Texas Gov. Greg Abbott gave himself a pat on the back for achievements in higher education during a conference in Austin yesterday. Speaking to a crowd at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s 2023 Higher EDge leadership Conference, he was all about the praise for the state's progress. “Collectively, you all have put Texas on a trajectory of excellence in higher education in our great state,” Abbott said, as per a release from his office. The governor wasn't shy about linking education wins to the state’s economic bragging rights, noting Texas' appeal to Fortune 500 companies thanks to its skilled workforce, according to the Office of the Texas Governor.
The education honchos heard all about the laws the governor signed during this year's 88th Regular Legislative Session, aimed at giving Texas scholars a leg up. One of the headliners was House Bill 8, which revamps community college funding into an outcomes-based model. It’s supposedly a game-changer for keeping the Texas workforce young and diverse. “I thank all of you for cultivating our skilled workforce of tomorrow," Abbott told the assemblage of over 400 higher education leaders, according to his office's announcement, stated in Office of the Texas Governor.
While Texas may not have the old Ivy-covered halls of the East, Abbott's boosterism was rooted in statistics: Texas surging to the top for Tier 1 research universities over the last decade, and a job market on fire. “This past year, Texas created far more new jobs and is home to more Fortune 500 company headquarters than any other state in the nation,” explained the governor, as per Office of the Texas Governor.
