summary
Introduced
12/23/2024
12/23/2024
In Committee
05/27/2025
05/27/2025
Crossed Over
04/16/2025
04/16/2025
Passed
06/20/2025
06/20/2025
Dead
Signed/Enacted/Adopted
06/20/2025
06/20/2025
Introduced Session
89th Legislature Regular Session
Bill Summary
AN ACT relating to establishing the Applied Sciences Pathway program.
AI Summary
This bill establishes the Applied Sciences Pathway program, which allows high school students in grades 11 and 12 to simultaneously earn their high school diploma and a certificate in a specific technical or vocational field. The program requires partnerships between school districts or charter schools and higher education institutions to provide a non-duplicative sequence of courses leading to a certificate in one of 20 specified industries, including plumbing, electrical work, welding, aviation maintenance, cybersecurity, and automotive technology. Students can earn a level one or two certificate or a credential recognized as valuable by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The program allows for potential substitution of certain high school credits with career and technology education courses from the partnering institution, and time spent in the program counts toward full-time student status. The commissioner of education will administer the program, approve partnerships, and can update the list of eligible industries every five years starting in the 2027-2028 school year. The program will be available beginning with the 2025-2026 school year and is set to expire on September 1, 2031, providing students with structured pathways to gain both academic credentials and marketable job skills in high-demand industries.
Committee Categories
Education
Sponsors (115)
Keith Bell (R)*,
Brad Buckley (R)*,
Gary Gates (R)*,
Oscar Longoria (D)*,
Trey Martinez Fischer (D)*,
Charles Schwertner (R)*,
Daniel Alders (R),
Alma Allen (D),
Jeffrey Barry (R),
Cecil Bell (R),
Salman Bhojani (D),
César Blanco (D),
Greg Bonnen (R),
Ben Bumgarner (R),
Angie Button (R),
Briscoe Cain (R),
Liz Campos (D),
Terry Canales (D),
Giovanni Capriglione (R),
Sheryl Cole (D),
David Cook (R),
Philip Cortez (D),
Tom Craddick (R),
Charles Cunningham (R),
Pat Curry (R),
Drew Darby (R),
Aicha Davis (D),
Jay Dean (R),
Mano DeAyala (R),
Mark Dorazio (R),
Paul Dyson (R),
Caroline Fairly (R),
Josey Garcia (D),
Cassandra Garcia Hernandez (D),
Stan Gerdes (R),
Charlie Geren (R),
Bobby Guerra (D),
Ryan Guillen (R),
Brent Hagenbuch (R),
Sam Harless (R),
Cody Harris (R),
Caroline Harris Davila (R),
Brian Harrison (R),
Richard Hayes (R),
Cole Hefner (R),
Adam Hinojosa (R),
Chuy Hinojosa (D),
Janis Holt (R),
Andy Hopper (R),
Lacey Hull (R),
Todd Hunter (R),
Carrie Isaac (R),
Ann Johnson (D),
Venton Jones (D),
Helen Kerwin (R),
Stan Kitzman (R),
Lois Kolkhorst (R),
Marc LaHood (R),
Suleman Lalani (D),
Stan Lambert (R),
Brooks Landgraf (R),
Jeff Leach (R),
Terri Leo-Wilson (R),
Mitch Little (R),
Janie Lopez (R),
Ray Lopez (D),
A.J. Louderback (R),
J.M. Lozano (R),
John Lujan (R),
Shelley Luther (R),
Christian Manuel (D),
Don McLaughlin (R),
John McQueeney (R),
Will Metcalf (R),
Terry Meza (D),
Borris Miles (D),
Brent Money (R),
Joe Moody (D),
Eddie Morales (D),
Penny Morales Shaw (D),
Matt Morgan (R),
Sergio Muñoz (D),
Candy Noble (R),
Tom Oliverson (R),
Angelia Orr (R),
Jared Patterson (R),
Dennis Paul (R),
Dade Phelan (R),
Katrina Pierson (R),
Mihaela Plesa (D),
Richard Raymond (D),
Ron Reynolds (D),
Keresa Richardson (R),
Jon Rosenthal (D),
Nate Schatzline (R),
Alan Schoolcraft (R),
Joanne Shofner (R),
Shelby Slawson (R),
John Smithee (R),
Kevin Sparks (R),
David Spiller (R),
Valoree Swanson (R),
Carl Tepper (R),
Tony Tinderholt (R),
Steve Toth (R),
Ellen Troxclair (R),
Gary VanDeaver (R),
Cody Vasut (R),
Denise Villalobos (R),
Wesley Virdell (R),
Hubert Vo (D),
Royce West (D),
Trey Wharton (R),
Terry Wilson (R),
Judith Zaffirini (D),
Last Action
Effective immediately (on 06/20/2025)
Official Document
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