Texas is rapidly approaching its bicentennial. State effort has worked toward a goal of having 60% of the state’s working age population earn a two-year or four-year degree, credential of value, or other job training certificate. However, the Texas Talent Trajectory shows that less than one third of all high school graduates in the 2013 eighth grade cohort completed a certificate or earned an associates or bachelor’s degree.

Every Texan partners with Texas Postsecondary Advocates Coalition for Equity (PACE) and Texas Legislative Education Equity Coalition (TLEEC) to advocate for increased pathways to a high quality degree or credential of value for all students, whether emergent bilingual, first generation, or parents seeking greater economic opportunity for their family. A decade away from our goal year, more students are enrolled in higher education institutions than ever before while the average unmet need for public universities is more than $11,000 per year. Texas students are making a bet on themselves by taking on approximately 30% of all undergraduate financial aid in loans, second in sources of financing only to Pell, grants, scholarships, and other categorical aid.

The Texas Workforce Commission estimates that “high-wage high-demand occupations” will grow to nearly 739,000 jobs by 2032, most requiring some form of higher level training, certificate or degree. Every Texan, together with our Coalition partners, recognizes the need for more state investment to close the unmet need gap and prepare young and untrained Texans for the next economic revolution.