2019 Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language (TOCFL) is now accepting applications

The Education Division of the Taipei Economic and Culture Office (TECO) in Houston will administer the 2019 Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language (TOCFL) on Saturday, March 23, 2019 at the University of Houston – Downtown 【 One Main Street, Suite GSB311 (3F, Girard Street Building), Houston, TX 77002 / phone: 713-221-8027】.

The TOCFL is intended for those that wish to measure their Chinese proficiency and is available in both traditional and simplified character versions. Since 2014, the levels of the TOCFL have been reformed in order to correspond to the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment). The new version of the TOCFL has three proficiency bands: Band A, Band B, and Band C. Each of the bands has two levels.

According to the AP Course Description, “Course work provides students with opportunities to perform Intermediate- to Advanced-level tasks, and students are expected to achieve proficiencies throughout, and sometimes beyond, the Intermediate range, as described in the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Proficiency Guidelines.” Therefore, if the students want to pass the AP test, they have to reach the intermediate level of the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines, which corresponds to level 3 of the TOCFL. The students could take the TOCFL as a practice test for AP test preparation.

Examinees who pass the test will receive a Chinese Proficiency Certificate as a credential for the followings:

Becoming eligible for the “Taiwan Scholarship” and “Ministry of Education Huayu Enrichment Scholarship” sponsored by the government and for studying in Taiwan.

Qualifying for admission to academic programs at colleges or universities in Taiwan.

Serving as a job-required proof of Chinese language proficiency for individuals who wish to obtain Chinese-inclusive, bilingual employment globally.

Providing an incentive to those who are interested in learning Chinese


TOCFL will be administered via the Internet. There are two sections (listening and reading) which take a total of about two hours to complete. Please see http://www.sc-top.org.tw/ and http://cbt.sc-top.org.tw/sctopj/ChangeOrder0619.aspx/ for the mock-test.

Registration is accepted from February 1 to February 19, 2019. Please register at the website: https://tocfl.sc-top.org.tw/. In order to complete the registration process, please print out the registration form and mail it along with the registration fee to Education Division, TECO in Houston (11 Greenway Plaza, Suite 2012, Houston, TX 77046) before 02/20/2019. The registration will be canceled if the examinees fail to submit the registration fee before 02/20/2019.

Required documents and fee are as follows.

1. Confirmation form

2. Registration fee: $45 USD

Check only ( payable to Education Division, TECO in Houston)

If any accredited organizations or Chinese schools are willing to administer a group test, please contact the Education Division of the Taipei Economic and Culture Office in Houston beforehand.
Please direct all questions to the Education Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston at 713.840.3854 or brownie.ch@mail.moe.gov.tw.

The proficiency levels of TOCFL in corresponding relationship with CEFR and ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines.

2019休士頓地區華語文能力測驗(TOCFL) 開始接受報名！

駐休士頓臺北經濟文化辦事處教育組訂於 2019年3月23日（星期六）上午10時假休士頓大學城中校區 【University of Houston – Downtown, 地址: One Main Street, Suite GSB311 (3F, Girard Street Building), Houston, TX 77002】 舉辦2019年休士頓電腦化華語文能力測驗 (Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language，簡稱TOCFL)。

為對應「歐洲語言學習、教學、評量共同參考架構 (CEFR)」，華語測驗共分為三等六級。三等分別為入門基礎級、進階高階級及流利精通級，而每一等又可再依據測驗成績細分為兩級，分別為入門級、基礎級、進階級、高階級、流利級、精通級，共六級。依據美國大學理事會(College Board) 公布關於中文預修 (AP Chinese Language and Culture)的課程說明，學生接受AP課程結束後的程度，接近全美外語教學協會 (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, ACTFL)語言能力指標 (Proficiency Guidelines) 的中高級程度(Intermediate high)，對應於華語測驗考試進階級(Level 3)。意即若學生能通過華語測驗的進階級，其程度相當於可通過中文AP考試。請參閱對照表。

華語文能力測驗採用線上報名及電腦化施測。測驗分有正體與簡體版本，全程使用電腦作答，無須手寫文字。測驗完畢螢幕可立即顯示測驗成績。通過測驗者將獲頒華語文能力證明書，可做為申請「臺灣獎學金」與「教育部華語獎學金」等語文能力證明用途，具有就學及就業優勢。亦可以做為中文AP考試的模擬測驗。歡迎大休士頓地區想瞭解自己華語文能力者報名參加。

休士頓地區華語能力測驗報名費為45元。報名日期自2019年2月1日至2月19日止。請至線上報名網站: https://tocfl.sc-top.org.tw/ ，網頁上方選擇美國考區，選取休士頓考場，完成註冊並列印出報名表，於本年2月20日前將報名表及報名費支票（支票抬頭為Education Division, TECO in Houston）郵寄達駐休士頓臺北經濟文化辦事處教育組：11 Greenway Plaza, Suite 2012, Houston, TX 77046。請務必於本年2月20日前繳費方完成報名手續。考生可自行上華測會網站瞭解各報考等級所需字彙（網址：http://www.sc-top.org.tw），或進行線上模擬試題測試。有意辦理團體考試的各機構，歡迎以電郵brownie.ch@mail.moe.gov.tw或電話713-840-3854與駐休士頓教育組連絡。


線上模擬試題： 為了讓考生熟悉電腦測驗形式，華測會摘錄模擬試題題目，提供學生練習，歡迎多加利用： http://cbt.sc-top.org.tw/sctopj/ChangeOrder0619.aspx

華語文能力測驗分級方式及與歐洲共同語文參考架構（CEFR）、美國外語教學協會指標（ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines）之對應關係。

北教大校長張新仁率團訪休士頓研習成果豐碩

國立台北教育大學張新仁校長率領「分組合作學習績優深耕學校赴美研習團」等一行34人於本(2019)年1月24日至30日訪問休士頓，在駐休士頓辦事處教育組協助安排下，前往參訪糖城休士頓大學(University of Houston–Sugar Land )、德州西園國際領導學校(International Leadership of Texas Westpark)、和諧公立學校(Harmony Public Schools)、休士頓中文沉浸學校(Mandarin Immersion Magnet School)等各校，學習當地最新教育發展並觀摩雙語教學模式。

該研習團除台北教育大學外，尚有來自台北市教育局、國立東華大學附設實驗小學、屏東縣私立南榮國中、台中市大肚區瑞井國小、台北市萬華區福星國小、內湖區新湖國小、臺北市立螢橋國中、五常國中及雙園國中等10所各級學校34名教育及行政主管人員參與研習。

該團除雙語教育專業研習外，也前往太空中心參觀太空科技發展，另外也在台灣友人Dee Koch女士接待下參訪喬治農莊，體驗德州傳統文化以及品嘗BBQ烤肉風味餐。駐休士頓辦事處陳家彥處長得知國立台北教育大學張校長及團員中若干師長係素食者，特別擇定國際佛光會休士頓協會中美寺滴水坊餐廳接待該研習團，同時也藉以推廣環保蔬食健康養生概念。

該研習團對陳家彥處長的用心安排至表感謝，也對教育組周慧宜組長事前協調聯繫促成參訪研習的順利進行表示肯定，離開休士頓前夕張新仁校長特別在姚餐廳安排一場感恩餐會，邀請所有研習過程中提供協助的師長餐敘，餐會中除駐休士頓辦事處陳家彥處長、林映佐副處長、教育組周慧宜組長外，休士頓大學教授Heather Domjan、休士頓中文沉浸學校張兆麟校長、和諧公立學校梁競懿副校長等都出席這場盛宴。

國立台北教育大學張新仁校長安排感恩餐會，駐休士頓辦事處陳家彥處長(後排右三)、林映佐副處長(後排右五)、教育組周慧宜組長(前排右八)，休士頓中文沉浸學校張兆麟校長(後排右四)、和諧公立學校梁競懿副校長(前排右七)等出席。

駐休士頓辦事處陳家彥處長擇定國際佛光會休士頓協會中美寺滴水坊餐廳接待研習團

台灣同學參訪貝克休斯․奇異公司收穫豐富

為提供臺灣留學生企業觀摩機會，讓同學實地與具規模國際企業優秀專業人士座談交流，駐休士頓台北經濟文化辦事處教育組於1月24日 下午特別安排臺灣同學參訪貝克休斯․奇異公司(Baker Hughes, GE Company)。在休士頓辦事處林副處長映佐率領之下，共有來自萊斯大學、休士頓大學、奧斯汀德州大學及德州農工大學等5所知名大學，近20名攻讀工程、海洋、地球、環境科學及地質學等專業領域臺灣同學參加。

奇異公司也就是所謂的通用電氣，係美國跨國綜合企業，經營產業包括電子工程、能源、運輸、航空、動力工程與技術服務等；總部設在波士頓，全球100多個國家共有員工約28萬人。奇異公司旗下的貝克休斯為一油田服務公司，總部設在休士頓，主要向大型石油生產商提供石油探勘開採設備及技術服務。

駐休士頓辦事處林副處長映佐與出席同學於防噴洩氣閥前合影

參訪當天貝克休斯重要主管包括：首席工程師Kathy Bradley、製造部主任Kevin Joyce、經理Luis Ochoa及法律顧問Dan Connelly均親自歡迎台灣同學的到訪，除了詳細介紹了公司運作外，也與同學們分享尊重智慧財產與商業保密觀念的重要性。

與會同學展現出對職涯規劃的企圖心，積極提問參與座談，更難得的是有機會實地參觀足以承受深海溫度及壓力、價值高達7,500萬美元的巨型防噴洩氣閥(blowout preventer)。與會同學紛紛表示此次參訪受益良多，更感謝駐休士頓辦事處教育組的用心安排，擴展了同學未來在美發展的視野。

臺灣同學聚精會神參與討論

Teaching in Taiwan Program

Applications are accepted between March 1 and April 30 every year.

Teaching in Taiwan Program Website

Documents Download

• Application Form
• Health Certificate
• FAQs

The goals of the Program are to broaden English immersion experiences for Taiwanese children and to establish inter-school relationships between Taiwan and the United States. Benefits for Program teachers include round-trip airfare, a housing stipend, overtime pay, health insurance, and a monthly salary based on educational background and teaching experience. The teaching duration is one academic year; contracts may be renewed subject to agreement between teachers and schools.

l  Qualifications

All qualified applicants must meet the following criteria:

1. a native English speaker from U.S. states of Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Missouri, Mississippi, and Texas.

2. a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university (database for the Reference List of Foreign Universities https://www.fsedu.moe.gov.tw ), excluding those degrees which have half or more of the courses completed online or through distance/correspondence learning

3. a certified K-9 teacher

*Please note that applicants with less than one year of teaching experience will not be considered.*

l  Requirements

All qualified applicants must:

 1.    be committed to abiding by the laws and regulations of Taiwan

2.    have sophisticated interpersonal communication skills

3.    understand and be respectful toward the local culture

4.    be willing to teach in rural areas

l  Required Documents

          Application Form (completed, signed and dated by the applicant)

          Resume (printed in ink or typed)

          Three Letters of Recommendation (signed and dated by applicant’s references)

          Proof of Teaching Experience (must have work situation and duration specified and be signed by former or current employers)

          Transcript (required if applicant has graduated within the last two years)

          Criminal History Record (obtained through the FBI)

          Health Check Report (See Health Certificate for Foreign Language Teacher)

          A copy of the applicant’s passport

          A copy of the applicant’s diploma (highest degree obtained)

          A copy of the applicant’s valid teaching license

l  Interview

Applicants with ALL required documentation will be invited to take part in a Skype interview.

l  Teaching Video Submission

A 5-minute video of applicant’s teaching demonstration (submitted via DVD, YouTube or Google Drive link) is required upon notification.

l  Application Dates

Between March1 and April 30, each year

l  Application Submission

Education Division of TECO in Houston

Attn: Teaching in Taiwan

11 Greenway Plaza, Suite 2012

Houston, TX 77046

l  Notes

Notification of acceptance will be sent to candidates by the end of June each year. Accepted candidates are NOT automatically issued the work permit and/or the Resident Visa. For the work permit application, please visit the Ministry of Education, R.O.C. (Taiwan). For the Resident Visa application, please visit the Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, R.O.C. (Taiwan). Failure to obtain the work permit and the Resident Visa after receiving acceptance into the program could result in disqualification. 

Teaching in Taiwan Program Application Procedure

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MOE Huayu Enrichment Scholarship (HES) 2019

2019學年度教育部華語文獎學金
Huayu Enrichment Scholarship 2019

Application period: February 1 to March 31, 2019

NOTE:
Our office accepts applications from the following states: Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. If you are not sure where to submit your application, please check the following website: http://www.tw.org/scholarships/.

DOCUMENTS DOWNLOAD:

• Instructions for Application 2019-English
• Instructions for Application 2019-Chinese
• Application Form 2019
• Terms of Agreement
• Learning Chinese in Taiwan-website
• HES International Student Directions-Chinese
• HES International Student Directions-English

Availabilities
There are twelve (12) openings available for MOE HES 2019-2020. Each applicant may select from the following durations: 2 months (limited to 2019 summer courses), 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, or 12 months. Eligible applicants from Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas are welcome to submit applications.

Eligibility
1. Applicants must be American nationals, above the age of eighteen (18), with a high school diploma or higher degree, must have excellent academic records, and must be of good moral character. 
2. Applicants are ineligible if they meet any of the following restrictions:

• overseas Chinese or nationals of the Republic of China (Taiwan);
• students who are currently registered at any universities/colleges or enrolled in Mandarin language training programs in Taiwan;
• individuals who have received an MOE HES or MOE Taiwan Scholarship in the past;
• exchange or dual/joint degree students admitted in accordance with academic cooperation agreements between local universities/colleges and foreign universities/colleges; 
• individuals who are currently receiving financial benefits from the Taiwanese government or any educational institutions in Taiwan.

Duration
1. Each applicant must select the duration of the scholarship for which they will apply. Study period may vary based on the duration selected, as described below:

• 2-month duration: Study period is limited to summer courses from June to July 2019, or from July to August 2019.
• 3-month, 6-month, or 9-month duration: Study period must fall between September 1, 2019, and August 31, 2020 (2019 academic year).
• 12-month duration: Study period is from September 1, 2019, to August 31, 2020 (2019 academic year).

2. The Education Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston reserves the right to decide the duration of scholarship for successful candidates. 

Award Value
1. Each scholarship recipient will receive monthly stipends of 25,000 New Taiwan Dollars (NTD) in conjunction with the duration of scholarship approved.
2. The foreign exchange rate from USD to NTD is estimated at 1 to 30. The actual exchange rate is subject to currency fluctuations.

Application
1. Required documents: 

• a completed HES Application Form 2019-2020, signed and dated by the applicant
• a photocopy of the applicant’s passport or other documents that can verify the nationality of the applicant
• a photocopy of the certificate of the applicant’s highest degree obtained and original academic transcripts from that institution. Note: Transcripts must be sealed. Transcripts that are issued by international educational institutions must be presented in English language and authenticated by an overseas Representative Office of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
• proof of application to language centers in Taiwan (e.g. photocopies of application form, a notice or e-mail from the language centers acknowledging their receipt of the application, etc.)
• two letters of recommendation, sealed and signed by the writers
• original Ministry of Education Huayu Enrichment Scholarship Program Terms of Agreement, signed and dated by the applicant

2. Submission: 

• Applications will be accepted between February 1, 2019 and March 31, 2019.
• Applicants must directly apply for admission to language centers on the List of Language Center. Proof of application for admission to language centers is required for the HES application. 
• Applications must be sent to the following office and postmarked no later than March 31, 2019 at:

Education Division of TECO in Houston
Attn: HES
11 Greenway Plaza, Suite 2012
Houston, TX 77046, U.S.A.

• All HES applicants will be notified by May 31, 2019 of the selection results. 
• Successful candidates must submit a photocopy of the admission letter that is issued by the language center at houston@moetw.org by June 30, 2019. 
• Two-month scholarship applicants MUST submit a photocopy of the admission letter that is issued by the language center upon their application for the HES.

3. Program contact: 
Education Division of TECO in Houston
Address: 
11 Greenway Plaza, Suite 2012
Houston, TX 77046, U.S.A.
Telephone: 713-871-0851
E-mail: houston@moetw.org

Selection

1. Applications are considered complete when all of the aforementioned Required Documents have been submitted. Incomplete applications or those missing required documents will be withdrawn from the selection process without further notice to the applicants.
2. Documents will be reviewed during the preliminary selection process and interviews with qualified candidates via internet, telephone, or in person may be required for final selection process.
3. Late applications will not be considered for the selection.
4. Other Regulations
5. The application instructions are given in Chinese and English and, in the event of any discrepancy, the Chinese version will take precedence over the English text.
6. For further details on the regulations for HES, please refer to the Ministry of Education Huayu Enrichment Scholarship (HES) International Student Directions (EN), which can be downloaded at https://taiwanscholarship.moe.gov.tw/web/scholarship.aspx.
7. For the List of Language Center, please visit https://english.moe.gov.tw/cp-23-17677-b4bb4-1.html or https://www.studyintaiwan.org/.

Please Note...

• For degree study scholarship, please see Taiwan Scholarship 2019 for details.
• 2018 Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language (TOCFL)-HOUSTON (2019 TBA)

Last update: January 8, 2019

MOE Taiwan Scholarship 2019

2019學年度教育部臺灣獎學金
The Ministry of Education Taiwan Scholarship 2019

Application Period: February 1 to March 31, 2019

NOTE:

Our office accepts applications from the following states: Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. If you are not sure where to submit your application, please check the following website: http://www.tw.org/scholarships/.

Documents Download:

• Instructions for Application 2019_English
• Instructions for Application 2019_Chinese
• Application Form 2019
• Terms of Agreement
• Taiwan Scholarship Program Directions_Chinese
• Taiwan Scholarship Program Directions_English
• Taiwan Scholarship and Huayu Enrichment Scholarship Program Office
• List of Universities/Colleges Providing Tuition & Miscellaneous Expense Discounts for MOE Taiwan Scholarship Recipients 2019
• List of Universities/Colleges Offering Degree Programs Taught in English 2019
• "Study in Taiwan" Website

Availabilities

There are eight (8) openings available for the MOE Taiwan Scholarship 2019-2020. Eligible individuals from Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas are welcome to submit applications.

Eligibility

1. Applicants must be American nationals with a high-school diploma or post-secondary degree(s), have excellent academic records and be of good moral character.

2. Applicants are ineligible if they meet any of the following restrictions:

• overseas Chinese students or nationals of the Republic of China (Taiwan);
• students who are currently registered or have obtained student status at any universities/colleges in Taiwan (graduating students pursuing further studies are exempt from this rule);
• students who have studied in Taiwan for the same level of degree program as the one they intend to enroll;
• exchange or dual/joint degree students admitted in accordance with academic cooperation agreements between local universities/colleges and foreign universities/colleges;
• individuals who have been recipients of the MOE Taiwan Scholarship for over a total of five (5) years;
• individuals who have, in the past, had their MOE Taiwan Scholarship or MOE Huayu Enrichment Scholarship (HES) revoked;
• recipients of any other scholarship or subsidy funded by the Taiwan government or educational institutions in Taiwan. However, this does not include preferential prices offered by universities/colleges to cover tuition and other fees exceeding this scholarship limit.

3. Applicants should apply directly for admission within the application periods specified by each university/college. 

Scholarship Duration and Limits

1. The maximum scholarship duration on each degree level for each recipient is as the following:

• Four (4) years for bachelor’s degree programs
• Two (2) years for master’s degree programs
• Four (4) years for doctoral programs

2. The total length of the scholarship duration for each recipient is limited to five (5) years in a combination of different degree levels.

3. The scholarship award period for each academic year is from September 1 to August 31 of the following year.

Award Value

The MOE provides each recipient of the MOE Taiwan Scholarship with the following:

1. Tuition and fees:
Upon validation of tuition and fees, the MOE will pay up to 40,000 New Taiwan Dollar (NTD) each semester for each recipient. Should the total amount of tuition and fees exceed 40,000 NTD, the remainder of all costs shall be covered by the recipient. Tuition and fees do not include any of the following: administration fees, thesis advising fees, insurance premiums, accommodation, or internet access, all of which are must be paid by the recipients.

2. Subsistence allowance:
The MOE will provide each recipient undertaking undergraduate studies with a monthly stipend of 15,000 NTD; it will provide each recipient undertaking postgraduate studies with a monthly stipend of 20,000 NTD.

Application

1. Required documents:

• A completed Taiwan Scholarship Application Form 2019-2020;
• A copy of the applicant’s passport or other documents that can verify the nationality of the applicant;
• A copy of the certificate of the applicant’s highest degree obtained;
• Original academic transcripts (sealed) from the institution that the applicant obtained his/her highest degree;
• Proof of application for admission to universities/colleges in Taiwan (e.g. photocopies of application form(s), etc.) *The name of the school(s) and degree program(s) must be specified in those documents;
• A copy of the Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language (TOCFL) certificate of Level 3 or above. All-English taught programs applicants may be exempt from this requirement;
• Two letters of recommendation from school principals, professors, academic counselors, or supervisors;
• Statement of Purpose; and
• Terms of Agreement for the Ministry of Education Taiwan Scholarship Program (signed and dated by the applicant).

Note: The required documents will NOT be returned to applicants.

2. Submission (*Late applications will NOT be considered for the selection):

(1) Applications must be submitted between February 1 and March 31, 2019.

(2) Application packages must be addressed to the following office and postmarked no later than March 31, 2019:

Education Division of TECO in Houston

Attn: Taiwan Scholarship

11 Greenway Plaza, Suite 2012

Houston, TX 77046, U.S.A.

(3) All MOE Taiwan Scholarship applicants will be notified by May 31, 2019 and selected candidates must submit only one copy of an admission letter issued by one university/college to the e-mail: houston@moetw.org, by June 30, 2019. 

3. Program contact:

Education Division of TECO in Houston

11 Greenway Plaza, Suite 2012

Houston, TX 77046, U.S.A.

Telephone: (713)871-0851

E-mail: houston@moetw.org

Website: http://www.moetw.org

Selection Criteria 

1. Recipients’ academic goals should reflect an interest in the development of the industry, economy, and education of Taiwan.

2. Recipients should possess an outstanding undergraduate or postgraduate Grade Point Average (GPA).

3. Priority will be given to applicants with a TOCFL certificate of Level 3 or above. 

4. Applications must be completed with all the required documents attached. Incomplete applications or those missing required documents will be withdrawn from the selection process without further notice to the applicants.

5. Interviews with qualified candidates in person or via internet/telephone may be required for the final selection process.

Other Regulations

1. The application instructions are given in Chinese and English and, in the event of any discrepancy, the Chinese version will take precedence over the English text.

2. For other regulations in association with the MOE Taiwan Scholarship, please refer to the Taiwan Scholarship Program Directions for details. 

Please Note...

• For Mandarin Chinese language scholarship, please see Huayu Enrichment Scholarship 2019 for details.
• 2018 Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language (TOCFL)-HOUSTON (2019 TBA)

Last update: January 8, 2019

德州州府提供可負擔得起的大學學費方案

2011年時任德州州長派瑞(Rick Perry)提出負擔得起的4年德州公立大學學歷方案，並稱之為「萬元學位」。德州的大學紛紛接下該項挑戰。2013年底時，第一個「德州便宜學士學位(Texas Affordable Baccalaureate Degree)」計畫在坎默市德州農工大學(Texas A&M-Commerce)及南德州學院(South Texas College)開跑。該計畫一開始有7個學生註冊，到2016年秋季班，人數增長到300人，並有121名畢業生。

「德州便宜學士學位」結合了專業技能嫻熟度為基準的線上學習架構，意即學生若在其工作或擔任軍職時具有專業嫻熟程度，可抵免其學位要求之相關學分。此舉可讓學生減少費用開銷及節省時間，使其儘早畢業。

對於該計畫的優良成效，德州高等教育協調委員會(Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board)給予肯定並於2017年3月宣布補助4個新的「德州便宜學士學位」計畫。總計65萬美元的補助款將分配給聖體市德州農工大學(Texas A&M- Corpus Christi)、塔樂頓州立大學(Tarleton State University)、與奧斯汀社區學院(Austin Community College)教育合作的南德州學院以及坎默市德州農工大學。根據德州高等教育協調委員會指出，該補助款將用以支應計劃學校的新便宜學士學位課程及發展。

德州高等教育協調委員會主席帕瑞德斯(Raymund Paredes)說：「『德州便宜學士學位」是一項很有經濟效益的方案，它為許多德州人帶來更多的社會流動機會。德州應該持續創新並提供具經濟效益的高品質教育，以因應瞬息萬變的全球經濟脈動，並期提供給德州人更多的機會及帶來繁榮。德州高等教育協調委員會歡迎這4個新計畫的加入。」

「德州便宜學士學位」拓展計畫由「全德州人大學基金會(College for All Texans Foundation)」負責募款。經費來源有AT&T嚮往計畫(AT&T Aspire)、大德州基金會(the Greater Texas Foundation)、克雷斯格基金會(the Kresge Foundation)以及草原基金會(the Meadows Foundation)。

坎默市德州農工大學及南德州學院辦理「德州便宜學士學位」一開始，新的學位設定為組織領導力學士。聖體市德州農工大學則是計劃將補助款用在成立機械工程科技學位。該計畫會結合以專業嫻熟度為基準的課程，讓在煉油廠及石化業等地已具備工作所需技能的工人有更完備的訓練。該計畫也將提供給具有工程科技專士學位往工程科技專家方面發展的機會，並期縮減沿灣工作發展地區(Coastal Bend Workforce Development Area)與美國其他地方間的差距。

塔樂頓州立大學則計畫將補助款運用在提供替代學分課程(alternative credit courses)，以減少應用科學學程學生取得學位的時間及費用。期透過結合綜合上課方式及學分替代模式取得通識教育學分，提供非傳統學位學生，如擔任軍職或已完成社區學院或職業學校專門訓練者另一取得學士學位的途徑。取得補助款的南德州學院以及坎默市德州農工大學亦分別提出計畫方案給其學生。這些學校所做的努力提供給德州議會規劃下一步計畫的參考依據，期將該計畫拓展至全州。

德州議會在84及85會期時，有機會將該計畫推展至全州公立大學。85會期第385法案尋求移除目前存在於想欲攻讀「德州便宜學士學位」的非傳統學生與學校間的一些規定障礙，卻未如願。

該法案希望找到讓大學採用坎默市德州農工大學及南德州學院辦理「德州便宜學士學位」模式的誘因，以期讓大學更容易負擔得起，同時提升畢業率。

現今所謂的非傳統學生，意即年過25歲具全職工作及為其家庭經濟支柱，同時尋求高等教育或訓練者。

資料提供時間：2019.01.08

撰稿人/譯稿人：陳憶如

資料來源：2018年12月26日Forbes.com

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomlindsay/2018/12/26/texas-takes-the-next-step-to-make-college-more-affordable/#91677dd1a9ca