CCISD board of trustees approves MOU with Tarleton State University

By BRITTANY FHOLER 

Cove Leader-Press 

The Copperas Cove Independent School District Board of Trustees approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Tarleton State University to join the Distinguished High School Partnership Program during the board’s regular meeting held Monday. 

The agreement allows the top 25 percent of graduating seniors in Copperas Cove ISD to receive automatic admission to the university. Tarleton will also waive the requirement for ACT or SAT scores as well as the admissions application fee for those in the top 25 percent of their graduating class. 

These students will also be eligible to qualify for Tarleton’s Guaranteed Award Program (GAP) which awards scholarship money to each qualifying student guaranteed at an annual level between $1,000 to $5,000, depending on class rank and test scores. Additionally, if a CCISD student qualifies for the GAP program, they will receive an additional $1,000 if they are in the top 10 percent of their graduating class or an additional $500 for students who are ranked within the top 25 percent but not in the top 10 percent. 

 “With all the changes and everything that we’re approving today, it’s kind of nice to have a really kind of exciting agenda item for some of our seniors that will be graduating this year,” said Board President Joan Manning. 

CCISD Superintendent Joe Burns explained that Tarleton reached out to the district and the agreement does not cost the district any money. 

“It’s a benefit to our kids, and we have a lot of kids that go to Tarleton,” Burns said. “Tarleton has a very good nursing program. Tarleton has a very good Vocational Ag program. My second son went out there and got a degree in wildlife biology. They have a good education program, teacher prep program and so we were excited when we heard the news, and it is our recommendation that the board approve the Memorandum of Understanding with Tarleton State University.”

After the motion was made and seconded, Manning called the agreement a “win-win” for Copperas Cove students. 

Students have plenty of options for choosing the degree best suited for their career paths nearly 100 undergraduate and graduate degrees from seven colleges: Agricultural and Environmental Sciences; Business Administration; Education; Graduate Studies; health Sciences and Human Service; Liberal and Fine Arts; and Science and Technology; as well as a doctorate in education. Tarleton’s main campus is in Stephenville, with additional campuses in Fort Worth, Waco, Midlothian and Bryan as well as online classes.  

 “We’re very excited to partner with Copperas Cove High School to ensure that some of the best and brightest students in Texas have the opportunity for a high-quality university experience,” said Tarleton President James L. Hurley. “This partnership aligns with our commitment to become a first-choice institution for regional high school seniors. They are destined to be our leaders and we have a social and economic responsibility to invest in their well-being.”

Tarleton State was established on September 4, 1899 and joined the Texas A&M system in 1917. 

Tarleton had 13,226 students enrolled as of the Fall 2019 semester, with 716 staff and  870 faculty. The estimated cost of attendance per academic year is $18,851 according to the university’s website.