Written for The Texas Observer legislative blog "Floor Pass."
Backed by representatives from business and higher education, Dallas Republican Rep. Dan Branch held court at the Capitol this morning to promote a new approach to funding Texas’ colleges and universities—based not just on enrollment, but on how many students finish their degrees. The Legislature balked at putting so-called “outcomes-based funding” proposals into place last session, but did approve a measure authorizing the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to develop an outcomes-based funding model that could be used for 10 percent of its funding request for this session. Branch said today that Texas “desperately needs more incentive” to up the number of graduates each year. He said that per year, an estimated 90,000 non-Texans are filling jobs that could be filled by Texans with the right credentials. Read the rest.