Jim Dunnam - State Representative

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Jim Dunnam Comments on Governor Perry's Decision to Not Compete For Race to the Top Education Funds - (2010-01-13)
Chairman of the Select Committee talks about its impact on public schools in Texas State Representative Jim Dunnam (D-Waco), Chairman of the House Select Committee on Federal Economic Stabilization Funding, released the following statement in response to Governor Perry's decision to not apply for federal "Race to the Top" education dollars: By throwing in the towel before the competition has even begun, Governor Perry has officially won the race to the bottom. The Governor and I have our policy differences - I passed a moratorium on the expansion of charter schools in 2001 while he actively pressured members to vote against it. I criticized him in 2005 when he used federal funds to create a divisive teacher incentive pay program. However, the one thing that he and I should both agree on is that our schools need as much support as possible. There's a pot of as much as $700 million dollars in grant money that the Governor doesn't want our state to compete for.
Read More ›› by: - 2010-01-13 comments Category: Public Education, Higher Education, Tags: Public Education, Higher Education,

Jim Dunnam Announces Cash for College Booklet for Texas Students - (2009-11-13)
Representative hopes booklet will make college more affordable for families Today, State Representative Jim Dunnam announced the publication of CASH FOR COLLEGE, 6^th Edition. CASH FOR COLLEGE is a comprehensive guide of scholarships, grants and loans for college students. The booklet, which now runs over 127 pages, contains information on the importance of a college education, types of financial aid, tips on applying for financial assistance and over 100 pages of specific scholarships, grants and loan programs offered at the national, state and local level. Rep. Dunnam first began publishing and distributing CASH FOR COLLEGE in 1999. Over the past ten years, Jim has distributed over 75,000 copies of the guidebook locally. Each year, the guide is updated with the help of local high school counselors, with a goal of providing college-bound individuals with an in-depth resource to fight the mounting costs of a college education. This update is particularly useful this year, as tuition rates are raising all over the nation, especially in Texas. CASH FOR COLLEGE is a cooperative effort by Rep. Dunnam and the Austin American Statesman. In the past, CASH FOR COLLEGE focused locally on McLennan County seniors and colleges. The 6^th Edition has been expanded to add sections on scholarships
Read More ›› by: - 2009-11-13 comments Category: Public Education, Higher Education, Tags: Public Education, Higher Education, College Tuition,

Jim Dunnam Discusses Changes to the Texas Tomorrow Fund - (2009-09-14)
Op-Ed: Texas should honor its commitment to our families Comptroller Susan Combs dropped a bombshell on parents, grandparents and other loved ones in late August when she announced that participants in the Texas Tomorrow Fund will now receive a much lower-than-expected return on cancelled contracts. Promised a payout based on current public university costs, parents will now only receive the amount they paid into the fund for contracts canceled because the child dies or obtains a scholarship. To add insult to injury, an administrative fee will be subtracted from the total, putting Texas families at risk of getting back even less than they put in. The Texas Tomorrow Fund was created to provide Texas parents a safe and stable way to plan for their children’s education. It assured families that despite rising costs fueled mostly by tuition deregulation, they could still afford college. It encouraged us to invest in our children’s futures. It was, literally, a contract they made with the State of Texas. One of the strongest selling points of the Texas Tomorrow Fund was that the money invested would be returned with interest should the children receive a financial scholarship or not pursue a college degree. It relieved parents of the financial risk of college accounts and motivated stud
Read More ›› by: - 2009-09-14 comments Category: Public Education, Higher Education, Tags: Public Education, Higher Education,