San Jacinto College has been awarded $500,000 by Houston Endowment to help strengthen academic programs and student support services while implementing the requirements of Texas House Bill 8 and Senate Bill 1786.
The grant will help the college improve program design, upgrade data and advising services and ensure training aligns with today’s workforce needs, according to a Dec. 16 news release.
The context: HB 8, passed in June 2023, replaces the previous enrollment-based funding formula with a performance-based model that ties state funding to outcomes. SB 1786, signed in May, builds on HB 8 by clarifying what counts as valuable credentials, expanding data use to better match programs with labor market needs and improving pathways across institutions.
Why now?: In Texas, 1.7 million new jobs are expected between 2018 and 2028, and by 2030, more than 62% of all jobs will require education beyond high school, according to Georgetown’s Center for Education and the Workforce.
