Leebron: The next 10 years will shape Texas’ future
Change has always been part of Texas’ story.
From frontier settlements and family farms to growing cities and modern industry, each generation has faced its own turning points. Texans have never stood still for long.
March 2, 2026, marks 190 years since Texas declared its independence. That milestone, though, is more than a date on the calendar. It begins the 10-year countdown to our bicentennial in 2036 and signals a critical decade that will shape our state’s success over the next century.
By 2036, Texas’ population could exceed 35 million. More children will enter our schools even as our senior population grows. Communities large and small will continue to add jobs and industries, but they will also face rising demand for water, housing, health care and workforce development.
The question is not whether Texas will change.
It is whether we will anticipate and prepare for that change.
Ten years ago, as Texas approached its 180th anniversary, civic leader Tom Luce asked a simple question: What do we want our third century to look like?
That question led to the creation of Texas 2036, a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy organization dedicated to improving the lives and opportunities of all Texans. The goal was straightforward: bring trusted data and practical policy solutions to the conversation so leaders can prepare for growth and change rather than react to problems after they arise.
Today, Texas is home to 31.7 million people and a $2.8 trillion economy. Nearly one in 10 Americans lives here. Families and businesses continue to choose Texas because they see opportunity.
But growth alone does not guarantee opportunity.
It depends on preparation and action.
- Will students in rural districts, urban centers and fast-growing suburbs alike graduate ready for college or a career?
- Will young Texans gain the skills needed for jobs shaped by artificial intelligence and new technologies?
- Will families be able to find affordable health coverage?
- Will communities secure the water, energy and other infrastructure needed to support continued expansion?
Over the past decade, Texans have taken important steps. Voters and lawmakers committed more than $22 billion to strengthen water infrastructure and increase water supplies. Community college funding was reformed to better align with workforce opportunities. More than four million Texans are now enrolled in Affordable Care Act marketplace plans after policy changes made coverage more accessible.
Those efforts show what is possible when Texans look ahead, rely on data-informed assessments, and act early. Today’s third through seventh graders will enter the workforce around our bicentennial. Will Texas offer the opportunities, and will our students be prepared to seize them? Will Texas be the home of the industries of the future?
The question posed 10 years ago still stands.
What do we want Texas’ third century to be known for?
The answer will not be determined by chance. It will be shaped by the decisions we make in our communities, in our schools, in our businesses and in our government.
The countdown to 2036 has begun. The bicentennial must not be just a celebration of where we have been, but where we are poised to go. That future is ours to shape.
David Leebron is president and CEO of Texas 2036 and the former president of Rice University.