Shaping Our Future sets out 36 strategic goals across seven core state policy areas vital for the long term success of Texas. The framework, which is both aspirational with a focus on the future and pragmatic for shaping policy decisions today, incorporates more than 160 indicators from dozens of publicly available sources to measure Texas’ progress toward accomplishing these goals. We invite our fellow Texans to join us in shaping the future of the Lone Star State.
Shaping Our Future
Join Us In Shaping Our State's Future
*indicates required
36 Strategic Goals For Texas To Achieve By 2036
1. Economic growth:
Texas spurs economic growth through an innovative and business-friendly climate
2. Quality of life:
Texas is the best place to live and work
3. Early learning:
Texas children get a strong early start to succeed in school and life
4. K-12:
Texas students graduate high school ready for postsecondary success
5. Postsecondary:
Texas students earn a postsecondary credential to access the jobs of today and tomorrow
6. Jobs:
Texans have the knowledge and skills to access careers enabling economic security
7. Workforce needs:
Texans meet the state’s current and future workforce needs
8. Availability of health care:
Texans have access to basic health care
9. Affordability of health care:
Texans are able to afford the basic health care they need
10. Population health:
Texans live long, healthy, and productive lives
11. Public health:
Texans and their communities are empowered to adopt healthy lifestyles
12. Return on health care investment:
Texas has a high-value health system that manages costs and delivers results
13. Mobility of goods:
Texas enables economic growth by moving goods efficiently
14. Mobility of individuals:
Texans can travel to their destinations effectively and efficiently
15. Safety:
Texas maintains a safe transportation infrastructure
16. Digital connectivity:
Texans can digitally participate in economic opportunities and essential services
17. Energy distribution:
Texas maintains a sufficient, reliable, and cost-competitive energy infrastructure
18. Crisis readiness:
Texas is ready to address the human, economic, and environmental consequences of natural disasters and hazards
19. Quality of air:
Texans have clean air
20. Sufficient water:
Texans can rely on a sufficient water supply
21. Quality of water:
Texans have clean water
22. Parks and wildlife:
Texas enhances and protects its state parks, and public and private open spaces and wildlife
23. Agricultural production:
Texas leads in agricultural production with responsible natural resource stewardship
24. Energy production:
Texas leads in energy production with responsible natural resource stewardship
25. Public safety:
Texans are protected from threats to their well-being and property
26. Protection for the vulnerable:
Texas protects the vulnerable from traumatic experiences
27. Safety net:
Texans have access to resources to meet basic needs when they are in crisis
28. Justice system:
Texans are served effectively, efficiently, and impartially by the justice system
29. Confidence in government:
Texans have confidence in the public institutions that serve them
30. Civic engagement:
Texans actively participate in governing their communities
31. Broad, stable revenue base:
Texas people and businesses contribute taxes and fees to meet strategic needs and remain competitive as we grow and change
32. Wisely managed state spending:
Texas strategically manages state expenditures to deliver the best value to taxpayers
33. Talent in government:
Texas government attracts and retains the needed talent to deliver excellent service and get results
34. Proven, modern methods in data:
Texas government uses data-driven and proven, modern methods to drive toward shared goals
35. Customer service:
Texas people and businesses can access public services they want and need through user-friendly methods and devices
36. Aligned accountability:
Texas officials at all levels collaborate well
Taken together, the report’s goals and analyses paint an evolving, data-rich portrait of Texas. Shaping Our Future offers a perspective that should guide the state’s recovery from the COVID-19 crisis in ways that create future dividends as well as immediate results.
While each of the seven policy areas showcases its own opportunities and challenges, the Framework also identifies three key themes: equity, rural communities, and children, that run through all of the policy areas. These themes highlight the interrelatedness of the issues that matter the most to our future.
If Texans and their leaders begin working to make a real difference on these vital issues — especially as we come together to rebuild our economy — then the opportunities it illuminates are clear and promising.
Texas 2036 encourages people across the state to add their names in support of these aspirational goals – a platform that promotes prosperity for all Texans.
