Angelo State Ranked a Top Texas School for Education During COVID-19 Pandemic

Educate to Career ranked 62 Texas colleges and universities based on economic value and their ability to educate students remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic and accompanying financial crisis. Specific ranking criteria included each institution’s distance learning programs, technology, faculty experience in online instruction, tuition and fees, and projected future employment of graduates.

The rankings break the schools into four tiers. ASU is listed in the top Tier I, which includes schools that have “the systems required to deliver full curriculum online and in-classroom” and also have a minimum of three years of experience in delivering online curriculum. Texas Tech University is also included in Tier I.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ASU began delivering all classes completely online on March 23. All classes for the first summer term that begins on June 1 and the second summer term that begins on July 6 will also be delivered totally online.

Dr. Don Topliff “ASU was among the first in the nation to put programs like nursing, curriculum and instruction, and security studies online, so we have the infrastructure and IT staff to make it happen,” said Dr. Don Topliff, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “The amazing thing is how fast we converted conventional classes to online. Our faculty did that in just over a week. They made a rock fly!”

ASU is currently planning for classes to resume on campus for the fall 2020 semester that begins Aug. 24. More details are available at angelo.edu/coronavirus.

“Our faculty and staff are now working just as hard to get us ready for classes on campus this fall,” Topliff said.

Tier II schools in the Educate to Career rankings were designated as having the systems required to deliver curriculum online and in-classroom, but with less faculty experience in delivering online curriculum. Tier II schools include Abilene Christian University and Tarleton State University.

Only two schools were ranked in Tier III – those that strongly emphasize in-classroom education and may not offer their full curriculum online. Texas A&M University is ranked in Tier III.

Ten schools were ranked in Tier IV – those that have limited systems and experience in delivering online curriculum. St. Edward’s University, Baylor University, Rice University and Texas Christian University are all ranked in Tier IV.

Educate to Career has produced its annual college economic value rankings since 2014.