[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6500422,"mediaKeyId","5477830-eb9fc31b69499e4a3683a78afb28a2ac","parentId",5477830,"title","THECB reviews progress on 'Building a Talent Strong Texas,' highlights MyTexasFuture growth and targets for credentials and research doctorates","audioSeconds",4688,"startMs",2542000,"endMs",7230000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5477830-eb9fc31b69499e4a3683a78afb28a2ac&start=2542&end=7230","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5477830-eb9fc31b69499e4a3683a78afb28a2ac/thumbnail_2542000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6500422/Texas/THECB-reviews-progress-on-Building-a-Talent-Strong-Texas-highlights-MyTexasFuture-growth-and-targets-for-credentials-and-research-doctorates","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6500422-f7527b1a9f5295cc06dd0ad35b81c5ca/orig.mp4?Expires=1773621595&Signature=Bnraqzrsil0G7l9MCKaodIKBeryUTRsD0qloaBD3GyRJh9-BCGbVwoRE3FRyOyWURdXJmhmrPYqa0JrC0i7Emv0bwPgRnbUwCQuf-HYk7-zQYPmoZeIGZwvRgc5PuCT-02XiXrCdqrKQ2pvcdNzzajHDy4Dul7INb1lJiidbb6Jol1HVuAKpypjZQo76qT~A35OMRC-juFS~YtFP4pbHlbLvzQxaZgRvcu5CPlveHiw2y440YfoiJuxVPUSiHKFcy6cgwdYkW8UqoGb1ETjRwNoLA9fp-qamxh~3YpXaxwuzjfo86M-uhQ9mMmA4KYqEbAt15sb5sWRqgkbaH4FrIQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB)","date","2025-07-24T20:07:33.683Z","article","The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board on July 24 received an update on progress toward its Building a Talent Strong Texas strategic plan and on implementation of tools intended to increase college access and credential attainment.

Deputy Commissioner David Trautman and agency staff presented results on the plan’s three headline goals: raising postsecondary attainment to 60% of working-age Texans by 2030, awarding 550,000 “credentials of value” annually, and increasing private and federal research and development spending by $1 billion while growing research doctorates to 7,500 per year.

The agency reported progress on all three metrics but said more work is needed. Assistant Commissioner Melissa Humphreys showed that attainment for both the 25–34 and 35–64 age groups has increased since the 2019 baseline and that, at current average annual growth rates (about 1–1.5%), the state would reach the 60% target by 2030. Humphreys cautioned that the 60% goal is aspirational and that many national forecasts suggest workforce demand closer to 70% of jobs requiring education beyond high school.

On credentials of value — which the agency calculates by comparing net cost (tuition and fees less aid) with expected earnings 10 years after graduation — the board heard that Texas awarded just over 403,000 such credentials in 2024. The count now includes short-term workforce credentials (institutional credentials leading to licensure or certification, “ICLCs”) collected under the community college funding model. With those additions, staff said year-to-year credential awards rose 5% from 2023 to 2024; staff estimated that sustaining roughly a 5.5% annual increase would reach the 550,000 goal by 2030.

On affordability, staff reported that 97% of recent postsecondary graduates have either no debt or a level of undergraduate debt judged “manageable” by the agency’s definition (a debt-to-income ratio at or below 10% in the first year after graduation). Agency presenters noted that 50% of graduates have no debt at all and said the metric is measured at first-year wages; they emphasized the need to monitor cost of living factors such as housing and food as those affect sustainability of the result.

Research and doctoral production figures drew attention. The agency said it has met its R&D expenditure target, reporting roughly $4.5 billion in private and federal R&D at public institutions — exceeding the 2030 interim target. But production of research doctorates remains well below the 7,500 target: Texas public institutions awarded just under 4,500 research doctorates in 2024. Staff told the board that meeting the doctorate target would require roughly an 11% annual increase in completions.

Trautman and his team also reviewed student-pipeline data and the so-called enrollment cliff. The presentation highlighted differences between recent high school cohorts and adult learners (Texans 25 and older). Staff reported roughly 4.8 million Texans with a high school diploma only and about 3.9 million with some college but no credential — a population the agency said represents a high-priority reengagement opportunity.

Implementation updates: MyTexasFuture, Direct Admissions and ApplyTexas

Agency staff detailed implementation and usage of MyTexasFuture, the MyTexasFuture direct admissions tool, and the ApplyTexas application system. Assistant Deputy Commissioner Daniel Perez said MyTexasFuture has had more than 1,000,000 unique visitors to date and that more than 10,000 students have opted into direct admissions. Perez said the system now supports single sign-on between MyTexasFuture and ApplyTexas and that students may begin using direct admissions on August 1. He added that ApplyTexas transmitted about 1.5 million applications to institutions last year and that 850,000 students registered on ApplyTexas, producing 1.5 million completed applications (with 2.5 million applications started but not finished).

Perez and other staff discussed free college application week, set for the second week of October (October 13–19 in 2025). The agency estimates that in 2024 about 44,000 applications were submitted during that week; at a typical $75 application fee, staff used that as a baseline to note potential family savings but acknowledged that some institutions rely on application-fee revenue and that waiver weeks can create operational impacts for admissions offices.

Legislative and funding context

Chief of Staff Melissa Henderson and others summarized results of the 89th Texas Legislature relevant to the coordinating board. Staff highlighted three categories of legislative outcomes: expanded financial aid ($320 million cited in the staff presentation), $400 million for research and innovation, and $15 million for data modernization and systems. Henderson also noted three bills that support agency priorities: SB 2314 (expanding MyTexasFuture/direct admissions), SB 2231 (supporting free college application week) and SB 1786 (refinements to community college finance). Staff said transfer of state need‑based financial aid for students who transfer from a community college to a university now has stronger protections under recent legislation.

Board questions and next steps

Board members asked for more disaggregated data — for example, by region, county or demographic group — and staff agreed to bring additional analyses, including preliminary fall enrollment results in October. The agency said it will bring forward a deeper affordability policy discussion at a future meeting and will continue working with philanthropic partners through the Texas Higher Education Foundation to accelerate implementation.

Why it matters

Agency staff said their analysis of labor-market data shows Texas has a large and growing number of job openings (staff cited an estimate of about 650,000 current openings) and argued that aligning credentials and postsecondary pathways to workforce demand is central to state economic and workforce strategy. The board directed staff to continue refining data disaggregation, monitor progress toward doctorate and credential goals, and report back on enrollment patterns and MyTexasFuture outcomes in the fall.

Provenance: The board discussion and presentations summarized here began with the meeting’s major policy discussion (agenda item 6) and continued through the implementation and outreach updates on MyTexasFuture, ApplyTexas, and free college application week (transcript segments beginning at the major policy discussion and continuing through the staff implementation remarks).","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Quarterly Board Meeting 07/24/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board on July 24 received an update on progress toward its Building a Talent Strong Texas strategic plan and on implementation of MyTexasFuture, direct admissions and other initiatives designed to expand access, affordability, and workforce-aligned credentialing.","taxTitle","Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), Departments and Agencies, Executive, Texas","taxId",17243,"location","Texas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6500419,"Votes at a glance: Key approvals and contract actions at THECB July 24, 2025 meeting",9105,1007000,10112000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5477830-eb9fc31b69499e4a3683a78afb28a2ac&start=1007&end=10112","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5477830-eb9fc31b69499e4a3683a78afb28a2ac/thumbnail_1007000.jpg","/articles/6500419/Texas/Votes-at-a-glance-Key-approvals-and-contract-actions-at-THECB-July-24-2025-meeting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6500419-f8fe246e0a2d53b3eded6ff29d370608/orig.mp4?Expires=1773621595&Signature=TDgtr1BHgcN2Oc43ihiLdw1coEeoNfJNiyPXtqlzmmbBcfRoFvKFUzI~n6zFrVcKbnJ4Y0b9Dvr96B~uWqFi5rdy6NEhIyKIkGvNzTlPT359lmoRIUxDuBEejebwdCXg2w1ZFS-f0sVdeMnVKP~3fNSHprGfQj2mAwLAef1ktY63AfYtwB7fM338nbRPYYNpHMrHtsV6wV0Ja3ZiHsDQow5BHQ-T13LVZ~uROoS0LIphEbMOfZcWQ2uL9j1C3TxDKxL61q1ybNE-6Lw9bU8upBgCDCznhRtvGR7Eo8mKB3ReKyMEGUmW7rJDP~xX4IkNun2P~b91pfBdFsmbj0i4mA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board took a series of formal actions during its July 24, 2025 quarterly meeting. The board approved the following items (motions and outcomes are summarized below). When the transcript did not identify a motion mover or a full roll-call tally, the entry lists the motion text and the outcome as recorded in the meeting minutes.

Votes and formal actions (summary)

1) Resolution of appreciation for Dr. Fred Frias — approved
- Motion: Approve the resolution of appreciation for Doctor Fred Frias.
- Outcome: Approved (voice vote recorded: “Aye,” motion passes).
- Notes: A governor’s commendation from Governor Greg Abbott was also presented.

2) Approval to excuse absence of board member Javed Anwar — approved
- Motion: Approve absence for Javed Anwar.
- Outcome: Approved (voice vote).

3) Consent calendars (non-rule and rule consent items) — approved as amended
- Motion: Approve non-rule and rule consent calendars (the non-rule consent calendar was amended to add item 8c — report on student financial aid FY2024).
- Outcome: Approved (voice vote).
- Notes: Consent included many administrative and routine items (appointments, reports, faculty salary increase report, program reports, gift acknowledgments, and many rule reviews and proposed rule amendments placed on consent).

4) Major policy discussion — informational (no formal board vote)
- Items covered: Building a Talent Strong Texas metrics and implementation; MyTexasFuture/direct admissions; free college application week; credentials of value; research targets; legislative outcomes and funding.

5) Grants and awards
- Nursing Shortage Reduction Program (NSRP) grant to The University of Texas at Arlington — approved
- Motion: Approve grant award to UT Arlington in the amount of $5,121,288 for the 2025 NSRP appropriation year.
- Outcome: Approved (voice vote recorded: “Aye,” motion carries).

6) Contract amendments and procurement actions — approved
- Amend current contract with Deloitte Consulting LLP (college and career advising suite maintenance and development): increase not-to-exceed amount from $2,963,423 to $7,963,423 (including renewals through 08/31/2028) — approved
- Motion: Amend contract with Deloitte to add $5,000,000 in authority (total not to exceed ~$7.96M) for ongoing maintenance and development of MyTexasFuture and ApplyTexas systems.
- Outcome: Approved (motion and second; voice vote recorded: “Aye,” motion passes).
- Amend current contract with vFairs: increase total from $96,955 to $108,845 (including optional renewals through 08/31/2027) — approved
- Motion: Amend contract with vFairs to permit expanded use (digital learning team); consolidation expected to produce net savings.
- Outcome: Approved (voice vote).

7) Internal plans and budget votes — approved
- Agency operating budget for FY 2026–27 — approved
- Motion: Approve agency operating budget for fiscal years 2026 and 2027.
- Outcome: Approved (voice vote).
- Internal audit plan for FY 2026 — approved
- Motion: Approve proposed internal audit plan for fiscal year 2026.
- Outcome: Approved (voice vote).
- Compliance monitoring plan for FY 2026 — approved
- Motion: Approve compliance monitoring plan for fiscal year 2026.
- Outcome: Approved (voice vote).

8) Program approvals (degree program actions requiring board approval) — approved
- Texas A&M University San Antonio — Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership — approved
- Motion: Approve request for Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership, beginning Fall 2025.
- Outcome: Approved (voice vote).
- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso — Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Biomedical Sciences — approved
- Motion: Approve request for Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences, beginning Spring 2026.
- Outcome: Approved (voice vote).
- The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston — Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Cognitive and Behavioral Sciences — approved
- Motion: Approve request for Ph.D. in Cognitive and Behavioral Sciences, beginning Fall 2026.
- Outcome: Approved (voice vote).

9) Rulemaking actions (committee and board votes) — approved
- Adoption and amendment of multiple Board Rules related to Chapter 13 (tuition and fee consolidations), Rule reviews, and SARA participation clarifications (chapter and section numbers noted in agenda): approved on motions and voice votes.

10) Other approvals on consent (selected)
- Family Practice Residency Advisory Committee recommendations for trust distributions — approved on consent.
- Report acknowledgements, committee appointments, program name change (Tarleton State Fort Worth), and termination of a 2019 memorandum of understanding with Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine — approved on consent.

Items discussed in closed session
- Agenda items 7d (implementation of new compliance monitoring duties under Tex. Educ. Code §61.031 and duties of the internal auditor) and 7e (compensation of employees who report directly to the board) were discussed in executive session; the board later authorized the board chair to approve compensation actions for direct reports consistent with executive-session discussion.

Notes on vote recording
- Most agenda votes were recorded by voice (“Aye” / “Any opposed?”) in the public transcript; the meeting minutes show motions, seconds, and voice outcomes. Where the transcript did not record a roll-call or named tally, the summary above follows the meeting record (motion/second and recorded outcome). The transcript did not provide full roll-call tallies for every item.

Provenance: The board’s recorded motions and outcomes appear at multiple points in the transcript (resolution and presentations beginning near the 00:13:03 mark for the resolution and continuing through adjournment). This roundup lists all formal actions recorded in the publicly posted transcript of the July 24, 2025 quarterly board meeting.","The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board approved a range of items July 24, 2025, including a resolution of appreciation for outgoing chair Fred Frias, grant and contract actions, new doctoral program approvals, and rule and budget votes. This roundup lists each formal action recorded in the meeting minutes.","actionData","errors"]

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THECB reviews progress on 'Building a Talent Strong Texas,' highlights MyTexasFuture growth and targets for credentials and research doctorates

Votes at a glance: Key approvals and contract actions at THECB July 24, 2025 meeting