Texas Center for Education Policy Contributes to Successful Dropout Prevention Legislation - July 18, 2007

With the passage of House Bill 2237, the Texas Center for Education Policy (TCEP) is celebrating completion of its first major project for the Texas legislature. At the request of the Office of the Speaker of the House, TCEP contributed to the writing of micro-grant legislation that is part of HB 2237. The $120 million, 50-page bill aims to sharply curb high school dropout rates and expand at-risk students’ support networks.

The micro-grant will fund student club activities for public school youth who have been identified as being at risk of dropping out. The pilot program is funded at $4 million per biennium, and grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded to high schools with a significant number of at-risk students. Funds may be used for clubs in which at least 50 percent of participating students are at high risk of dropping out.

Districts that receive the funds must raise matching funds from other federal, state or local funds in an amount equal to that of the student club micro-grant. As much as half of the grant can be used to offer stipends to teachers who host the clubs.

“The passage of HB 2237 marks the beginning of the legislature’s most extensive effort, in recent memory, to reduce student dropout rates,” says TCEP director Dr. Angela Valenzuela. “The bill provides support for our neediest students and teachers, and the grant we worked on is based on research that points to the importance of extracurricular clubs for at-risk students. The legislature has expressed a desire for thoughtful analyses of research and intelligent guidance and input as they review proposed legislation. It’s very gratifying to know that they see the Center as a resource for that analysis and guidance.”

In January, TCEP was approached for assistance with HB 2237 after several legislators attended a dropout prevention conference that the Center, together with various other organizations, sponsored at the Capitol.

“The Capitol conference was a great opportunity for us to showcase our expertise and interest in issues like keeping students in school,” says Valenzuela. “With the help of many, including Harrison Keller in the speaker’s office and Dr. Joe Gonzales, who is with Texas LULAC, we have played a role in the passage of an extremely important bill. The Center has begun what I hope will be a long and beneficial relationship with the legislature.”

In addition to serving as TCEP director, Valenzuela also is associate vice president in The University of Texas at Austin’s Office of Diversity and Community Engagement. She is a faculty member in the College of Education’s Department of Curriculum and Instruction and Department of Educational Administration and recently was awarded a Fulbright scholarship. The scholarship will allow her to travel to Mexico and study how Mexican and U.S. institutions can work to expand human rights—particularly educational opportunities - to immigrants in the U.S. Dr. Pedro Reyes, a professor in Educational Administration, will serve as interim director during her absence.

Additionally, Valenzuela is a member of the National Education Task Force, a Congressional advisory committee to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. The committee was created to research the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind law and present a prioritized set of recommendations to Pelosi.

The Texas Center for Education Policy launched in the spring of 2006 with the goal of bringing researchers and education community stakeholders together to work on local, state, national, and international education policy issues.

—Kay Randall, University Communications, 512-232-3910

Related Links:

• TCEP Website