KISD’s Director of CTE Programs Deborah Bronner-Westerduin said in a July 24 email that she estimates the district has seen a 65% increase in CTE course enrollment over the last decade.
“This dramatic growth reflects a deliberate effort to align CTE offerings with both student interests and workforce demands for high-skill, high-wage and in-demand careers,” Bronner-Westerduin said.
During Texas’ 89th legislative session, multiple bills were approved that will update the framework of CTE programs at public school districts statewide and also provide additional funding. House Bill 2 alone is expected to bring $153 million to CTE programs in Texas schools, according to education advocacy group Raise Your Hand Texas.
The big picture
Over the last five school years, enrollment in KISD CTE programs rose 12.8% even as overall student enrollment fell 1%, district and Texas Education Agency data show.
As CTE program enrollment has grown, so have opportunities, Bronner-Westerduin said. Students can earn practical experience, college credits and professional certifications.
"Today’s students have access to a wider range of opportunities. ... The curriculum has evolved to incorporate innovative content and emerging technologies that mirror real-world industry practices,” Bronner-Westerduin said.
Texas lawmakers invested in CTE programs with bills such as HB 2, which will bring $153 million in CTE funding to Texas schools. House Bill 20 creates an applied sciences program where students can earn a high school diploma and higher education certificates simultaneously, according to Texas Legislature Online.
House Bill 120 updates funding avenues for CTE programs and provides CTE facility funding to schools. The bill also allows Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps programs to receive CTE funds and triples per-student funding for Pathways in Technology Early College High School programs to $150 per student, according to a June data sheet from nonprofit education analytics firm Commit Partnership.
House Bill 2
- Increases funding through college, career, and military readiness avenues
- Updates CTE accountability systems and expands financial access for programs; districts can be reimbursed for CTE teacher industry certification exams
- Statewide CTE funding: Includes a maximum of $5M annually in grants
- Ups Pathways in Technology Early College High School funding from $50 per student to $150 per student
- Raises the maximum of Rural Pathway Excellence Partnership program allotments to $20 million annually
- Allows students to earn higher education certificates while working toward a high school diploma under the Applied Sciences Pathway Program
- Calls for the TEA’s commissioner to create a standard method for calculating GPA accounting for districts’ various higher education credits and programs that are often part of CTE learning
- Creates “Free College Application Week” where higher education institutions will waive undergraduate application fees the second week of October
According to KISD’s website, the district offers 54 CTE programs, covering industries such as computer science, engineering, animal science, animation, culinary arts, welding, medical science and law enforcement.
“CTE participation strengthens college applications by demonstrating academic rigor, career focus and leadership through co-curricular involvement,” Bronner-Westerduin said.
As CTE has become more popular, attitudes about the programs have shifted, said Donald Kamentz, CEO of nonprofit education consulting firm Contigo Ed. Kamentz said he’s seen an emphasis on using labor market data.
“It’s really an intentionality of looking at: What is the labor market saying?” he said. “You might feel like—especially a city like Houston—it’s maybe natural to [send students into] the medical profession or tech profession or ... oil and gas, but there may be aspects of those that are not as high demand.”
KISD offers over 250 Career and Technical Education courses across 54 programs. The district’s most popular program categories are:
Business, Marketing & Finance: Includes marketing/sales and accounting programs
Health Science: Includes pharmacy, nursing and EMT programs
Agriscience: Includes animal science/veterinary studies, plant and flora sciences programs
KISD awarded 4,000 CTE certifications for the 2023-24 school year, and 3,900 students are expected to enroll in these programs for the 2025-26 school year.
The impact
Celeste Vultaggio, a senior at Klein Oak High School taking architecture courses under the district’s CTE program, said she believes her CTE education will be vital to setting her up for success in her career. The program has allowed her to gain practical experience, develop a portfolio and earn professional certifications.
"For a lot of technical colleges, you have to have a portfolio just [to] be admitted,” Vultaggio said. “So it helps build that portfolio, so that ... you could be more competitive.”
KISD leaders don’t have specific plans yet for the CTE funding from the recent bills, but renovating facilities is an option, KISD’s Executive Director of Communications Justin Elbert said in a July 24 email.
“KISD continues to explore expansion opportunities to meet growing student demand and regional workforce needs,” Bronner-Westerduin said.
In their words
- “CTE develops both the technical expertise and the employability skills ... that are essential for success in today’s workforce and postsecondary education.” – Deborah Bronner-Westerduin, KISD’s director of CTE programs
- “If I wanted to, straight after my senior year, I could go into a trade. I could make money, make a living ... straight after high school." - Celeste Vultaggio, Klein Oak High School senior
A 2023 report from the Texas Workforce Commission predicts 762,000 jobs will open by 2030 that both exceed the statewide annual median pay of $43,463. This includes 215 high-wage occupations within 13 different industries including construction, manufacturing and health care.
Texas is expected to add 2.3 million new jobs by 2030, with only 39.3% expected to require some form of postsecondary education or training, the data shows. A significant portion of these jobs are expected to be in the professional, scientific and technical services industries, followed by health care and construction.
Additionally, the 2024 Report on Texas Growth Occupation from the TWC shows Texas is expected to have one of the fastest-growing labor forces in the nation at 14.7% by 2032, exceeded only by Utah.
