I am Jorge Borrego, postsecondary analyst for Next Generation Texas at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, and I am testifying in support of HB 1859. I would like to thank the members of this committee for the opportunity to provide comments on HB 1859. The Foundation recently conducted research examining the state of career and
technical education in Texas public schools. What we found was that there are large gaps between workforce needs and programs of study across multiple sectors but in particular the skilled trades, such as electricians and HVAC technicians.