Wichita County begins talks with MSU and CATE center on internships and a spring jail-training course

County staff told the Commissioner's Court that discussions with Midwestern State University have progressed, with MSU indicating interest in placing nursing and law enforcement interns at the county jail.

A county official said MSU is interested not only in nursing internships but also in offering law enforcement classes to students. The CATE Center was mentioned as a potential source of a short program: "We're hoping to have it in the fall. Okay. Well, actually, it'd be in the spring of next year. Like, it's a 1 it's only a single semester," a staff member said, describing an expected spring 2026 single-semester program for students who might enter a jail school after graduating.

Staff also reported running a jail school during the two-week pay period that included about 12 participants; officials said replacing those people on the floor contributed to higher overtime in the period. A county official noted that a TDCJ class started next door this week with 28 people and observed that starting pay in that setting can be substantially higher, which affects local recruiting and retention.

No formal program agreements were adopted during the meeting; staff said they expect further meetings with the ISD and parents of potential student participants to plan implementation.