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 noted 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 emphasized the importance of modernizing the state’s workforce through career and technical education.
The Governor also pointed out that expanding career training was listed as an emergency item during his 2025 State of the State Address to ensure that Texas remains prepared for future job demands.
At the bill signing ceremony, 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, and other state and local leaders were present.
House Bill 20 creates 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. The program enables students to replace some graduation requirements with credits from career and technical education courses.
House Bill 120 aims to improve college, career, and military readiness by expanding access to quality CTE programs in public schools. The legislation also seeks to enhance advising by ensuring counselors use current workforce data and provides funding for military training programs.
