Governor Greg Abbott has announced 15 grants totaling more than $4.7 million for Texas public community colleges and technical schools, funding career and technical education programs designed to move students into in-demand, high-earning jobs. The awards are administered by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, according to a July 14 news release.
The funding flows through two competitive programs: the Texas Invests in Meaningful Employment, or TIME, grant and the Texas Reskilling and Upskilling through Education, or TRUE, Pathways Design and Planning grant. According to the release, the programs fund new and expanded courses of study that track closely to workforce needs, helping students quickly upskill or reskill for careers offering a strong return on investment in sectors such as healthcare, technology and construction.
“Texas students deserve clear pathways to high-paying careers,” Governor Abbott said in the release. “These grants give community colleges and technical schools the resources they need to prepare students for in-demand jobs in healthcare, technology and construction. These programs deliver the skills that help Texans succeed and keep our economy the strongest in America.”
Eight institutions received TIME awards, according to the release: Alamo Community College District ($500,000), Amarillo College ($500,000), Cisco College ($497,800), Hill College ($500,000), Navarro College ($429,800), Northeast Texas Community College ($500,000), San Jacinto Community College ($392,500) and Texas State Technical College ($179,900).
Seven TRUE Pathways grants went to Lamar State College-Port Arthur ($153,000), McLennan Community College ($188,900), North Central Texas College ($167,740), Panola College ($196,000), South Texas College ($152,640), Tarrant County College District ($200,000) and Texas State Technical College ($186,000), the agency said.
Higher Education Commissioner Wynn Rosser said the grants “support students into viable pathways toward rewarding careers,” adding, “Not only do they make a difference to students, but they keep college programs vibrant and relevant while fortifying the economies of urban and rural communities across Texas.”
The announcement builds on Senate Bill 1786, which Governor Abbott signed into law in 2025. According to the release, the measure directs the coordinating board, the Texas Education Agency and the Texas Workforce Commission to work alongside industry and public two-year colleges to develop, fund and expand secondary and postsecondary career and technical education programs, including dual-credit offerings, that align with job demand. The TRUE program itself dates to 2021, when the governor and the Texas Legislature created it to expand short-duration, high-value, industry-aligned credential programs.
State officials said the awards are part of a broader strategy to align educational credentials with in-demand occupations, strengthening local economies and building the talent pool for highly skilled, financially rewarding jobs across urban and rural Texas.