Texas Advocates Seek Permanent Education Fund to Close Workforce Gap

Raise Your Hand Texas, a grassroots advocacy network, proposed the creation of a Public Education and Workforce Endowment to provide long-term funding for career and technical education in the state. The organization argues that this permanent funding stream would allow schools to expand training capacity and hire qualified instructors without relying on volatile annual appropriations. The proposal centers on converting a one-time state investment into a sustainable revenue source for public schools and community colleges.

The advocacy group points to a disconnect between Texas' economic standing and its workforce readiness. Texas holds the position of the eighth-largest economy in the world, yet employers in construction, healthcare, manufacturing, energy, and technology report severe labor shortages. Despite high rates of in-migration, many families struggle with affordability and uncertainty regarding future job availability. The group asserts that career and technical education is central to making public schools engines of economic opportunity in the twenty-first century.

Support for strengthening these programs exists across the political spectrum. Dr. Libby Cohen, the organization's executive director, noted that business leaders, union representatives, and lawmakers consistently agree on the importance of workforce development. The Texas Jobs Council, which includes both business and union leaders, serves as evidence of this consensus. The group suggests several specific mechanisms to improve current programs, including expanding the Jobs and Education for Texans initiative, which has demonstrated an eleven-to-one return on investment. Additional recommendations include providing stipends to help districts offer competitive salaries to specialized instructors and establishing dedicated staff to connect school campuses with local employers.

State lawmakers have increased funding for these areas in recent years, but advocates say the amounts remain insufficient. From 2019 to 2025, overall funding for the career and technical education allotment grew by $950 million. During the 89th legislative session, House Bill 2 raised per-student funding for Pathways in Technology Early College High Schools from $50 to $150. The same session added $15 million to the Jobs and Education for Texans program. While these increases are positive, the group argues that Texas has not created a new public education revenue source in two decades, leaving the state among the bottom ten in per-pupil funding nationally.

The proposed endowment would function similarly to the existing Permanent University Fund and Permanent School Fund. The state has recently used endowment structures to support infrastructure needs, including water projects and Texas State Technical College. Dr. Cohen stated that creating this new fund would not require tax increases for any resident. The organization cites a recent survey of likely Texas voters, which found that 77% favored using a $3 billion investment from the Rainy Day Fund to establish the public education and workforce endowment.

Lawmakers will consider this proposal in the coming months as they address the state's budget and education priorities. The advocacy group maintains that a permanent promise to students through stable funding is necessary to address the current workforce shortages and ensure the accessibility of economic opportunity for Texas families.