WT Expanding Half-Off Tuition Offer to Texas Community Colleges

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

CANYON, Texas — Thousands more school employees throughout the state now are eligible for 50-percent discounts for continuing their education at West Texas A&M University.

The WT Educators Excellence Initiative launched in June in the Region 16 Education Service Center in the Panhandle, offering half-off tuition and mandatory fees for full-time teachers, administrators, librarians, nurses, counselors or paraprofessionals, as well as employees of the ESC. The initiative expanded in September to Regions 17 and 18, as well as 1A and 2A school across the state.

Now, eligible employees of community colleges throughout Texas will be included in the offer.

With its two expansions, the initiative covers tens of thousands of full-time educators in the state, including those at more than 50 community college districts around the state.

“WT is proud of our roots as a normal school fulfilling the indispensable role to prepare educators for teaching excellence,” WT President Walter V. Wendler said. “Texas students from pre-kindergarten to the doctoral level stand to benefit from WT’s investment in schools and colleges. Teacher education is essential, and students in Texas deserve the best from their teachers.”

Prospective WT students employed at community colleges may enroll for any degree for spring 2026 classes in undergraduate courses or through the WT Graduate School. Students interested in pursuing a doctorate in educational leadership can apply to join the January 2027 cohort.

“The opportunity for community college professionals to earn graduate level degrees to advance not only their careers but the colleges mission at a reduced tuition rate is a game changer for future higher education leaders,” said Dr. Brent Wallace, chancellor of North Central Texas College and chair of the executive committee of the Texas Association of Community Colleges.

By the end of October, around 300 Region 16 educators have taken advantage of the offer.

The Educators Excellence Initiative contributed to a more than 2 percent rise in WT’s fall 2025 enrollment. According to numbers released Sept. 11, WT’s Terry B. Rogers College of Education and Social Sciences saw the greatest year-over-year increase among WT’s six Colleges, growing more than 6 percent over 2024.

Of the students benefitting from the waiver this fall, 82 percent have majors within the Department of Education, which overall grew more than 7.5 percent.

To check eligibility or to enroll, prospective students should visit wtamu.edu/Educators. WT will confirm employment and award the tuition reduction.

The Educators Excellence Initiative is one way in which WT offers both value and quality.

WT rose to No. 4 from No. 20 among Best Value Schools in the west in U.S. News and World Report’s 2025 rankings.

WT also tied at No. 50 in the magazine’s Regional Universities (West) list, and the University tied for No. 25 in the list of Top Public Universities in the West. WT also tied for No. 25 in the list of Best Colleges for Veterans.

WT’s College of Engineering saw a massive leap to No. 99 on the magazine’s list of Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs (non-doctorate). Last year, the College ranked No. 150.

The University also rose to No. 64 in Top Performers on Social Mobility, and it earned a ranking for its Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

The initiative follows in the footsteps of WT’s Employee and Family Tuition and Fees Reduction program, which was offered first to full-time University employees beginning in May 2022.

Both the Educators Excellence Initiative and the WT half-off waivers are considered to be among the most generous offered by any state college or university in Texas or The Texas A&M University System.

Other conditions, including financial aid benefits, may apply to the total cost of tuition. 

WT opened in 1910 as West Texas State Normal College, a school that trained teachers. Today, about 75 percent of all teachers and administrators throughout the Panhandle region have at least one degree or certificate from WT.

Serving the people of Texas, primarily in rural regions, is the key mission in the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which reached its initial $125 million goal 18 months after publicly launching in September 2021. The campaign has raised more than $175 million and will continue through 2025.

About West Texas A&M University

A Regional Research University, West Texas A&M University is redefining excellence in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus, as well as the Harrington Academic Hall WTAMU Amarillo Center in downtown Amarillo. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. A Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, WT boasts an enrollment of more than 9,000 and offers 66 undergraduate degree programs, including eight associate degrees; and 44 graduate degrees, including an integrated bachelor’s and master’s degree, a specialist degree and two doctoral degrees. WT recently earned a Carnegie Foundation classification as a Research College and University. The University also is home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 16 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

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