Governor Greg Abbott has signed House Bill 20 and House Bill 120 into law, aiming to expand career and technical education opportunities for students in Texas.
“Career training is a game-changer for our students, for our state, and for our employers,” said Governor Abbott. “A four-year college degree is not the right pathway for every student. It may be a smarter pathway for a student to get career training. In just the past two years, the State of Texas has invested more than $7 billion in career training programs across Texas. Career training and technical education is bigger and better than it has ever been with the signing of these two laws.”
Governor Abbott highlighted that Texas continues to invest in its workforce through initiatives such as the Rural Pathway Excellence Partnership Program, the Jobs & Education for Texans Grant Program, and adult high school charter programs. He stressed the importance of modernizing the state’s workforce through expanded career and technical education options. The Governor also pointed out that ongoing investments are intended to create better job opportunities and higher wages in Texas.
In his 2025 State of the State Address, Governor Abbott identified expanding career training as an emergency item for the 89th Regular Legislative Session to prepare Texans for future employment needs.
The bill signing ceremony included Senator Bob Hall, Representative Gary Gates, Representative Keith Bell, Forney Independent School District (ISD) School Board President Greg Pharris, Forney ISD Electrical Technology graduate Tyler Rivas, among other state and local officials.
House Bill 20 establishes the Applied Sciences Pathway Program. This program allows high school juniors and seniors to earn diplomas while completing certificate programs through partnerships with institutions of higher education. Students can substitute some graduation requirements with credits from career and technical education courses.
House Bill 120 aims to improve college, career, and military readiness by broadening access to quality CTE programs in public schools. The legislation also seeks to enhance advising by requiring counselors to use current workforce data and allocates funding for military training programs.
