District Lends TCAT 20 Classrooms
Taylor ISD will offer up to 20 Taylor High School classrooms to Temple College at Taylor and East Williamson County Higher Education Center to use for night classes, the TISD Board of Trustees decided Monday night.

In August, THS classrooms will be open to TCAT students from 6 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Classes at TCAT are overflowing with students interested in pursuing their education at the community college, and until the EWCHEC facility is built, administrators must funnel current and incoming students into classroom space at other facilities.

“We’re looking for space until we can get the EWCHEC built,” Interim Vice President of Educational Services at Temple College Mark Smith said. “The only way for us to grow our enrollment in the Taylor and Hutto area is to have additional space in other facilities, because we’re maxed out.”

TCAT currently holds overflow classes at the old middle school but because of poor lighting at night, limited parking and the continued use of other community organizations, the space is inadequate, TISD Superintendent Bruce Scott said. Scott brought the issue to the board’s attention Monday and recommended a vote.

“We wanted to have the board approval up front so we can let TC or other institutions use our space when they need it,” Scott said.

Loaning classrooms space is a “stopgap measure” until EWCHEC is built, which in today’s market looks like it could be another two years, Scott said. According to Smith, directors of EWCHEC are still seeking a financial partner to fund the institution.

Once ground is broken, it will take between a year and 18 months to complete EWCHEC’s flagship building, the first phase of the project. In the meantime, 20 classrooms should house TCAT’s and EWCHEC’s student body.

“We won’t jump straight into 20 (classrooms) now,” Smith said. “I’m going to say probably a handful will be used that first semester — two, three or four — to give us extra space.”