In Texas, everything is bigger. But at Texas State Technical College (TSTC), the goal isn’t necessarily boosting its 11,000-student enrollment or adding to its existing 11 campuses — it’s finding a better way to meet the state’s growing need for skilled workers.
To better serve its students and the community, TSTC recently made a bold switch to a new accountability-based funding model that calculates capital based on results, not enrollment. Under this model, the school receives funding based on student incomes, if they are above minimum wage, for the first few years they are out of school. The idea is that the school will be motivated to better prepare students for careers where they are truly needed and can earn a livable income.