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History of the Initiative

Governor Greg Abbott established the Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative in March 2016, when he tasked the Commissioners of the Texas Education Agency (TEA), the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), and the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) to work together on five initial charges centered on developing strong links between education and industry, with the goal of helping Texas grow in economic prosperity.

In 2019, the 86th Texas Legislature passed transformative school finance legislation, House Bill 3, that calls for sweeping reforms in education and will shape the future of the Texas workforce. To fully implement the vision of House Bill 3, Governor Abbott has charged the three agencies with streamlining implementation of the legislation and identifying solutions for long-term workforce needs across the state.

Tri-Agency Timeline

March 2016

Governor Abbott established the Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative

March – June 2016

Commissioners conducted 7 regional meetings

November 2016

First Tri-Agency report was published with recommendations

June 2019

House Bill 3 was signed into law, transforming school finance in Texas

February 2020

Governor Abbott issued new charges to be addressed by the Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative

February 2020

Tri-Agency progress report was published

March 2020

COVID-19 pandemic began to affect Texas; regional Tri-Agency events were canceled

April – June 2020

Multiple virtual meetings held to inform the development of the second Tri-Agency report

November 2020

Tri-Agency website was launched

January 2022

Building a Talent Strong Texas plan was adopted