Texas voters pass Prop 1, approving $850 million toward technical education

AUSTIN (Nexstar) - Texans decided the fate of 17 constitutional amendments on Nov. 4. Among the propositions passed is Prop 1, an amendment that will provide the Texas State Technical College System (TSTC) a steady stream of funds that will go towards new buildings, equipment, and repairs. 

Prop 1 appears poised to pass by a wide margin, receiving 69% of votes in favor with nearly 70% of votes counted.

Specifically, the proposition will create two state funds, the Permanent Technical Institution Infrastructure Fund, and the Available Workforce Education Fund. Both funds will be separate from the state’s general fund. The funds will be managed by the Texas Comptroller, who will also manage annual distributions. 

The allocated funds could be used to purchase land or instructional equipment, construction or repair of classrooms, and paying off bonds for permanent improvements. 

TSTC has 11 campuses across Central and North Texas in addition to online courses. It has programs in fields ranging from automotive engineering to HVAC to welding, and enrolled over 16,000 students in 2021, the most recent year TSTC enrollment data is available. 

Supporters of the proposition said it will allow TSTC to expand its operation to help foster a new generation of workers. In a statement, Meagan McCoy Jones, president of McCoy’s Building Supply, said that Prop 1 will allow TSTC to “expand its job training programs.”

“More Texans could earn hands-on, practical education that leads to good-paying, stable careers. ... Unlike other colleges, TSTC’s state funding depends on outcomes — graduates securing good jobs. That ensures accountability to students, taxpayers and employers alike."

Opponents of the proposition said the funding would exist outside of the state budget and legislative oversight. The True Texas Project, a conservative PAC, posted a statement on its website before the election, claiming that the proposal would create a “perpetual spending scheme with no legislative control.”

“While we support workforce education, this is not the way to expand land acquisition and equipment for the TX State Technical College System. Such expenditures should be handled in the normal statutory process, providing legislative oversight and transparency.”