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Collin County
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Collin County, like all 254 counties in Texas, is considered an extension of state government. The focus of county government is judicial (civil and criminal justice, adult and juvenile probation), human services, law enforcement and jail services.
The county is also responsible for road and bridge maintenance in unincorporated areas, maintaining public records, collecting property taxes, issuing vehicle registrations and transfers, registering voters, conducting elections, and providing health and social services to indigent county residents.
With an estimated 88 people moving into Collin County each day, the population has grown to over 764,000 residents - and will reach an estimated 1.2 million by 2030. County leaders are continually working on expanding infrastructure to stay ahead of this growth.
The county tax rate is currently $.2425 cents per $100 of assessed value. This is a reduction from 2008, and the 3rd tax rate drop since 1998. In fact, the county property tax rate has not increased in over 16 years. Also in 2008, Commissioners Court approved a 5% homestead exemption. In addition, Collin County’s bond rating has maintained an AAA status since 2000, and is one of only four Texas counties to have this exceptional rating.
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Dallas County
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Texas County government is generally an extension of state government, focusing on the judicial system, health and welfare service delivery, law enforcement, and road construction. In contrast to other parts of the country, Texas counties seldom have responsibility for schools, water and sewer systems, electric utilities, and commercial airports. County governments in Texas have no ordinance-making powers other than those explicitly and narrowly granted by state law. Dallas County shares organizational features with the state's other 253 counties: its governing body (the Commissioner's Court) consists of one member elected at large (the county judge) and four members (County Commissioners) elected from districts. In Dallas County, the County Judge is an executive and administrator in addition to his duties as presiding officer of the Commissioners Court. The County Judge is also the Judge of the County Truancy Courts, supervising three Magistrates who preside over these Dallas County Courts. The Commissioners Court sets the County tax rate, adopts the budget, appoints boards and commissions, approves grants and personnel actions, and oversees the administration of county government. Each commissioner also supervises a Road and Bridge District. The Commissioners Court also approves the budget and sets the tax rate for the hospital district, which is charged with the responsibility for providing acute medical care for citizens who otherwise would not receive adequate medical services.
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DeVry University
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DeVry's degree programs are designed to meet the needs of today's fastest-growing industries and to prepare for careers in business, engineering, healthcare, technology, media arts, and education.
Located off U.S. 75 (North Central Expressway) between Renner and Campbell Roads, DeVry University Richardson Center offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in some of today’s fastest-growing career fields. In the heart of the Dallas/Ft. Worth region, world-renowned for thriving business, manufacturing, and high-tech communities, DeVry University Richardson provides students of all ages with access to possible career opportunities in a wide variety of industries.The Richardson Center offers spacious classrooms, a fully wired computer lab, and a comfortable commons area. Take all of your courses onsite, all online, or a mix of both—whatever best fits your schedule and your life. |
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ITT Technical Institute - Richardson campus
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ITT Educational Services, Inc. is a leading private college system founded in 1969, and focused on technology-oriented programs of study. It operates over 105 ITT Technical Institutes in 37 states which predominantly provide career-focused, degree programs to approximately 70,000 students. The six schools at the ITT Technical Institutes [School of Information Technology, School of Drafting and Design, School of Electronics Technology, School of Business, School of Criminal Justice, and School of Health Sciences] teach skills and knowledge that can be used to begin careers in our global technology-driven culture. Most ITT Technical Institute programs of study blend traditional academic content with applied learning concepts, with a significant portion devoted to practical study in a lab environment. Advisory committees, comprised of representatives of local businesses and employers, help each ITT Technical Institute periodically assess and update curricula, equipment and laboratory design. With ITT Tech's online education, a quality education is now available when and where it is convenient for the student.
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Plano Independent School District (PISD)
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Plano ISD serves the residents of approximately 100 sq. miles in southwest Collin County, including 66 sq. miles in the City of Plano, with the balance including northern portions of the cities of Dallas and Richardson and parts of the cities of Allen, Parker and Murphy.
PISD has a total of 69 campuses and 54,800 students (Dec. 2009), 34% of teachers have masters degrees and 1% have Ph.Ds.
Plano ISD continues to boast one of the highest performances on SAT and ACT college entrance exams in the nation. At the school level, 32 schools received an Exemplary rating and 24 received a Recognized rating. Twenty-three Plano ISD schools have captured the prestigious National Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence honor, awarded by the U.S. Department of Education. Three of the schools have been twice awarded through the national program. |
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Richardson Chamber of Commerce
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| The Chamber is the business and information assistance center for Richardson, with a paramount goal of making business better for its membership. Strategic Priorities include: Economic Development, Membership, Community, Business Services, Budget & Finance, Communications, Chamber Leadership, Chamber Operations. |
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Richland College
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Located on Richardson's southern border with the city of Dallas, Richland College plays an active role with REDP to attract new businesses and to work with Richardson's existing companies in meeting the demand for graduates with associate degrees, in providing intern opportunities and local job training. For more than 30 years, Richland College of the Dallas County Community College District has focused on teaching, learning and community building. In recognition of these efforts, the White House and the Dept. of Commerce named Richland a 2005 recipient of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the only community college to have received this award. The student body of approximately 15,000 college credit students and about 5,000 continuing education students at Richland is internationally and ethnically diverse, speaking more than 90 first languages. Richland helps students build their future through courses that can be applied to the first two years of a baccalaureate degree, one- or two-year certificates in a number of career fields, and training in the latest technology for students who want to advance in their current careers. |
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STARTech Early Ventures
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STARTech creates or invests in seed and early stage technology-based companies primarily in Information Technology and Communications, Smart Energy Systems, Technology enabled Health Care, and Nanotech Processes and Materials. It was founded in 1997, as a business incubator to focus on developing technology-based start-up and entrepreneurial activity in the Telecom Corridor® in Richardson, Texas. In 1998, STARTech formed a seed-stage investment fund to compliment its methodology for company creation and growth. STARTech has created strong networks of executives, entrepreneurs, co-investors, and other partners which allow them broad visibility into Texas deal flow. In addition, STARTech has taken a leading role in establishing relationships with Texas based research institutes including top tier university systems to translate technology commercialization initiatives into strong IP-based deal flow. STARTech Fund I ($4 million) and Fund II ($32 million) have focused essentially on investments in the southwest, primarily Texas. Texas is one of the top three venture capital investment regions in the US, with more than $1B of venture capital investment per year creating a fertile environment for development. |
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Texas Workforce Commission
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Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) is the state government agency charged with overseeing and providing workforce development services to employers and job seekers of Texas. For employers, TWC offers recruiting, retention, training and retraining, and outplacement services as well as valuable information on labor law and labor market statistics. For job seekers, TWC offers career development information, job search resources, training programs, and, as appropriate, unemployment benefits. TWC is part of a local/state network dedicated to developing the workforce of Texas. The network is comprised of the statewide efforts of the Commission coupled with planning and service provision on a regional level by 28 local workforce boards. This network gives customers access to local workforce solutions and statewide services in a single location — Texas Workforce Centers. Primary services of the TWC and network partners are funded by federal tax revenue and are generally free to all Texans. |
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The University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas)
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The University of Texas at Dallas, a young, dynamic research institution on the cutting edge of science, technology, medicine, business and the arts. Originally the Graduate Research Center of the Southwest, The University of Texas at Dallas became a part of The University of Texas System in 1969. Until 1975, UTD only offered graduate degrees. The university admitted its first freshman class of 100 students in 1990. Today, UTD has diversified into a comprehensive university with seven schools, over 14,900 students and more than 59,000 alumni worldwide. |
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