food programs. Camp Get Fit serves campers only fresh fruits and vegetables, low fat milk and all cooking is from scratch.¹⁸

Accessibility

Universities in South Texas accepted an average of 83.1 percent of first-time undergraduate applicants for the fall 2006 semester, slightly below the statewide average of 87.6 percent. The University of Texas at Brownsville and Sul Ross State University Rio Grande College both accepted 100 percent of their applicants.

About 14.3 percent of first-time undergraduate applicants at South Texas universities were accepted because they were in the top 10 percent of their high school graduating class, compared to 23 percent of applicants statewide. About 20.5 percent of accepted students at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi had been in the top 10 percent of their class, the highest percentage in the region.¹⁷

Outcomes

Because some degrees require more than four years of study, and because some students may need more time to graduate, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) compares four-year and six-year graduation rates to measure university outcomes. Graduation rates improved between fiscal 1999 and fiscal 2006 for all universities in South Texas (Exhibit 62).

Exhibit 62

Four- and Six-Year Graduation Rates (First-Time, Full-Time, Degree-Seeking Students)
South Texas Public Universities

Institution	Fiscal 1999 4-year	Fiscal 1999 6-year	Fiscal 2006 4-year	Fiscal 2006 6-year
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi	15.7%	NA	21.3%	53.8%
Texas A&M University-Kingsville	4.7%	27.1%	9.3%	36.4%
Texas A&M International University	11.8%	NA	13.9%	48.7%
The University of Texas-Pan American	5.5%	25.2%	13.6%	37.0%
Statewide Average	18.0%	49.2%	25.1%	57.2%

Note: The University of Texas at Brownsville and Sul Ross State University–Rio Grande College are not included because they are upper-division only.

Source: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Exhibit 63

Three- and Six-Year Graduation Rates (First-time, Full-time, Credential-Seeking Students)
South Texas Community Colleges

Institution	Fiscal 2000 3-year	Fiscal 2000 6-year	Fiscal 2006 3-year	Fiscal 2006 6-year
Coastal Bend College	19.2%	39.9%	23.9%	29.7%
Del Mar College	9.0%	21.4%	8.8%	28.4%
Laredo Community College	12.6%	34.5%	17.4%	37.6%
South Texas College	17.4%	38.0%	12.7%	28.3%
Southwest Texas Junior College	14.9%	27.6%	17.5%	28.9%
Texas Southmost College	6.9%	24.9%	11.1%	31.1%
Statewide Average	10.8%	25.7%	12.1%	30.6%

Source: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Because many community college students go on to a university to obtain a four-year degree, THECB also compares three-year and six-year graduation rates to measure community college outcomes. Coastal Bend College had the South Texas region’s highest three-year graduation rate in fiscal 2006, while Laredo Community College had the highest six-year graduation rate. Most community colleges showed improvement in their three-year and six-year graduation rates from fiscal 2000 to fiscal 2006. Most also ranked well compared to the statewide average for three-year graduation rates in fiscal 2006 (Exhibit 63).

From fiscal 2000 to fiscal 2007, the number of degrees awarded by all but one of South Texas’ public universities exceeded the statewide increase of 30.3 percent (Exhibit 64). The University of Texas-Pan American had the largest numerical increase, at 1,247 degrees, while the University of Texas at Brownsville had the highest percentage increase, at 75.9 percent.

Over the same period, most two-year colleges in the region increased their number of degrees and certificates awarded; the statewide increase for community and technical colleges was 43.5 percent. Among the six community colleges in the region, South Texas College had both the largest numerical growth, with 1,003 additional degrees awarded, and the sharpest percent increase, at 122.5 percent (Exhibit 65).¹⁹

Exhibit 64

Degrees Awarded, South Texas Region Public Universities, Fiscal 2000 and 2007

Institution	Fiscal 2000	Fiscal 2007	Change	% Change
University of Texas at Brownsville	626	1,101	475	75.9%
The University of Texas-Pan American	1,780	3,027	1,247	70.1%
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi	1,309	1,737	428	32.7%
Texas A&M University-Kingsville	1,040	1,545	505	48.6%
Texas A&M International University	558	973	415	74.4%
Sul Ross State University Rio Grande College	226	198	-28	-12.4%
Statewide Total	78,970	102,897	23,927	30.3%

Source: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Exhibit 65

Degrees and Certificates Awarded, South Texas Region Two-Year Colleges, Fiscal 2000 vs. 2007

Institution	Fiscal 2000	Fiscal 2007	Change	% Change
Coastal Bend College	558	499	-59	-10.6%
Del Mar College	1,020	1,302	282	27.6%
Laredo Community College	693	868	175	25.3%
South Texas College	819	1,822	1,003	122.5%
Southwest Texas Junior College	355	615	260	73.2%
Texas Southmost College	593	1,261	668	112.6%
Texas State Technical College-Harlingen	587	454	-133	-22.7%
South Texas Total	4,625	6,821	2,196	47.5%
Statewide	40,553	58,202	17,649	43.5%

Source: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Affordability

From 2002-03 to 2007-08, estimated resident tuition and fees at most public universities in South Texas were below the statewide average. Texas A&M University-Kingsville had the lowest increase over this period, at 45 percent, much lower than the statewide average of 66.6 percent (Exhibit 66).

According to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the South Texas region’s lowest estimated annual cost for tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, transportation and personal expenses for the 2007-08 academic year was Texas A&M University-Kingsville’s, at $14,178, compared to a statewide average of $17,494. Texas A&M International University had the lowest percentage increase over the period, at 25.9 percent, compared to a statewide average increase of 34.1 percent.

From 2002-03 to 2007-08, the estimated average increase in resident tuition and fees at community colleges statewide was $518, about 46.3 percent; Laredo Community College’s estimated tuition and fees actually fell slightly over the period. In 2007-08, tuition and fees in the region were lowest at Southwest Texas Junior College, at $1,695.²⁰

The total cost of attending the region’s community colleges in 2007-08, including tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, transportation and personal expenses, was lowest at South Texas College at $7,732; the statewide average for community colleges was $10,456.²¹

From 2002-03 to 2007-08, estimated resident tuition and fees at Texas State Technical College (TSTC) in Harlingen rose by 34.7 percent, compared to 44.6 percent for all TSTC colleges. Total resident costs increased by 62.8 percent at the Harlingen campus, matching the statewide average increase.²²

Exhibit 66

South Texas Region, College Costs, 2002-03 and 2007-08

Public Universities

Institution	Resident Tuition/Fees 2002-03	Resident Tuition/Fees 2007-08	Dollar Change 2002-03 to 2007-08	Percent Change 2002-03 to 2007-08	Resident Total Costs 2002-03	Resident Total Costs 2007-08	Percent Change 2002-03 to 2007-08
Texas A&M International University	$3,004	$5,038	$2,034	67.7%	$12,631	$15,902	25.9%
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi	$3,568	$5,640	$2,073	58.1%	$13,158	$19,345	47.0%
Texas A&M University-Kingsville	$3,365	$4,878	$1,513	45.0%	$11,181	$14,178	26.8%
The University of Texas at Brownsville	$2,349	$4,665	$2,316	98.6%	$13,875	$17,650	27.2%
The University of Texas-Pan American	$2,745	$4,613	$1,868	68.1%	$13,199	$16,729	26.7%
Statewide Average	$3,441	$5,732	$2,291	66.6%	$13,047	$17,494	34.1%

Public Community Colleges

Institution	Resident Tuition/Fees 2002-03	Resident Tuition/Fees 2007-08	Dollar Change 2002-03 to 2007-08	Percent Change 2002-03 to 2007-08	Resident Total Costs 2002-03	Resident Total Costs 2007-08	Percent Change 2002-03 to 2007-08
Coastal Bend College	$1,233	$2,130	$898	72.8%	$8,381	$8,802	5.0%
Del Mar College	$1,138	$1,914	$776	68.2%	$9,878	$10,500	6.3%
Laredo Community College	$1,725	$1,716	$-9	-0.5%	$10,449	$10,335	-1.1%
South Texas College	$1,575	$2,022	$447	28.4%	$8,815	$7,732	-12.3%
Southwest Texas Junior College	$1,560	$1,695	$135	8.7%	$9,510	$8,995	-5.4%
Texas Southmost College	$2,349	$4,180	$1,831	77.9%	$13,875	$12,985	-6.4%
Statewide Average	$1,120	$1,638	$518	46.3%	$9,248	$10,456	13.1%

Technical Colleges

Institution	Resident Tuition/Fees 2002-03	Resident Tuition/Fees 2007-08	Dollar Change 2002-03 to 2007-08	Percent Change 2002-03 to 2007-08	Resident Total Costs 2002-03	Resident Total Costs 2007-08	Percent Change 2002-03 to 2007-08
Texas State Technical College-Harlingen	$2,280	$3,072	$792	34.7%	$8,664	$14,105	62.8%
Statewide Average	$1,941	$2,806	$865	44.6%	$7,718	$12,564	62.8%

Note: Resident total costs include tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, transportation and personal expenses.Source: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Funding

The statewide average increase for public universities’ total revenue, including tuition and fees, general revenue appropriations, federal funds and institutional funds, rose by 17.1 percent from fiscal 2005 to fiscal 2007. In the South Texas region, Texas A&M International University had the highest increase with 19.4 percent, UT-Pan American followed with an increase of 16.8 percent. Texas A&M University-Kingsville had the lowest increase with 5.1 percent during fiscal 2005 to fiscal 2007. The University of Texas at Brownsville’s total revenues increased by 15.8 percent and Texas A&M University- Corpus Christi had an increase of 15.3 percent over the same period (Exhibit 67).²³

From 2002-03 to 2007-08, the estimated resident tuition and fees at most universities in South Texas were below the statewide average.

Exhibit 67

Public University Revenue, South Texas Region

Texas A&M International University

Revenue Source	Fiscal 2005	Fiscal 2007	% Increase
Tuition and fees	$4,892,099	$8,723,389	78.3%
State appropriations	$37,720,665	$40,441,691	7.2%
Federal funds	$8,265,943	$10,879,603	31.6%
Institutional funds	$3,050,715	$4,326,713	41.8%
Total Revenue	$53,929,422	$64,371,396	19.4%

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi

Revenue Source	Fiscal 2005	Fiscal 2007	% Increase
Tuition and fees	$23,567,245	$27,919,153	18.5%
State appropriations	$51,329,733	$54,436,901	6.1%
Federal funds	$13,276,974	$16,637,525	25.3%
Institutional funds	$8,093,448	$11,972,343	47.9%
Total Revenue	$96,267,400	$110,965,922	15.3%

Texas A&M University-Kingsville

Revenue Source	Fiscal 2005	Fiscal 2007	% Increase
Tuition and fees	$18,063,880	$20,328,705	12.5%
State appropriations	$41,965,983	$46,790,544	11.5%
Federal funds	$18,887,514	$16,394,800	-13.2%
Institutional funds	$9,371,869	$9,298,891	-0.8%
Total Revenue	$88,289,245	$92,812,940	5.1%

The University of Texas at Brownsville

Revenue Source	Fiscal 2005	Fiscal 2007	% Increase
Tuition and fees	$8,310,456	$10,644,269	28.1%
State appropriations	$28,906,824	$32,357,371	11.9%
Federal funds	$33,058,628	$34,245,292	3.6%
Institutional funds	$39,933,567	$50,428,149	26.3%
Total Revenue	$110,209,475	$127,675,081	15.8%

The University of Texas-Pan American

Revenue Source	Fiscal 2005	Fiscal 2007	% Increase
Tuition and fees	$25,594,942	$34,224,125	33.7%
State appropriations	$76,098,422	$84,278,466	10.7%
Federal funds	$43,790,771	$49,707,249	13.5%
Institutional funds	$12,827,552	$16,642,343	29.7%
Total Revenue	$158,311,687	$184,852,183	16.8%

Statewide

Revenue Source	Fiscal 2005	Fiscal 2007	% Increase
Tuition and fees	$1,839,294,505	$2,220,917,368	20.7%
State appropriations	$2,386,973,289	$2,623,776,679	9.9%
Federal funds	$1,073,599,126	$1,179,340,272	9.8%
Institutional funds	$1,117,526,847	$1,489,717,723	33.3%
Total Revenue	$6,417,393,767	$7,513,752,042	17.1%

Note: Numbers may not total due to rounding.Source: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

From fiscal 2000 to fiscal 2007, the number of degrees awarded by all but one of South Texas’ public universities exceeded the statewide increase of 30.3 percent.

Total appropriations for community colleges in the 2004-05 biennium declined for all of the region’s community colleges except South Texas Community College. By the 2008-09 biennium, however, all colleges except Del Mar had regained their loss. South Texas Community College, Southwest Texas Junior College and Texas Southmost College exceeded the statewide percentage gain in appropriations between the 2002-03 biennium and 2008-09 (Exhibit 68).²⁴

Exhibit 68

General Revenue Appropriations, Public Community and Technical CollegesSouth Texas Region and Statewide

Institution	2002-03 Biennium	2004-05 Biennium	2006-07 Biennium	2008-09 Biennium	% Change 2002-03 to 2008-09
Coastal Bend College	$16,306,814	$15,603,441	$16,056,580	$16,626,862	2.0%
Del Mar College	$46,090,564	$44,369,980	$44,880,520	$45,354,034	-1.6%
Laredo Community College	$31,226,830	$27,365,474	$31,980,191	$32,386,031	3.7%
South Texas Community College	$43,820,337	$44,796,314	$55,845,598	$58,917,638	34.5%
Southwest Texas Junior College	$14,859,304	$14,485,812	$17,765,421	$18,742,536	26.1%
Texas Southmost College	$23,287,069	$21,684,905	$24,540,092	$27,965,642	20.1%
Texas State Technical College-Harlingen	$37,394,737	$34,492,817	$48,189,697	$39,518,634	5.7%
Public Community & Technical College Statewide Total	$1,973,347,172	$1,851,863,769	$2,075,997,403	$2,169,986,421	10.0%

Source: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Contact hours – the time a professor actually spends in the classroom with students – for community, state and technical colleges rose by 19.8 percent statewide from fall 2000 to fall 2007. In the South Texas region, contact hours increased at all but one community college, with highs of 54.8 percent for South Texas Community College and 49.6 percent for Texas Southmost College (Exhibit 69).²⁵

The growth in educational achievement will play a vital and positive role in the region’s economic future. The positive upswing in enrollment in South Texas colleges and universities will place new demands on the region’s higher education infrastructure, requiring more instructors to keep pace with the demand for higher educational services.

Exhibit 69

South Texas Region, Community, State and Technical Colleges
Contact Hours Fall 2000 vs. Fall 2007

Institution	Fall 2000	Fall 2007	% Change 2000 to 2007
Coastal Bend College	712,456	524,712	-26.4%
Del Mar College	1,798,168	2,004,096	11.5%
Laredo Community College	1,283,376	1,349,312	5.1%
South Texas Community College	2,095,232	3,244,208	54.8%
Southwest Texas Junior College	666,080	712,896	7.0%
Texas Southmost College	1,230,454	1,840,464	49.6%
Texas State Technical College-Harlingen	843,134	972,256	15.3%
Public Community & Technical College Statewide Total	77,504,052	92,860,864	19.8%

Note: Contact hours include only those with a full or part-time faculty instructing by lecture, lab or practicum. Classes taught at an inter-institutional location are excluded.

Source: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Endnotes

¹ Data drawn from the Texas Education Agency Standard Reports database at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/adhocrpt/Standard_Reports.html. (Last visited July 2, 2008.)
² Data drawn from the Texas Education Agency 2007 Accountability Rating System database at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/account/2007/index.html. (Last visited July 2, 2008.)
³ Data drawn from the Texas Education Agency 2007 Accountability Rating System database. (Seashore Middle Academy began operating in 2007-08 and so is not included in the ratings.)
⁴ Data drawn from the Texas Education Agency 2007 Accountability Rating System database.
⁵ Data drawn from the Texas Education Agency 2006-07 Academic Excellence Indicator System database at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/aeis/2007/index.html. (Last visited July 2, 2008.)
⁶ Data drawn from Texas Education Agency Standard Reports database.
⁷ Texas Education Agency, Secondary School Completion and Dropouts in Texas Public Schools 2005-06: District Supplement (Austin, Texas, August 2007), pp. 44-68, http://www.tea.state.tx.us/research/pdfs/dropcomp_district_supp_2005-06.pdf; and Texas Education Agency, Secondary School Completion and Dropouts in Texas Public Schools 2005-06 (Austin, Texas, August 2007), p. 44, http://www.tea.state.tx.us/research/pdfs/dropcomp_2005-06.pdf. (Last visited July 2, 2008.)
⁸ National Association of Manufacturers, Manufacturing Institute/Center for Workforce Success and Deloitte Consulting LLP, 2005 Skills Gap Report: A Survey of the American Manufacturing Workforce, Phyllis Eisen, Jerry J. Jasinowski and Richard Kleinert, http://www.nam.org/s_nam/bin.asp?CID=89&DID=235731&DOC=FILE.PDF. (Last visited July 7, 2008.)
⁹ Tamarind Phinisee, “New Center Kicks Off Valley’s Drive to Create Manufacturing Mecca,” San Antonio Business Journal (March 28, 2008) http://sanantonio.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2008/03/31/story7.html. (Last visited July 8, 2008.)
¹⁰ Data drawn from the Texas Education Agency PEIMS Financial Reports database at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/school.finance/forecasting/financial_reports/FinRep_index.html. (Last visited July 2, 2008.)
¹¹ Data drawn from Texas Education Agency Standard Reports database.
¹² Data drawn from Texas Education Agency 2006-07 Academic Excellence Indicator System database.
¹³ South Texas College, Statement of Wanda F. Garza, Executive Officer: Testimony before the Texas House Select Committee on Public and Higher Education, Public Hearing, McAllen, Texas, May 9, 2008.
¹⁴ Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, “Higher Education Locator Map (HELM),” http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/InteractiveTools/HELM/List.cfm. (Last visited July 7, 2008.)
¹⁵ Data drawn from the Higher Education Accountability System database at http://www.txhighereddata.org/Interactive/Accountability/. (Last visited July 7, 2008.)
¹⁶ Texas Education Agency, “Pharr-San Juan-Alamo High School Student Receives Associate Degree Before Receiving High School Diploma,” http://www.tea.state.tx.us/comm/stars/feature/current/feature.html; and South Texas College, “Dual Enrollment Engineering Academy,” http://academicaffairs.southtexascollege.edu/highschool/academies/deea/index.html. (Last visited July 8, 2008.)
¹⁷ Texas Higher Education Coordinating, Board, “First-time Undergraduate Applicant, Acceptance, and Enrollment Information for Summer/Fall 2006,” http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/Reports/PDF/1314.PDF. (Last visited July 3, 2008.)
¹⁸ Interview with Peggy Visio, adjunct assistant professor in the School of Allied Health Sciences at the Health Science Center in San Antonio and Director, Camp Get Fit, June 12, 2008.
¹⁹ Data drawn from the Higher Education Accountability System database.
²⁰ Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, “H Ed Student Costs–Budget Summary all yrs to date.xls,” (Excel spreadsheet); and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, “College Costs: 2007-2008,” http://www.collegefortexans.com/paying/collegecostsfull.cfm. (Last visited April 4, 2008.)
²¹ Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, “College Costs: 2007-2008.”
²² Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, “H Ed Student Costs – Budget Summary all yrs to date.xls”; and “College Costs: 2007-2008.”
²³ Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, data drawn from the Higher Education Accountability System database.
²⁴ Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, “Appropriations 2002 and 2003”; “Appropriations 2004 and 2005”; “Appropriations 2006 and 2007”; and “Appropriations 2008 and 2009.” (Excel spreadsheets.)
²⁵ Data drawn from the Higher Education Accountability System database.

Education

Public Education

Accountability

Outcomes

School Finance

Museums and the Arts

Teachers

Rapid Response Center in South Texas

Higher Education

Enrollment

South Texas College’s Dual Enrollment Academy Programs

Camp Get FIT

Accessibility

Outcomes

Affordability

Funding

Endnotes

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