Funding for work-based learning and apprenticeships in Texas
In 2023, the Texas Legislature adopted Budget Rider 51 as part of its biennial statewide budget, directing the Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative to identify funds that may be streamlined and coordinated to increase the availability of work-based learning (WBL) and apprenticeship programs.
As directed by the rider, on Aug. 31, 2024, the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), along with the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), produced a report on apprenticeship and WBL programs in Texas, funding sources for these programs, and grant-making policies and practices related to these programs.
As the report outlines, Texas’ apprenticeship and WBL programs are supported by a total of 14 funding sources — four state and 10 federal. Eleven programs are supported by multiple funding sources, including:
- Critical Skills Apprenticeship
- Explore Apprenticeship 2.0
- Healthcare Apprenticeship
- TEC Chapter 133, Related Instruction
- Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH)
- Work Experience
- Project SEARCH
- Skills Training to Employment Project (STEP) | Paid Work Experience and Vocational Adjustment Training
- Summer Earn & Learn (SEAL)
- Texas Internship Challenge
- Texas Interns Unite!
Braiding Funds to Achieve Efficiencies
Braided funding describes an environment in which multiple funding streams are combined to support a single program or goal. When a program is supported by multiple funding sources, as the programs outlined above are, actions that help streamline and coordinate those funding sources generally help create financial and administrative efficiencies that a braided funding approach typically affords.
The Rider 51 report outlined various opportunities and barriers faced by the three state agencies that make up the Tri-Agency as they attempt to coordinate efforts and introduce more of these efficiencies into their administration and grant-making policies and practices.
While acknowledging the limitations of adopting braided funding as a project management approach in grant-making policies and practices, the Rider 51 report highlighted some areas of successful Tri-Agency collaboration and provided recommendations to enhance coordination, including:
- maintaining an online inventory of grant opportunities,
- developing a cross-agency funding checklist, and
- establishing a collaborative website to manage the grant process and documents.
By implementing these recommendations, the Tri-Agency may be able to further streamline funding and expand access to WBL and apprenticeship opportunities for Texans. However, the agency remains limited in the degree to which it can adopt a robust braided funding approach.
To learn more about the Rider 51 report, access it here.