An Overview of Tech Prep Student
Successes in Texas–Highlighting the Lower Rio Grande Valley
Tech Prep of the Rio Grande Valley, March 9, 2011
Texas Has Created a Tech Prep System
That Is Effective for Students
• Beginning in 1991, Texas designed Tech Prep as a system
that would prepare students for success in both college
and career. (Carl D. Perkins Career & Technical Education
Improvement Act of 2006)
• The Texas Education Agency (TEA) and Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board (THECB) work together for
oversight of Texas’ Tech Prep programs and consortia
(Texas Tech Prep Act: Texas Education Code Sec. 61.85161.858)
• THECB oversees Texas’ 26 Tech Prep consortia:
http://www.techpreptexas.org/consortia/index.php.
Tech Prep Links
Education and Economic Development
• “The number of jobs requiring technical training is growing
at five times the rate of other occupations.” (Innovate
America, U.S. Council on Competitiveness)
• “It used to be the sledgehammer mechanic. These days, the
technology has advanced so much that our most important
tool is our brain. It is more of a thinking man’s game now.”
(Jeff Nelson, Service Manager, CAT)
• “….we had to upgrade our basic mechanic skills to include
programmable logic controllers and electrical systems.” (Dr.
Ron Lentsch, Allergan—salaries at Allergan: metrology
technician, $44,000-$56,000; production set-up technician,
$30,000-$50,000; mechanics, $36,000-$56,000)
Source: Jim Brazell, citing data from interviews and research, 2007
Participating in Tech Prep
Helps Minimize College Loan Debt
" . . . the more than 50 million members [of “Generation
Y”—also known as the “Millennial Generation”] may be
best remembered for whether they can overcome the
dire financial straits that plague many of them. . .
“ . . . [they have] added credit card debt onto
student loans . . . [they are] not building up a cash
cushion . . . graduating from college with an average of
$23,200 in student debt . . . [they have] high, unrealistic
expectations.”
-- USA TODAY: “‘Generation Y’ faces some steep financial hurdles,” April 23-25,
2010, pp. 1A and 2A
A Case Study of Student Successes:
Tech Prep of the Rio Grande Valley
• Tech Prep of the Rio Grande Valley, situated on the USMexico border, serves a large, youthful student
population that is predominantly Hispanic/low-income.
• The demographics of the Valley today will soon become
the demographics of Texas, and then the nation,
tomorrow. (Dr. Steve Murdock, former U.S. Census director).
• Tech Prep is having a significant positive impact on Rio
Grande Valley students’ successes.
• The role of the Tech Prep consortium staff is vital to the
Rio Grande Valley system’s success. Tech Prep RGV staff
manage regional activities that complement, and do not
duplicate, the work of public schools and colleges.
Tech Prep Graduates Have the
Knowledge and Skills Employers Need
Health Fields
Engineering, Science, and
Mathematics Fields
Computer
Technology
Occupations
See 2010 Labor Market Report at
http://www.techpreprgv.com/lmi.html
Tech Prep Serves All Populations
Student Demographics: Tech Prep of the Rio Grande Valley—Compared
with Texas as a Whole, Students in Grades 9-12, 2009-2010
Student Classification
TOTAL
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Hispanic/Latino
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific
Two or more races
White
Female
Male
At Risk*
Bilingual/ESL*
Economically Disadvantaged*
Special Ed*
Rio Grande
Valley Region
Enrollment
Tech Prep
Rio Grande
Valley Region
Percent
Tech Prep
Rio Grande
Valley Region
Percent
All Students
State
Percent Tech
Prep
21,019
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
10
0.0%
0.1%
0.5%
223
1.1%
0.6%
3.4%
62
0.3%
0.2%
10.4%
19,821
94.3%
96.1%
47.4%
1
0.0%
0.0%
0.1%
36
0.2%
0.1%
1.3%
865
4.1%
2.8%
37.0%
11,075
52.7%
48.9%
49.6%
9,944
47.3%
51.1%
50.4%
10,127
48.2%
62.0%
44.7%
1,196
5.7%
13.3%
3.0%
16,722
79.6%
84.1%
49.0%
937
4.5%
10.2%
8.2%
Source: Texas Education Agency data, http://www.techpreptexas.org
Tech Prep Students (Grade 10) Score Better Than
Non-Tech Prep Students on Texas’ Standardized Tests
TAKS REPORT - MATH
2009 - 2010 - 10TH GRADE
Percent Students Meeting Minimum Standard
Geographic Region
Rio Grande Valley
State of Texas
PEIMS
Code
0
1
2
African
American
60.0%
62.5%
70.0%
Asian
American
95.2%
82.8%
90.0%
3
100.0%
92.6%
75.4%
0
1
2
50.8%
46.3%
55.1%
91.0%
84.0%
89.9%
56.0%
55.2%
61.3%
3
57.2%
91.8%
65.8%
80.9%
Hispanic
54.0%
60.0%
66.6%
Native
American
-
White
Percent by PEIMS
73.0%
78.1%
83.4%
54.8%
60.8%
67.5%
-
92.5%
76.5%
68.9%
68.8%
69.6%
81.4%
75.2%
75.1%
67.3%
61.9%
67.2%
78.0%
71.0%
TAKS REPORT - SCIENCE
2009 - 2010 - 10TH GRADE
Percent Students Meeting Minimum Standard
Geographic Region
Rio Grande Valley
State of Texas
PEIMS
Code
0
1
2
African
American
80.0%
56.3%
60.0%
Asian
American
81.0%
82.8%
90.0%
3
100.0%
92.7%
69.1%
0
1
2
52.2%
47.5%
55.2%
87.9%
80.8%
87.8%
53.7%
52.4%
58.4%
3
57.0%
89.0%
62.6%
77.7%
Hispanic
46.0%
53.9%
58.5%
Native
American
-
White
Percent by PEIMS
77.9%
82.3%
85.3%
47.2%
55.1%
59.9%
-
90.8%
70.6%
77.9%
76.9%
70.5%
85.5%
80.6%
80.7%
68.1%
62.8%
68.2%
82.1%
71.2%
Source: Texas Education Agency data. See additional data at http://www.techpreptexas.org/consortia/state.shtml .
“TAKS” stands for Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills.
Key to PEIMS Codes: 0 = no CTE; 1 = CTE course as an elective; 2 = coherent sequence, not Tech Prep; 3 = Tech Prep
Tech Prep Students (Grade 11) Score Better Than
Non-Tech Prep Students on Texas’ Standardized Tests
TAKS REPORT - MATH
2009 - 2010 - 11TH GRADE
Percent Students Meeting Minimum Standard
Geographic Region
Rio Grande Valley
State of Texas
PEIMS
Code
0
1
2
African American Asian American
Hispanic
Native American
White
Percent by PEIMS
-
89.8%
94.0%
93.5%
78.6%
82.2%
87.4%
80.0%
88.2%
100.0%
100.0%
97.1%
100.0%
78.0%
81.8%
87.2%
3
94.7%
98.4%
92.6%
-
96.5%
92.9%
0
1
2
80.0%
80.0%
83.6%
96.3%
94.6%
96.8%
83.1%
83.3%
86.9%
88.9%
88.8%
90.3%
95.2%
93.6%
94.5%
88.6%
87.1%
89.7%
3
85.8%
97.1%
90.3%
93.3%
94.5%
91.7%
TAKS REPORT - SCIENCE
2009 - 2010 - 11TH GRADE
Percent Students Meeting Minimum Standard
Geographic Region
Rio Grande Valley
State of Texas
PEIMS
Code
0
1
2
African American Asian American
Hispanic
Native American
White
Percent by PEIMS
-
91.9%
97.5%
97.8%
78.2%
83.6%
87.1%
90.0%
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
97.1%
100.0%
77.4%
83.0%
86.8%
3
100.0%
96.9%
92.7%
-
98.5%
93.1%
0
1
2
86.4%
85.9%
88.2%
96.1%
94.0%
97.2%
85.3%
85.2%
88.5%
92.1%
91.2%
96.3%
97.5%
96.5%
96.9%
91.4%
89.9%
91.9%
3
90.5%
97.7%
91.4%
96.4%
97.3%
93.8%
Source: Texas Education Agency data. See additional data at http://www.techpreptexas.org/consortia/state.shtml .
“TAKS” stands for Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills.
Key to PEIMS Codes: 0 = no CTE; 1 = CTE course as an elective; 2 = coherent sequence, not Tech Prep; 3 = Tech Prep
Rio Grande Valley Tech Prep Students
Succeed in College
2007 doctoral study of college persistence and
graduation compared RGV Tech Prep high school
graduates with non-Tech Prep at RGV two-year colleges:
• Three RGV colleges shared outcome data
• Students who graduated with two-year degrees:
Tech Prep, 26%; non-Tech Prep, 11%
• Time required for graduation:
Tech Prep: almost two semesters sooner than
non-Tech Prep
(Important fact: Many RGV college students are coming
out of poverty and must work part- or full-time.)
Source: Doctoral work by Belinda Torres, Ed.D.
Rio Grande Valley Students
Earn College Credits in High School
Tech Prep RGV collects data from colleges about students’
credits earned in college through articulation and dual
credit. Four years of data illustrated below:
2006-2007
Students
Credits
College
Enrolled Awarded
South
Texas
College
2,972
9,112
Texas State
Technical
College
1,768
8,360
The
University
of Texas at
Brownsville
and Texas
Southmost
College
970
7271
Total RGV
5,710
24,743
2007-2008
Tuition and Fee Students Credits Tuition and
Savings
Enrolled Awarded Fee Savings
9,906 $1,129,284
2008-2009
Students
Enrolled
8,659
Credits
Awarded
2009-2010
Tuition and
Fee Savings
$1,038,800
3,231
$1,500,620
1,782 11,646 $2,090,457
$1,392,541
1,152 10,650 $2,483,109
1,327
14,233 $3,720,929
$3,931,961
6,165 32,202 $5,702,850
12,564
108,220 $9,171,713
2,578
79,253 $3,962,650
14,734 $1,488,134
Students
Tuition and Fee
Enrolled Credits Awarded
Savings
7,549
84,916
$8,491,600
13,435
$1,518,155
1,594
18,034
$4,836,936
12,219
116,385
$14,846,691
3,076
Source: Reports provided to Tech Prep by local colleges.
Rio Grande Valley Tech Prep Graduates Transition to
College at Higher Rates Than Non-Tech Prep
Transition to Four-Year Institutions: 2004
70
60
50
No CTE
Non-Coherent Sequence
40
Coherent Sequence
30
Tech Prep
Missing
20
NOTE: Dark purple bar on
right indicates students for
whom there was no CTE
code assigned by public
schools.
10
0
Not Low Income
Low Income
Source: Study funded by TG Public Benefit Fund and conducted by Dr. Lee Holcombe, Texas High School Project, University of Texas at Dallas,
comparing transition rates of Tech Prep high school graduates with that of non-Tech Prep high school graduates in the Region One Education Service
Center’s seven-county region. Study began in 2007 and was completed in 2008. Study utilized data from the National Student Clearinghouse and
reflected transition rates for all public two- and four-year institutions and 94% of public and private two- and four-year institutions in the nation.
Rio Grande Valley Tech Prep Graduates Transition to
College at Higher Rates Than Non-Tech Prep
NOTE: Dark purple bar on
right indicates students for
whom there was no CTE
code assigned by public
schools.
Source: Study funded by TG Public Benefit Fund and conducted by Dr. Lee Holcombe, Texas High School Project, University of Texas at Dallas, comparing
transition rates of Tech Prep high school graduates with that of non-Tech Prep high school graduates in the Region One Education Service Center’s sevencounty region. Study began in 2007 and was completed in 2008. Study utilized data from the National Student Clearinghouse and reflected transition
rates for all public two- and four-year institutions and 94% of public and private two- and four-year institutions in the nation.
Rio Grande Valley Tech Prep Graduates Transition to
College at Higher Rates Than Non-Tech Prep
NOTE: Dark purple bar on
right indicates students for
whom there was no CTE
code assigned by public
schools.
Source: Study funded by TG Public Benefit Fund and conducted by Dr. Lee Holcombe, Texas High School Project, University of Texas at Dallas,
comparing transition rates of Tech Prep high school graduates with that of non-Tech Prep high school graduates in the Region One Education Service
Center’s seven-county region. Study began in 2007 and was completed in 2008. Study utilized data from the National Student Clearinghouse and
reflected transition rates for all public two- and four-year institutions and 94% of public and private two- and four-year institutions in the nation.
Rio Grande Valley Tech Prep Graduates Transition to
College at Higher Rates Than Non-Tech Prep
NOTE: Dark purple bar on
right indicates students for
whom there was no CTE
code assigned by public
schools.
Source: Study funded by TG Public Benefit Fund and conducted by Dr. Lee Holcombe, Texas High School Project, University of Texas at Dallas,
comparing transition rates of Tech Prep high school graduates with that of non-Tech Prep high school graduates in the Region One Education Service
Center’s seven-county region. Study began in 2007 and was completed in 2008. Study utilized data from the National Student Clearinghouse and
reflected transition rates for all public two- and four-year institutions and 94% of public and private two- and four-year institutions in the nation.
Tech Prep Graduates Succeed in the Workforce and
in Postsecondary Education
MICHELLE LEE GALVEZ
A 2006 Tech Prep Texas Scholar graduate of Los Fresnos High
School, Michelle Galvez was awarded a $4,000 Dr. Lauro F.
Cavazos Tech Prep Scholarship to TSTC Harlingen. She graduated
from TSTC’s Chemical-Environmental Technology program and
secured employment at Formosa Plastics, earning $50,000 annual
salary in her first job. Michelle is now pursuing a chemical
engineering degree. States Michelle: “Just because [students]
come to a technical college does not necessarily mean they will
make less money than someone with [a] bachelor’s degree.”
DAVID LEAL
In 1999, David Leal, a graduate of McAllen ISD’s Nikki Rowe
High School, became the first-ever recipient of a Dr. Lauro F.
Cavazos Tech Prep Scholarship awarded by Tech Prep of the Rio
Grande Valley. Leal earned a degree in electrical engineering
from Rice University and was hired by Motorola Corporation in
Austin. He moved up rapidly in that company and became a
team leader with responsibilities including managing a software
development project. He is now a student at the Tuck School
of Business at Dartmouth University, pursuing an MBA.
For Additional Information
About Tech Prep RGV
About Tech Prep in Texas
Patricia G. (Pat) Bubb
Executive Director
Tech Prep of the Rio Grande
Valley, Inc.
956.364.4512
Stacey Silverman, Ph.D.
Senior Director of Academic
Research and Grant
Programs
Division of Academic Affairs
and Research
Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board
512.427.6206
pat.bubb@harlingen.tstc.edu
stacey.silverman@thecb.state.tx.us