Introduction

Texas Community Colleges meet the needs of their local communities while adhering to strict state guidelines to ensure high standards and transferability of programs. As a result, community colleges stand united in their commitment to educate Texas's workforce.

Local Support and Governance
A community college is born when a group of interested voters petition their neighbors and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The voters then decide to levy a district property tax to fund the physical operations of the college. Districts may be contiguous with county, city or independent school district boundaries. District voters also elect a local Board of Regents or Trustees who hire the president or chancellor and oversee college district operations.

There are 50 community college districts in Texas, several with multiple campuses. For information on individual districts please contact the colleges's Public Information Officer.

In 1995, the Texas Legislature defined service areas for each community college district to ensure that all Texans have access to higher education. Ninety-five percent of the state's population lives in a service area.

District and Service Area Map

In addition to this local tax base, Texas community colleges receive state appropriations to support instruction and student services. This is augmented by tuition and fees, which are considerably lower than those at state universities.

Community Colleges: Building Texas' Workforce
More than one million Texans benefit each year from the instruction at the state's community and technical colleges.

At Texas community colleges, students may earn an Associates Degree in Science or Art and transfer for completion of a baccalaureate degree, or an Associate in Applied Science or Certificate of Completion in a technical field. Tens of thousands more Texans come to community colleges every year to update job skills (workforce development), improve basic skills (remediation in areas such as reading and math), learn English as a Second Language (ESL), or enhance their lives with personal enrichment courses. Community colleges are flexible and uniquely positioned to meet the immediate skills development needs Texas' business and industry by offering customized training.

Degrees and Certificates