Statewide Career and Technical Education Focus to Receive Facelift
The state’s career and technical education focus could receive a statewide facelift that would give communities opportunities to create more early college high school programs under a bill that recently advanced in the House.
House Bill 120, introduced by Rep. Keith Bell, R-Forney, received preliminary approval in the Texas House on a vote of 142-4 on Tuesday. The bill advanced to engrossment, meaning the bill was prepared in its final, amended form. After that, the bill will be read a third time prior to the House’s vote on the final passage of the bill.
Increasing Access to Early College Programs
At the heart of the proposal is an opportunity to increase Texas students’ capacity to participate in more early college programs that provide hands-on training, which could benefit low-income and rural students, education advocates say.
About 60% of jobs in Texas will require education beyond a high school diploma by 2030, but less than 40% of Texans earn a degree or credential within six years of graduating high school, according to state data. Only 32% of workers have skills for those jobs, according to the Texas Workforce Commission’s labor market data.
Impact on North Texas
This issue matters for North Texas, where only 47% of North Texans over age 25 have a degree, and just 21% of public school students regionwide earn a credential within six years of graduating high school, said Katrina Fraser, Commit Partnership’s director of postsecondary education policy.
HB120 could help address this issue because it would triple school district funding from $50 to $150 per student for Pathways in Technology Early College High Schools. These early college programs give students an opportunity to earn both a high school diploma and an associate’s degree or up to 60 college credits within their four years of high school.
Key Provisions of HB120
“House Bill 120 is a monumental investment in career and technical education programs in Texas public schools,” said Mary Lynn Pruneda, senior policy adviser for the nonpartisan think tank Texas 2036.
Through HB120, Texas school districts could create programs similar to those operated by Dallas ISD, which Pruneda described as “one of the leaders in Pathways in Technology Early College High School” programs.
The bill in its current form also includes junior ROTC courses in career and technology education programs, allowing districts to receive funding through the CTE Allotment. It would create the Military Pathway Grant Program to award $50,000 per district for junior ROTC programs, with a $2 million annual grant cap.
Next Steps for HB120
If HB 120 passes in the House after the third reading, it would move to the Texas Senate for consideration. If the Senate approves it without changes, the bill will move to Gov. Greg Abbott for signature.
However, once HB120 advances to the Senate for approval, the senators could possibly substitute it with their own proposal, effectively sending it back to the House for additional consideration, Pruneda said.
Conclusion
“This is really about changing the conversation in our state and really focusing on how incredibly valuable it is to upskill our young people in high-wage, high-demand jobs, so that when they’re just beginning their adult work, they’re already earning a wage that can support themselves,” Pruneda said.
This reporting is part of the Future of North Texas, a community-funded journalism initiative supported by the Commit Partnership, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, the Dallas Mavericks, the Dallas Regional Chamber, Deedie Rose, the McCune-Losinger Family Fund, The Meadows Foundation, the Perot Foundation, the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and the University of Texas at Dallas. The News retains full editorial control of this coverage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is House Bill 120?
A: House Bill 120 is a bill that aims to increase access to early college programs and career and technical education in Texas public schools.
Q: How will HB120 benefit students?
A: HB120 will provide students with hands-on training and the opportunity to earn both a high school diploma and an associate’s degree or up to 60 college credits within their four years of high school.
Q: What is the current status of HB120?
A: HB120 has received preliminary approval in the Texas House and is currently awaiting a third reading before being sent to the Texas Senate for consideration.
Q: How much will HB120 cost the state?
A: The Legislative Budget Board estimates that HB120 will cost the state over $495.8 million in general revenue-related funds over the next biennium.
