Chancellor's Corner
Messages from the Chancellor
Remarkable things are happening at TCC.
My messages in the Chancellor's Corner are a chance for me to talk to you about news and events in our District and community.
Recent messages:
Tarrant County College: An Investment for Better Futures
A Community Letter from Chancellor Elva LeBlanc, Ph.D.
Why TCC matters to Tarrant County
More than an educational institution, Tarrant County College is an investment. A strategic investment in the future of North Texas. As stewards of the public trust and taxpayer dollars, we are committed to delivering measurable impact in agreement with business and industry and our K-12 and university partners.
This past year, TCC sustained momentum, tackled new challenges and made significant progress—all to educate individuals and strengthen the regional economy.
TCC’s tax rate is one of the lowest in the county—56th of the 58 major public taxing entities—yet our economic punch through education, workforce development and community service is huge—$2.3 billion annually. That’s $1.30 in taxpayer value for every dollar invested.
In 2023, the College approved a $5,000 (or 1% of value) homestead exemption, lowering the average property tax bill and returning an additional $10 million in tax revenue. TCC has provided $65 billion in tax exemptions total, which equates to $74 million in forgone tax revenue returned to taxpayers. In addition, the College has supported economic growth and community development through tax increment funds (TIFs) on more than $8 billion in evaluated property.
All these positives are crucial to note as the College positions for state-mandated tuition freezes, adjustments in state performance funding equations, and increased business personal property exemptions. Our Board of Trustees has taken steps—waiving dual credit tuition and earning $30 million this year in state, federal and private funding—to provide a top-notch higher education experience for generations to come. Vigorously pursuing such opportunities plus expanding our community collaborations will strengthen anyone’s investment in TCC.
The returns will change so many lives—for the better, and forever.
Strategic vision and community investment
Results like these come from effective leadership built on collaboration, communication and courage.
Make no mistake, resource oversight is a top priority, and we hold ourselves accountable.
Our new multiyear strategic plan, Trailblazing Together: 2030, makes certain that our efforts reflect the needs of this great place we all call home. It ensures that every dollar invested in TCC translates into better student outcomes, stronger workforce pipelines and enhanced community engagement.
Campus redevelopment and infrastructure
Despite a challenging timeline, TCC Southeast and Northwest are almost fully redeveloped, thanks to strong leadership and adaptable faculty, staff and students. Other campuses will begin their physical improvements soon. The childcare centers at South and Northwest should be finished by December, and classroom technology upgrades across all locations are ongoing.
Student success and workforce impact
House Bill 8 continues to shape curriculum and programming, and we are prepared, being a proven leader in career and technical education, seamless university transfer opportunities, and dual credit offerings. This year we increased the number of dual credit students completing 15 hours and the number of students who earned certificates or associate degrees in high-demand fields. Already this fall, we have enrolled 47,069 students—fewer than 3,000 short of our goal.
TCC works with K-12 independent school districts countywide to create higher education pathways, including 100 dual credit campuses, 14 Early College High Schools and 17 Pathways in Technology campuses. We continue to be the catalyst for the work of Tarrant To & Through.
We’re adding more Early College High School opportunities—with Birdville and Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISDs at Northeast and ResponsiveEd Texas at Trinity River—and growing our first adult high school partnership at the TCC Opportunity Center.
TCC, Tarrant County Workforce Solutions, the Small Business Development Center and hundreds of industry partners are involved in the auto industry with Autobahn and Toyota; in aviation with Embraer, Bell, Bombardier and Gulfstream; in EMS continuing education training on the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base; in law enforcement and fire rescue training for municipalities; and in healthcare by crafting in-demand programs for local hospitals. And we continue to fast track our film industry certifications as the state invests $1.5 billion over the next decade to boost the Texas film industry.
Performing operations with effectiveness and responsibility
We took a daring step this year with zero-based budgeting to transform the College’s budget development process. Zero-based budgeting centers stakeholder needs, economic trends and legislation at the core of resource prioritization and allocation.
Increased enrollments and their related favorable outcomes derive from faculty and staff working in concert and delivering what we promise to the community.
Thank you
For 60 years, when we lift each other, our entire community soars. One student, one class, one life-changing connection at a time. This work is not possible without the trusteeship of our board and the dedication of more than 3,000 employees who proudly serve the mission of Tarrant County College.
Investing in TCC means investing in the future of Tarrant County. We thank the taxpayers of Tarrant County for their trust and steadfast support.
Bold Steps. Better Futures.
Elva LeBlanc, PhD
Chancellor
Honoring America’s Veterans
A Legacy of Loyalty and Service. What a fitting theme for Veterans Day 2024!
Whether they wear the uniform of our armed forces today or wore it decades ago, America’s veterans defend our freedoms and protect our values. And it comes at great cost. They miss precious moments with their loved ones so that we may have time with ours.
That’s service at its highest mark, loyalty that defines character, patriotism to swell the heart. How supremely fortunate for our family and friends — our nation, other nations — that these brave men and women heeded the call. Their love of country is in the very fabric of our nation’s flag, each star a beacon of hope, each stripe a narrative of valor.
One thousand eight hundred veterans are enrolled at Tarrant County College this fall, and another 200 are faculty and staff. Thousands of TCC alumni have served in our military and continue to fortify our communities as first responders, educators, healthcare professionals, civic leaders, entrepreneurs and hometown volunteers. All embody what it means to be an American.
To the families of our veterans: Your strength and sacrifice have not gone unnoticed. You kept the home fires burning through deployments, provided comfort during difficult times and displayed extreme resilience in the face of uncertainty. We applaud you as well.
The success of veterans and military-connected students is top priority for Tarrant County College, and not just Veterans Day. Every day, Veterans Services at all six TCC campuses stand ready to help with everything from VA educational benefits to degree planning to counseling.
A variety of special events are planned across our College to honor the armed forces. Share your appreciation! At TCC we don’t need a specific day to thank those who serve. But as long as we have one, let’s do it right.
Veterans, yours is a debt we can never fully repay but one for which we’ll always be thankful. You are the best of us, and you forever will have our respect, our support and our admiration.
About TCC's 15th Annual Abrazando al Exito
Please accept my apology for the cancellation of Tarrant County College’s 15th Annual Abrazando al Exito only two days before the event was to take place October 4.
Senate Bill 17 (SB-17)—passed by the 88th Legislature in spring 2023 and effective this past January—limits the involvement of employees of state-supported colleges and universities in planning and conducting events, programs or trainings specific to race and ethnicity. Such activities are allowed if planned and conducted by recognized student organizations.
In finalizing Abrazando al Exito, we realized that certain aspects, like employee involvement and funding, could violate SB-17. According to the law, public postsecondary schools must discipline employees (up to termination) who violate the statute, and institutions risk losing a portion of their state funding. To avoid these potential consequences, Abrazando al Exito was called off.
From the beginning, we anticipated SB-17 would require multiple shifts in emphasis. Many people across our College are working on revised practices and tools to assist us. This has not been easy. The law reads as simple, but its impact is complex and far-reaching. In hindsight, some events earlier this year perhaps should have been canceled. Identifying activities and programs with SB-17 implications is an ongoing process.
While we are making changes to align with SB-17, it does not diminish our dedication to the students and the community we serve.
Again, please know that I am extremely sorry for this sudden cancellation. We never wanted to create confusion or inconvenience, but to comply with state law. We will find new, permissible ways to celebrate the diversity in our state and the power of a workforce that represents our rich culture.
For more details about the new law, see Navigating SB-17: FAQs.
Updated August 19, 2025