Ongoing Projects

College and Career Advising

The Tri-Agency Initiative is leading a statewide effort—in partnership with institutions of higher education, school districts, employers, and state and national organizations—to innovate and strengthen college and career advising. The aim is to ensure all Texas students — from middle school through adult learners — have access to high-quality college and career advising, including well-designed digital resources and well-trained counselors and advisors. These resources will include curated information for students and their families, virtual advising, an artificial intelligence chatbot that can text personalized reminders and guidance to students, data dashboards for advisers and institutional leaders, and the Texas OnCourse digital academy with extensive just-in-time training and support for counselors and advisors across the state.

College Credit for Heroes

The College Credit for Heroes (CCH) program enables veterans to earn college credit for their military experience, education, and training. Institutions of higher education participating in the program—known as CCH Partner Schools—complete local evaluations of veterans’ Joint Service Transcripts and award credit toward postsecondary credentials. Awarding this credit recognizes veterans for their military service as they transition to new career pathways.

Data Infrastructure Modernization

The Tri-Agency partners are working together to modernize the state’s education and workforce data infrastructure to provide user-centric, purposeful tools, applications, and sites that are accessible, insightful, and useful for decision making; improve the efficiency of collection, analysis, and reporting for the agency and for stakeholders through upgraded automation; and responsibly expand data access and availability to research and other partners. They are also focused on assessing existing governance structures and practices, including those involving shared assets such as Education Research Centers and Texas Public Education Information Resource (TPEIR), and developing a roadmap for near-term governance improvements.

Pathways in Technology Early College High Schools

Pathways in Technology Early College High Schools (P-TECH) are innovative open-enrollment high schools that allow students least likely to attend college an opportunity to receive both a high school diploma and a credential and/or an associate degree. The hallmark of the P-TECH model is its career focus and the provision of work-based learning. P-TECH programs enroll historically underserved students, targeting those who are at-risk and economically disadvantaged, and provide students with the opportunity to complete a course of study that combines high school and postsecondary courses and enables students to earn credentials and gain work experience in high-wage, in-demand industries. Texas is home to 79 designated P-TECHs that qualify for HB 3 incentive funding in 2020-21.

Pre-Kindergarten Partnerships

A child care/pre-K partnership is a collaboration between a public school pre-K program and one or more quality-rated child care providers to provide high-quality care and education to three- and four-year-old children. This collaboration is sometimes referred to as an “early learning partnership.” Formal partnerships exist when eligible three- and four-year-old children are dually enrolled in in subsidized child care with a Texas Rising Star three- or four-star facility and public school pre-K . The partnerships allow for eligible students to receive wraparound care to better support the needs of working parents. For dually enrolled children, TWC pays for wraparound child care that occurs before and after pre-K instruction. Both TWC and TEA make funding available to promote the development of partnerships between child care providers and school districts.

Registered Apprenticeship Programs

Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs) are registered with the U.S. Department of Labor and combine paid on-the-job training with related classroom instruction. RAPs enable apprentices to gain valuable knowledge and skills in a variety of occupations while working under the guidance of journey workers. While learning, apprentices embark on promising career pathways and earn valuable industry-based certifications. RAPs are present in hundreds of occupations in both traditional and emerging industries. Some programs, in coordination with community colleges, recognize the value of the apprenticeship training model and have launched initiatives in which apprentices earn postsecondary credentials.

Texas Regional Pathways Network

The Texas Regional Pathways Network (TRPN) builds regional talent pipelines that spur economic growth across the state and ensure that all Texans have the skills and credentials needed for economic advancement. The TRPN brings together state and regional leaders to build strong educational and career pathways that prepare Texans for careers in high-wage, in-demand industries. Leaders engaged in the TRPN represent multiple sectors, including K–12 education, postsecondary education, workforce and economic development, business and industry, government, and nonprofit and community-based organizations. The TRPN supports regional leaders by facilitating peer learning, strategic planning, and sharing best practices, challenges, and lessons learned in pathways development.