Legislative Priorities

TACHE 2019 Legislative Priorities

"Every dollar invested in Texas higher education system returns $5 or more to the Texas economy."
- Texas Comptroller


The Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education (TACHE), established in 1974, is a professional association committed to the improvement of educational and employment opportunities for Hispanics in higher education.

We are all aware that Hispanics are the fastest growing ethnic group in the U.S. and Texas. In the year 2030, by conservative projections, there will be over 15 million Hispanics in Texas making it the largest single ethnic group in the state. Today, Hispanics make up 37 percent of the Texas population. Yet Hispanics are nowhere near parity with respect to higher education. Specifically, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board reports that approximately 6 percent of faculty in Texas public colleges and universities are Hispanic. In addition, about 9 percent of professional staff in Texas colleges and universities are Hispanics. Hispanics make up approximately 34 percent of the student population in Texas public colleges and universities, yet graduation rates are below the state average.

From a socio-economic perspective, the demographic projections are startling according to the Texas Data Center at The University of Texas at San Antonio. Hispanics and other underrepresented ethnic groups will total about 90 percent of all new residents by 2030. If current demographic, employment and educational trends continue to the year 2030, Texas will be:

• Poorer: Average household income would decline by $35,667 in 1990 to $32,299 in 2030.

• Less educated: Workers with less than a high school education would increase from 26.1% in 1990 to 35.3% in 2030; those with a bachelor’s degrees would decline from 13.9% in 1995 to 10.9% in 2030.

TACHE believes Texas must do much better than this to prepare for our future. Therefore, TACHE is advancing the following for public policy initiatives to elected and appointed officials in the State of Texas.

1. Revive the Doctoral Incentive Loan Repayment Program by appropriating funds from tuition set-asides for the program as was done prior to the 2012-2013 biennium. The program was passed by Texas Legislators as an incentive to attract members of underrepresented groups to full-time service as faculty members or administrators at public or independent institutions of higher education in Texas.

2. Protect in-state tuition for Texas Dreamers at public institutions by opposing any legislation that would modify or eliminate House Bill 1403.

3. Oppose and/or repeal all anti-immigration legislation that is hateful and discriminatory in nature.

4. Oppose any attempt to repeal or weaken the Texas Top Ten Percent plan as currently implemented.

5. Invest additional resources to recruit bilingual teachers and support overall teacher preparation programs to effectively serve diverse populations, avoid a teacher shortage, better prepare students for a global market and support college readiness.

6. Support Dual Credit in High School and support legislative policy that prohibits Dual Credit Coursework taken in high school to prevent a student from enrolling in college or negatively impact their ability to apply for Financial Aid as First Time In College (FTIC) students.

The Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education wishes to extend itself as a resource in support of the above policy initiatives. Our contact information is as follows:

Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education
PO Box 398
Canyon, TX 79015

Dr. Elizabeth Palacios
TACHE President
President@tache.org