Institutional Reports to the Texas Education Agency: Southwest Texas State University

In 1885, a system of accreditation was created when high schools sent selected test papers for examination by the faculty of the University of Texas. In 1911, county boards of education were established and creation of rural high schools and consolidation of common school districts were permitted. In 1917, a law authorized state purchase of textbooks in an effort to make common or rural schools equal with those in independent districts. Finally, in 1949, passage of the Gilmer-Aikin laws created the Foundation School Program to apportion state funds to local school districts, reorganized the administration of public education, created an elected State Board of Education that appointed a commissioner of education, and reorganized the administration of state public school policy through the Texas Education Agency (TEA) [information from the TEA website].

Texas State University was established by the 26th Legislature in 1899 as the Southwest Texas State Normal School; 313 pupils were enrolled in 1903-04, the first year classes were held. The school name changed to Southwest Texas State Normal College in 1918, to Southwest Texas State Teachers College in 1925, to Southwest Texas State College in 1959, to Southwest Texas State University in 1969, to Texas State University-San Marcos in 2003, and to Texas State University in 2013.