Texas is a global powerhouse, and Houston is the welcoming committee for many companies looking to settle in the Lone Star State. The strength of our workforce is one key issue that continues to drive economic growth. Lawmakers are looking to increase the pool of homegrown talent through House Bill 120 (HB 120). This comprehensive reform bill will increase funding for career advising, strengthen programs that prepare graduating seniors for careers, and boost funding for facilities that expand career educational programs in public schools. The Partnership is supporting HB 120 this session. Here’s a look at the bill and key areas of interest in workforce development: High School Advising Program Establishes a program for districts and charter schools to provide college and career advising. Requires partnerships with institutions of higher education or workforce organizations. Limits advisors to a caseload of 200 students, prioritizing grades 11 and 12. Introduces a funding allotment of $50,000 per full-time equivalent advisor. Gradually reduces funding after five years unless districts meet performance benchmarks. Funding Changes for Career Programs Allows funding to support high school graduates for up to two years in postsecondary education or vocational training. Increases funding for students in P-TECH and New Tech Network schools from $50 to $150 per student. Provides additional funding for students enrolled in dual credit programs post-graduation. New Facilities Funding Expands definition to include facilities renovated for high-cost, undersubscribed career and technical education programs. Increases funding cap from $100 million to $150 million. Expands Eligibility for Rural Programs Allows districts to continue participation regardless of enrollment size. Expands retirement system eligibility for employees of coordinating entities. Modifies grant funding allocation and eligibility for performance agreements. Requires R-PEP partnerships to offer specific career pathways, including computer programming and skilled trades. Military Pathway Grant Program Establishes a grant program for school districts to implement JROTC programs. Requires districts to administer the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test annually. Provides career counseling based on ASVAB results. Grants are set at $50,000 per district, with a total funding cap of $2 million annually. Because of the variety of programs and funding changes, lawmakers are proposing a phased-in approach to gradually implementing these programs through 2027. Contingency funding will be included in the budget proposals that have yet to receive a floor vote in either chamber. Both HB 120 and the General Appropriations Act (Senate Bill 1) must pass for these reforms to be fully implemented. The Partnership is also supporting Senate Bill 1826 by Sen. Charles Schwertner, which is also designed to strengthen Career and Technical Education programs in Texas. For more updates and alerts on the Texas Legislature, click here to sign up for our weekly newsletter.   

Education policy is often at center stage in the Texas Legislature. This session, lawmakers are teeing up another slate of bills that could contend with 2019’s sweeping bipartisan effort to reform education finance. A $10 Billion Increase in State Spending This legislative session, lawmakers plan to add $10 billion in new funding for education. If passed, that puts the total amount at more than $100 billion for public education in Texas. House Bill 500 seeks to increase state spending by more than $1 billion to compensate for the federal funding shortfall in education. The supplemental bill is a stepping stone to larger proposals, including House Bill 2 (HB 2). The Texas House is proposing nearly $8 billion in new funding for teacher pay raises, expanded Pre-K and early childhood education programs, and increasing the funding formulas per student. Click here to read more about HB 2 and its proposals. Six-Figure Salaries for Teachers Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath testified in House Public Education earlier this year that Texas already has teachers in the six-figure salary range. This session, lawmakers are looking to expand the number of teachers who qualify for retention bonuses and merit-based pay increases. HB 2 and Senate Bill 26 take different paths to the same solution. Lawmakers are intent on keeping quality teachers in the classroom rather than promoting them to administrative positions. Both bills offer significant increases in the Teacher Incentive Allotment. The bills specifically add funding to help more school districts participate in the merit-based incentive program for high-performing teachers. Read more about teacher pay increases here. The ABCs of HB 123 The Partnership supports House Bill 123 by Houston-area Representative Harold V. Dutton. The longtime lawmaker is introducing this proposal to target kindergarten readiness, early childhood literacy, and math skills across the state. Early estimates put funding for the proposal between $260 million and $392 million by 2030. The proposal includes a new program that would provide funding to parents of students who do not meet target goals for reading and math. The program would also offer grants for tutors and other study aides to help young students get back on track if they fail to hit those targets by the third grade. These are just a handful of the policy proposals related to public education. The Partnership is focused on increasing school funding and strengthening accountability standards. Click here to learn more about the Executive Priorities for the 89th Texas Legislature. For more updates and alerts on the Texas Legislature, click here to sign up for our weekly newsletter.