Katherine McAden
Texas is currently searching for its next leader in higher education after Harrison Keller retired as a member of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to become chairman of the University of North Texas Board of Trustees.
Keller left a strong legacy. During his five years in office, Texas was one of the first states to align community colleges with the workforce needs of high-demand fields. With input from education and workforce leaders, state officials developed a strategic plan for higher education called “Building a Talented and Strong Texas,” which led to landmark legislation that passed unanimously in the 88th Texas Legislature.
House Bill 8 increases state investment in community colleges by $683 million in three main areas: student outcomes, cost-effectiveness, and college capacity. This overhaul of how the state funds community colleges marks a paradigm shift, moving the focus from enrollment numbers to student outcomes.
Under HB 8’s revised structure, community colleges would be incentivized based on measurable indicators of success, such as students transferring to four-year universities, completing dual credit courses, and earning valuable credentials that lead to high-paying jobs. Additional incentives would be allocated for credentials in high-demand fields, fostering complementary relationships between educators and employers.
The ripple effects of these policies extend far beyond educational institutions. If projections hold true, by 2031, more than 70% of jobs will require more than a high school diploma. Yet college enrollment has declined at an alarming pace over the past decade. Enrollment at Texas’ public two-year colleges plummeted 15% between 2019 and 2021, outpacing the national average of a 13% decline, according to data compiled by The Commit Partnership.
By aligning their curriculum with workforce demands, two-year colleges play a key role in equipping students with the skills they need to transition smoothly into the workforce.
The strategic partnership further strengthens these efforts, which are already typified by collaborations between companies and Texas universities: This year, Google provided a $1 million grant to the University of Texas at El Paso, with additional support from Google’s Cybersecurity Clinic Fund, to help launch the school’s Cybersecurity Clinic.
The funding also includes volunteer mentorship from Googlers, Titan Security Keys, and scholarships for Google career certifications in cybersecurity. The funding is part of a more than $25 million investment with the Cybersecurity Clinics Consortium to establish 25 clinics in the U.S. by 2025.
Google has long offered career certificate programs to community colleges, including Dallas Community College, where hundreds of students have graduated. This work was recently expanded to the University of Texas and Texas State University systems, enabling thousands of students to pair their degrees with industry-recognized credentials.
The certificate program prepares students for entry-level jobs in high-paying fields such as cybersecurity and data analytics. The program includes an employer consortium of more than 150 companies looking to hire skilled entry-level talent in these fields. Pending rules in Texas’ historic community college finance reform bill, HB 8, will make such third-party certifications offered through community colleges eligible outcomes for funding assistance.
We must ensure that the next Commissioner of Higher Education continues to implement these policy reforms and builds on Keller’s efforts.
By collaborating with universities, lawmakers and business leaders to develop innovative solutions to today’s challenges, the next Commissioner can establish our state as a model for the rest of the nation.
Katherine McAden is head of public policy and external relations for Google in the US South.
