TCC, Birdville ISD to Sign Agreement March 8 Providing Free Tuition

Tarrant County College and the Birdville Independent School District will sign an agreement Monday, March 8, establishing a partnership that will provide free tuition at  TCC for every graduate of the district's three high schools, Richland, Haltom and Birdville, starting this fall. More than 1,000 students are expected to graduate from the three high schools this semester.

The signing will be at the TCC Northeast Campus, 828 W. Harwood in Hurst in College Hall at 2 p.m.

The Birdville ISD board of trustees unanimously voted in September of 2009 to dedicate $7 million of the district's oil and gas lease proceeds to establish an endowment fund for scholarships in cooperation with TCC.  Beginning with the graduating Class of 2010, this fund provides the opportunity for any BISD graduate to receive a scholarship that covers the cost of one-year tuition at any campus within the Tarrant County College (TCCD) system.

The TCC Foundation will coordinate the program on behalf of BISD and TCC.

"Birdville ISD is providing an incredible opportunity for its students and the families of these students. By taking this bold step, school officials are saying that not only a quality secondary education is essential, but also a continued college education is critical for success in today's world," said Joe McIntosh, TCC Foundation executive director.

"By establishing this endowment, trustees are impacting the future of our students by offering them an opportunity to further their education," said BISD Superintendent Stephen Waddell. "In addition, this program goes beyond ensuring that students are college ready as required in the 2009 legislative session's House Bill 3. It provides the means to make college a reality."

To qualify for this unique opportunity, a student must:

• Attended Birdville ISD schools for both junior and senior years. Students graduating early must have earned their credits for their junior and senior years in BISD;
• Enroll at TCCD for a minimum of six semester hours per semester;
• Enroll at TCCD during the first fall or spring semester immediately following graduation (except in the cases of deferment due to active U.S. military service);
• Maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5 in the first semester with a minimum of six credit hours are completed;
• Complete the Free Application for Federal Students Aid (FAFSA) application and list TCCD as one of the institutions to which enrollment is sought to determine eligibility; and,
• Complete the FAFSA process by Aug. 1 for the fall semester and Jan. 15 for the spring semester.

Students who receive other forms of financial assistance provided through TCCD for less than $750 per semester may utilize the BISD scholarship program for the difference (partial payment by the BISD scholarship).  Students may not receive the BISD scholarship if they receive at least $750 per semester from other TCCD financial assistance programs.

The scholarship program provides TCCD tuition costs up to 15 hours per semester, with a maximum award of $750 per semester. Initially, the program is available for two consecutive semesters per student. Financial awards are not transferable and cannot be redeemed for cash in any manner.

"It was the vision of the board to utilize a portion of the oil and gas proceeds to impact directly the lives of students," said Birdville ISD Board President Dolores Webb. "By continuing to fund this endowment through oil and gas royalties, we hope to impact young lives for years to come. This school district is forever indebted to W.G. Thomas, our former superintendent, who had the foresight so many years ago to accumulate much of the land which made this endowment possible."

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