TCCTA Blog

Ordering Books Online Can Save Students Money

An article by the mother of a college freshman in the New York Times provides a very concise list of online sites offering significant reductions in the cost of books. Michelle Slatala says, "There’s no single site where you can always get the best deal."

She offers a number of suggestions and strategies, with specific examples of college texts in a variety of disciplines, including many courses offered at community colleges.

The writer adds:

The good news is that there’s a new tool this year to make it easier to shop online for textbooks.

Bookfinder.com, an umbrella search site that sifts through the inventories of hundreds of thousands booksellers worldwide, started a simple, easy-to-use textbook search tool. The way it works: enter a title, I.S.B.N. or author’s name in Bookfinder’s textbooks search box to navigate a huge database of 125 million new and used books. You can compare prices, shipping costs and the availability of less expensive editions published overseas

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Many other sites are listed. The article is in the August 30 issue of the New York Times.

Part Time Students Focus of Study

A new report issued by the Department of Education confirmed that part time students leave the education system without finishing their degrees in far greater proportions than full time students. This should come as no particular surprise, given the precarious economic and family situations of many of these individuals.

The report pays particular attention to two-year colleges, but stresses that this is a "first look," and many of the students sampled may return to complete their degree or certificate programs. The report also recognizes that two-year college students often don't intend to complete a program of instruction, but are simply getting extra training to advance their careers.

Report Finds That Studying Helps Students (No, Really)

Hey, students! Hit the books and you'll get better grades! No kidding!

A report from the National Bureau of Economic Research has found a "causal effect" between student time and effort and educational outcomes. The "results suggest that human capital accumulation is far from predetermined at the time of college entrance," according to the abstract. This seems to be another way of saying that studying can at least partially overcome lack of academic preparation.

From the abstract:

Despite the large amount of attention that has been paid recently to understanding the determinants of educational outcomes, knowledge of the causal effect of the most fundamental input in the education production function - students' study time and effort - has remained virtually non-existent. In this paper, we examine the causal effect of studying on grade performance using an Instrumental Variable estimator. Our approach takes advantage of a unique natural experiment and is possible because we have collected unique longitudinal data that provides detailed information about all aspects of this experiment.

An electronic version of the entire paper can be purchased for $5.00.

Summary of New Laws Available

Many new laws will take effect Sept. 1. The Coordinating Board has compiled a comprehensive (77-page) list of new statutes related to all of Texas higher education.

The list also includes riders to the General Appropriation bill. Among the topics analyzed are: financial aid, community college funding, teacher education, the nursing shortage, interim committees, service areas, college readiness, and P-16 initiatives.

TAKS and TSI Still Lack Coordination

Although the Texas high school curriculum is reportedly getting more rigorous, most community college students still need some form of developmental education. A column by Carlos Guerra in the San Antonio Express-News highlights the fact that the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) examination, which for several years has been a requirement for high school graduation, and the Texas Success Initiative (TSI), which is designed to assess college readiness, have never been coordinated.

According to the article, this at least partially explains why so many students who passed the TAKS still needed developmental education. Developmental educators have been saying this for years, of course.

The column quotes Felix Zamora, president of Mountain View College in the Dallas Community College District: "You have to ask: Why isn't the TAKS correlated with the TSI?"

As end-of-course examinations replace the TAKS as the standard for high school graduation, such criteria will take center stage. Furthermore, the "college readiness" Vertical Teams are now implementing a law designed to align K-12 standards with college expectations.

Glenda Barron, David Gardner, and Joseph Stafford of the Coordinating Board will address these and other issues at the the Fall Conference for Faculty Leaders, on October 5-6.

America's "Best" Community Colleges?

The rankings system for universities published each year by U.S. News and World Report has always been controversial.

University officials whose schools are slighted by the methodology used by U.S. News complain that their institutions deserve better when more data is factored in. And, of course, community college officials have wondered why the category of school with the most enrollments are ignored entirely.

Kevin Carey, writing in Washington Monthly says there are many reasons for this bias.

“Part of this is pure snobbery,” he says. “Many of those who create and cover the mainstream college guides attended prestigious four-year schools—which helps to explain the annual preoccupation with whether Harvard or Princeton made the top of the list.”

The publication uses a different methodology to rank community colleges. Variables include the results of the Community College Survey of Student Engagement, or CCSSE. The survey tests colleges on how well they use teaching techniques that have been proven to lead to better learning, such as how often students collaborate with other students and interact with faculty.

Perhaps inevitably, this methodology has also attracted controversy. In fact, CCSSE, has issued a statement disputing the use of its survey. “CCSSE does not support the use of student engagement survey results for the purpose of ranking community and technical colleges. Such uses would obscure complex dimensions of institutional performance and student behavior,” the statement says.

First Semester is Crucial for Retention

The experience of students in their first semester at a community college will largely determine whether they transfer to a university, a study published by Policy Analysis for California Education suggests. California, like Texas and virtually every other state, is struggling to improve the retention rate of students once they enter college. This is especially the case for first-generation students.

Recent Texas efforts at "College Readiness" (such as beefing up the default curriculum) in high school may be just as important as providing access to financial aid, the study suggests. The authors of the report said their findings show that students need more academic preparation to make the transition from high school to college in order to persist in their studies. Counseling is very important at this moment.

The California study "suggests that providing additional guidance and support to students as they enter college for the first time could yield big dividends in terms of student persistence and eventual transfer."

TCCTA Lobbyist Beaman Floyd to Address Veto

On October 6, TCCTA Lobbyist Beaman Floyd will discuss the veto by Gov. Perry of $154 million in appropriations dedicated for health insurance during the next fiscal year. The discussion will be part of the 28th Annual Conference for Faculty Leaders, to be held October 5-6 at the Hilton Austin Airport Hotel.

Mr. Floyd is always a popular speaker at TCCTA conferences. His discussion will focus on "How the Texas Legislature Works."

Hey says, "Naturally, when visiting with clients, I am asked, “What can I do?

"First, you can join TCCTA. Your association is respected in Austin, and policy makers pay attention when your professional voices speak in unison, from every campus—and legislative district—in Texas.

"Next, get informed. Pay attention to the abundant information and commentary TCCTA provides. Read the Messenger. Visit the Web site and contribute to the online Blog discussion. Communication is indispensable."

Mr. Floyd stresses that the veto was the governor's decision, not the Legislature's. "Please keep in mind that legislators passed a good budget on health insurance and should not be criticized."

IRS Postpones, Clarifies Rules on Annualized Pay

College employees who are allowed to recieve their pay over a 12 month period, rather than during the regular school year will not be hit with any new penalties this year, according to a recent IRS clarification. At issue is a 2004 amendment that applies to individuals who opt to defer compensation from one year to a future year. In April, the Treasury Department and the IRS issued a set of rules implementing this law change, causing concern among many educators.

The IRS has issued a clarification, which should lessen the cause for concern. The IRS also states that the new rules do not require districts to offer an annualization election.

College districts that offer this option may have to make some changes in their procedures. The IRS announced that the new deferred-compensation rules will not take effect before Jan. 1, 2008.

New Law Limits Student Drops to Six

College officials around the state are worried about the effects of SB 1231, a law which took effect June 15. The statute limits the total number of dropped courses for each student at an institution of higher education to no more than six courses, including courses dropped at "another institution of higher education." There are several stipulated exceptions. The Coordinating Board is required to develop rules to implement the legislation, including exception policies.

The official bill analysis is often somewhat easier to understand than the law itself.

Community college students in particular are prone to drop courses frequently due to their employment and financial situation. Six drops can accumulate very quickly.

The Board accepts and tracks comment from interested individuals in preparation for their quarterly meeting.