.png?n=3601 "TEA News Release 2")
TEA News Releases Online
April 20, 2010
State launches online program to help students
navigate college admissions process
AUSTIN – The Texas Education Agency, in conjunction with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, is launching a pilot program this month that will help high school students manage the complex college selection and application process.
Approximately 20,000 to 30,000 high school students, drawn from all regions of the state, will participate in the Online College Preparation Assistance Pilot Program.
The pilot program will provide free college and career preparation tools for students and families in Texas in a single online resource. Counselors, teachers, and administrators will also benefit from using the program. As a result of this pilot, information to assist students in preparing for college, currently available from a variety of sources, will be brought together in one easily accessible place.
This resource uses state-of-the-art technology and individualized student information to help students stay on track to graduate, simplifies the college search, application, and selection process and allows students to take the steps necessary to successfully transition to other types of career training or directly to a career.
Research shows that, particularly for minority or low-income students, availability of information, access to financial aid, and parental involvement and knowledge about college are strong predictors of college attendance and completion. This pilot program will provide students and the adults that support them with the necessary tools to help them transition from high school to college and career.
Barbara Knaggs, TEA’s associate commissioner for state initiatives, said, “We are excited about working with our higher education partners to provide this opportunity to the thousands of Texas students who will be participating in the pilot program. We believe this program will help students successfully transition from high school to college or career.”
“This pilot project complements the joint work that the TEA and Coordinating Board has done with the College and Career Readiness Standards,” said Dr. Judith Loredo, Coordinating Board assistant commissioner for P-16 Initiatives.
Districts and their selected high schools will soon be notified of the opportunity to participate in the $1.5 million pilot program. ConnectEDU, a nationally known provider of college readiness services, was the vendor selected for the project, and will work closely with the two agencies in making the program a success.
For more information, contact Dale Fowler, TEA program manager, at (512) 463-3282 or dale.fowler@tea.state.tx.us.