Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) is an agency of the U.S. state of Texas's government that oversees all public post-secondary education in the state. It is headquartered at 1200 East Anderson Lane in Austin.[1]

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Agency overview
Formed1965 (1965)
HeadquartersAustin, Texas, U.S.
Employees233
Agency executive
  • Harrison Keller, Commissioner
Websitewww.highered.texas.gov
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board headquarters
Education in the United States
 Education portal
 United States portal

THECB determines which Texas public four-year universities are permitted to start or continue degree programs. THECB also evaluates degrees from other states and other nations for use in Texas. However, operations of the various universities or systems are the responsibility of each university or system board of regents.[2]

From 1998 to 2003, it developed a higher-education plan for the state, called "Closing the Gaps by 2015". The plan's primary purpose was closing education gaps within Texas, as well as between Texas and other U.S. states. The four main goals of the plan were closing gaps in student participation, student success, excellence and research. In June 2016, the THECB released its final progress report on the state's success in meeting most of the targeted goals. The goal for enrollment of 630,000 students from fall 2000 to 2015, fell short by 25,000.[3][4]

In 2015, the THECB officially adopted a new 15-year strategic plan called "60x30TX" and then implemented statewide. With the 60x30TX plan, Texas aims to award a total of 6.4 million certificates or degrees by 2030. The plan also sets targets for Hispanic, African American, male, and economically disadvantaged completers.[5][6][7]

The board consists of nine members and one non-voting student representative, all of whom are appointed by the Governor of Texas on a staggered basis. The terms for the voting members are for six years, ending on August 31 of odd-numbered years while the student representative serves a one-year term.[8] The board appoints the Commissioner of Higher Education who serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the THECB.[9] The current commissioner is Harrison Keller, who assumed the post on October 1, 2019.[9][10] He succeeded Raymund Paredes, who had been the commissioner since 2004.[11][12]

List of commissioners
  • Jack Williams (1966–1968)[13]
  • Bevington Reed (1968–1976)
  • Kenneth H. Ashworth (1976–1997)
  • Don W. Brown (1997–2004)
  • Raymund A. Paredes (2004–2019)
  • Harrison Keller (2019–present)

See also

References
  1. "Welcome to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board". Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  2. "Agency Mission, Vision, Philosophy, Core Values, & Key Functions". Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  3. "Closing the Gaps by 2015" (PDF). Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  4. "Closing the Gaps Final Progress Report" (PDF). Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. June 2016. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  5. "60x30TX Higher Education Plan". 60x30TX. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  6. "Texas plans to increase college graduation rates by 2030". The Daily Texan. September 8, 2016. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  7. Polden, Kelly C. (February 28, 2018). "2018 Texas Achieves 60.9 Percent Six-Year College Graduation Rate, Up from 59.3 Percent since 2015" (PDF). Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  8. "Board Operating Policies and Procedures" (PDF). Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. pp. 4–5. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
  9. "Board/Commissioner". Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
  10. "Harrison Keller will be Texas' next higher education commissioner". The Texas Tribune. September 11, 2019. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
  11. "Raymund Paredes, Texas Higher Education Commissioner, resigns". Houston Chronicle. January 24, 2019. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
  12. "Raymund Paredes, Texas' higher education commissioner, will step down Aug. 31". The Texas Tribune. January 24, 2019. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
  13. Lingenfelter, Paul E. (July 2014). "Public Policy for Higher Education in the United States: A Brief History of State Leadership". p. 38. Retrieved May 6, 2020.



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