Beginning Sept. 1, families can lock in the cost of required tuition and fees at Texas’ public colleges and universities when they enroll in the Texas Tuition Promise Fund, the state’s prepaid tuition plan.

“The Texas Tuition Promise Fund gives families an affordable, flexible and easy plan to save for their children’s college education,” said Texas Comptroller Susan Combs. “With purchase options ranging from tuition and required fees at the state’s most expensive public four-year colleges to those at Texas’ two-year community colleges, saving for the future fits any budget.”
With the Texas Tuition Promise Fund, families can prepay for a four-year degree, or prepay for just a few classes or semesters at Texas public colleges and universities. Parents of a newborn can pay as little as $16.09 per month in monthly installments until high school graduation for a year of tuition and required fees at a community college. For parents of a second grader who want to prepay the average cost of one year at a Texas public university, the monthly installments are $90.96 per month over 10 years.
Prices based on 2010–11 academic year costs for the state’s public colleges:
•    Type I units, priced for tuition and required fees for up to the most expensive public four-year school in Texas, cost $107.44 per unit.
•    Type II units, priced at the weighted average of tuition and required fees across all Texas public four-year schools, cost $75.47 per unit.
•    Type III units, priced at the weighted average cost of tuition and required fees across all Texas public two-year schools, cost $18.51 per unit.
Under the plan, 100 units equal one academic year of tuition and required fees. Families can buy up to six years (600 units) worth of undergraduate education. The plan offers several payment options, including lump sum payments, pay-as-you go or the installment payment option, which includes an 8 percent annual interest rate.
While benefits are geared toward Texas public colleges and universities, the transfer value of tuition units can also be used toward the cost of career, private or out-of-state schools. Unused units can be transferred to another qualified beneficiary.
Regular enrollment ends Feb. 28, 2011. Children younger than one year of age can be enrolled through July 31, 2011.
For important disclosures and other information about the prepaid tuition program, including a college cost calculator, go to www.TexasTuitionPromiseFund.com or call (800) 445-GRAD (4723), Option 5.

The Lindale Independent School District (LISD) is carrying on its tradition of maintaining one of the highest standards of success in East Texas.  The Texas Education Agency has rated Lindale “exemplary” in its 2010 accountability ratings.  This is the highest possible grade.
Lindale Junior High School, E.J. Moss Intermediate School, Velma Penny Elementary School and Lindale Primary School all received a score of “exemplary.”  Lindale High School got a rating of “recognized.”
Districts and individual schools are evaluated according to student performance on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) testing.  This was the first time the accountability rating on students’ scores in reading and math for TAKS Accommodated was considered.  This is a standardized testing for special education students.
Dropout and completion rates are also  considered for the accountability rating.  These rates were examined for 2008-2009, and LISD was found to have had no dropouts during this school year.  Superintendent Stan Surratt was delighted but unsurprised at his district’s score.
“I am so excited that our district achieved an exemplary rating,” he said.  “Our community is buzzing about this great achievement from our students and teachers.”
He was also careful to give credit where it is due.
“The teachers, principals and staff should be commended for their dedication to our students and the leadership they have shown in the classroom,” he said.  “Their hard work and efforts have certainly paid off.  I am so proud of the entire district.  LISD is certainly an exemplary district in every way.”

First day enrollment numbers for Tyler ISD indicate a decrease in enrollment compared to first day numbers last school year.
Total enrollment for the 2010-2011 school has started with 17,530 students compared to 17,559 on the first day in 2009.
It is not unusual for first day numbers to fluctuate from year to year.
“We anticipate enrollment going up in the coming weeks,” said Randy Reid, Superintendent of Schools.

It was the first day of school and the transportation department at Pine Tree ISD was prepared to transport about 2,500 children on 45 different routes.
According to James Skeeler, Assistant Superintendent in Student Services, “It’s a big day for our community when school starts and for the Pine Tree schools, safety is the number one priority.”
Bus drivers spent several weeks prior to the start of school getting ready and driving through their routes said Skeeler.
“We had a few glitches on our first day that had to be fixed, but for the majority of children, it went pretty well.  Since it was the first day of school we knew we might face some unknown challenges – and some buses did run late for a number of reasons.”
Skeeler pointed out that one way for parents to help prevent problems is to make sure their demographic information is accurate before the first day of school or as soon as they have a change take place.
“It’s really important for parents to remember to give us any changes in address,” he stressed.  “We want to help get the kids get to their new address, and having the correct information makes that go a lot quicker.”
Jack Davis, Director Transportation recommended that parents show their children something familiar to them so they can recognize when they get to the bus stop and know when to get off.  “We have so many young students, elementary age, kindergarten and pre-K that’ll miss their bus stop because it’s not a familiar site to them,” said Davis.
In addition to some students missing their stop or getting on the wrong bus, at least one child fell asleep and missed his stop.  Davis said every bus driver has at least one child who forgets their stop, but according to Davis all bus drivers are trained to walk the buses at the end of their routes and each has a devise for communicating issues.
“It’s a full day for some of our little guys, and we don’t blame them for forgetting or dozing off, said Vickie Echols, PT Public Information.   “We contacted many of our families in order to straighten out the problems, because we know it’s very stressful when your child is not where you expect them to be.”
“We did our best to get accurate bus information recorded, routes configured and mistakes communicated; and by the end of the day every student was delivered safely back home again,” said Echols. “With parents as partners, we expect each day to go much smoother.”
Echols also noted that parents can look at the bus routes on the district webpage www.ptisd.org – and click on the Transportation Department website.  A dedicated phone line is also updated daily for parents to check on bus delays or issues:  903-295-5106, option #5.

The University of Texas at Tyler College of Nursing has admitted 12 new nursing doctoral students, according to Dr. Linda Klotz, Dean, College of Nursing and Health Sciences.
The 2010 fall cohort joins 40 students currently enrolled in the program.
Students entering the program this fall are listed by hometown.
CORPUS CHRISTI – Cathy Miller.
FLINT – Lynn Summers.
HARLINGEN – Tracia Foreman.
MCKINNEY – Traci Hines.
MISSION – Marissa Smolarski.
NEW BRAUNFELS – Vincent Sowell.
SAN ANTONIO – Martha Danielle Gunter.
STEPHENVILLE – Jennifer Donwerth and Mary Winton.
CALIFORNIA – Stephanie Hills.
LOUISIANA – Denise Stagg.
OHIO – Allison Chamberlain.
The Ph.D. in nursing program, with a focus on “Health in Communities within the Context of Culture,” is designed to develop nurse scientists who will improve patient outcomes through research, policy and education, according to Dr. Barbara Haas, doctoral program director.
“Offered entirely online, the Ph.D. program makes doctoral education available to nurses who would not otherwise have access to an advanced degree. Students come from across the country to attend a one-week orientation prior to beginning coursework,” Haas said.
For more information, contact Haas, 903.566.7021 or BHaas@uttyler.edu.

(Front row, from left) Vincent Sowell; Lynn Summers; Denise Stagg; Martha Danielle Gunter; (back row, from left) Jennifer Donwerth; Traci Hines; Tracia Foreman; Mary Winton; Allison Chamberlain; Stephanie Hills; Marissa Smolarski; and Cathy Miller.

Texas Comptroller Susan Combs had announced that state sales tax revenue in July was $1.69 billion, up 2.2 percent compared to one year ago.

“Total monthly sales tax revenue has now exceeded year-ago levels for the last four months,” Combs said.  “Sales tax collections in major sectors such as retail trade, the oil and natural gas industry and construction are up from a year ago.  We are monitoring these sectors to see if collections are returning to consistent growth.”

She will send $556.3 million in August sales tax allocations to local governments, up 2.3 percent compared to August 2009.  However, sales tax allocations to local governments are down 2.5 percent compared to this time last year.

Furthermore, Combs will send sales tax payments of $375.5 million to Texas cities, up 2.2 percent compared to last August. Calendar year-to-date, city sales tax revenues trail 2009 by 2.2 percent.  Sales tax payments of $33.7 million will go to Texas counties, 0.2 percent below last August.  So far in calendar year 2010, county sales tax allocations are down 5.6 percent compared to last year.

In addition, $23.5 million in sales tax revenue goes to 169 special purpose taxing districts, up 11.1 percent compared to August 2009.  Ten local transit systems will receive $123.5 million, up 1.6 percent compared to a year ago.

For details of August sales tax payments to individual cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose districts, locate the Monthly Sales and Use Tax Allocation Comparison Summary Reports on the Comptroller’s Web site at www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/allocsum/compsum.html.

Due to the Labor Day holiday, the Comptroller’s next sales tax allocation will be delayed until Monday, Sept.13.

Back-to-school means different things for different families. In Texas, this time of year brings the traditional joys of watching our youth put on football pads to engage in friendly, but serious competition. That same competitive spirit also should be encouraged in the classroom.

As the new academic year gets underway, remember parents and grandparents are our children’s greatest coaches and teammates. Encouraging our kids to stay in school, excel in their studies and pursue higher education not only benefits them as individuals, but also all of Texas.

Dr. Ray Perryman, a nationally recognized economist, concluded that through the enrollment and graduation of an additional 630,000 college students by 2015, Texas will experience an increase in total expenditures throughout the economy of $489 billion; an increase in the state’s Gross Domestic Product of $149 billion; and an increase in personal income of $122 billion. The good news is, we are getting close to meeting this goal. Since the year 2000, we’ve increased college enrollment in Texas by 401,000.

Texas’ current economic climate, which has received rave reviews in Fortune Magazine and CNN, can also be attributed to our educated and hard-working, results-driven workforce. As we send our children back to school this fall, let’s remind them that competing in the classroom is as important as competing on the field. Valuable life lessons are learned in the classroom and on the field of play, and good grades are a win-win for all Texans.

According to IRS, one lesson you may want to learn before cracking a book this fall is that under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), more parents and students will qualify for a tax credit, the American Opportunity Credit, to pay for college expenses.

This credit modifies the existing Hope credit for tax years 2009 and 2010, making it available to a broader range of taxpayers, including many with higher incomes and those who owe no tax. It also adds required course materials to the list of qualifying expenses and allows the credit to be claimed for four post-secondary education years instead of two. Many of those eligible will qualify for the maximum annual credit of $2,500 per student.

The full credit is available to individuals whose modified adjusted gross income is $80,000 or less, or $160,000 or less for married couples filing a joint return. The credit is phased out for taxpayers with incomes above these levels. These income limits are higher than under the existing Hope and Lifetime Learning Credits.

The American Opportunity Credit can mean more money in your pocket with regard to your tax return.

“You will be able to reduce your tax liability one dollar for each dollar of credit for which you’re eligible,” said Clay Sanford, Dallas-based IRS spokesman. “If the amount of the American opportunity tax credit for which you’re eligible is more than your tax liability, then the amount of the credit that is more than your tax liability is refundable to you–up to a maximum refund of 40 percent of the amount of the credit for which you’re eligible.”

Visit IRS.gov to find more information about the American Opportunity Credit and other tax benefits for education.

By Kelly Bell

The Tyler Independent School District (TISD) has implemented a new bell schedule for its middle and high schools during the 2010-2011 semester.  Middle schools will be starting at 8:25 a.m. and let out at 3:40 p.m.  High schools will start at 8:40 a.m. and release at 4:10 p.m.  Elementary schools will run from 8:00 a.m to 3:00 p.m.

School zone flashing lights will commence operation August 23 from 7:00 a.m. till 9:00 a.m. and from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.  The following are exceptions:

1. West Loop 323 near John Tyler High School will operate from 8:00 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. and from 4:00 p.m. till 4:45 p.m.

2. South Donnybrook near Robert E. Lee High School will also operate from 8:00 a.m. until 8:45 a.m. and from 4:00 p.m. till 4:45 p.m.

3. Copeland Road at Hubbard Dr. will run from 7:30 a.m. till 9:00 a.m. and from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

A new, 35 MPH school zone will operate on West Ford St. just east of West Loop 323 for newly opened Jones Boshears Elementary School.

Crossing guards will be on duty at all flashing school zones.  Guards will brandish a hand-held stop paddle and precede students as they cross streets.  Motorists must halt their vehicles while the crossing guards remain in the street, and wait until the guard has returned to the curb before proceeding.  In order to avoid delays motorists are encouraged to review their commute routes.  City of Tyler Traffic Engineer Peter Eng expects no problems with school zones after motorists become familiar with them.

“The first three weeks of a new school year are always very hectic as everyone adjusts to their new routines, especially when we have new schools opening,” he said.  “Give yourself extra time to get where you need to go, and be patient with other drivers.  Safety is more important than anything else.  Each school has developed a traffic flow plan available to all parents to provide for the safe loading and unloading of students, and also to get cars in and out of the school property as efficiently as possible.”

Using hand-held communication devices like cell phones is strictly prohibited in school speed zones.

For more information such as lists of designated TISD school zones visit www.tylerisd.org or www.cityoftyler.org.

The Tyler Independent School District (TISD) communication public relations director Angela Jenkins has been named Vice-President of the Texas School Public Relations Association (TSPRA) for the East Texas Region.

“I am honored to be able to serve in this statewide capacity and represent Tyler ISD at the state level,” Jenkins said.  “I hope to continue the participatory involvement created by our previous vice-president, Brian Bowman of Longview ISD.”

TISD Superintendent of Schools Randy Reid expressed his support of Jenkins’ promotion.

“This well-deserved honor for Angela is also an excellent opportunity for Tyler ISD, for she will have a strong voice in the leadership of this influential organization,” he said.  We are very proud of Ms Jenkins.”

Jenkins will serve an area encompassing Texarkana to Paris and south to College Station and almost to Houston.  This comprises service center regions 6, 7 and 8.  She will be a voting member of TSPRA’s executive committee, which represents more than 800 education professionals in public relations, community volunteering, media relations, electronic media and education foundations.

As a non-profit, professional organization, TSPRA concentrates on promoting public schools via clear communication.  It also supplies professional development, various resources and networking opportunities for the education community.