HB 120 Texas House · 89th Legislature (2025)

Relating to college, career, and military readiness in public schools, including career and technology education programs, the Financial Aid for Swift Transfer (FAST) program, and the Rural Pathway Excellence Partnership (R-PEP) program, funding for those programs under the Foundation School Program, and workforce reporting to support those programs, to the public school accountability system, and to the new instructional facility allotment and the permissible uses of funding under the Foundation School Program.

HB 120 amends Texas education law to prioritize college, career, and military readiness for high school students. It adds two new academic goals: requiring graduates to have immediate workforce skills (Goal 5) and ensuring college readiness without remediation (Goal 6). The bill mandates public schools to report de-identified student outcomes - including college enrollment, remedial coursework, and employment data - disaggregated by school district and campus. These reports will inform school accountability ratings and guide funding for career programs like the FAST and R-PEP initiatives. The law directly affects all Texas public high schools, students, and district administrators through updated accountability measures.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

May 2025

House Passage

May 2025

Senate Passage

Jun 2025

Signed into Law

Jun 2025

Introduced Feb 25, 2025 Signed Jun 20, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Engrossed → Enrolled · 8 edits · Jun 20, 2025

MODERATE

This bill significantly expands college, career, and military readiness initiatives in Texas public schools by updating eligibility criteria, increasing funding allocations, and adding new reporting requirements. The changes allow high school graduates to remain eligible for certain programs, increase grant amounts for career readiness initiatives, and mandate new data collection and reporting on student postsecondary outcomes.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope from primarily career and technology education to include broader college, career, and military readiness initiatives, with specific provisions for P-TECH and R-PEP programs.

ELIGIBILITY

High school graduates who are enrolled in P-TECH or R-PEP programs are now eligible to enroll in dual credit courses at no cost, even after graduation.

Expanded Foundation School Program eligibility to include high school graduates enrolled in specific career readiness programs, regardless of age limits for some categories.

FISCAL

Increased the maximum grant amount for the Military Pathway Grant Program from $2 million to $5 million per school year.

Increased the Foundation School Program allotment for P-TECH and R-PEP students from $50 to $150 per student.

REQUIREMENT

Added new requirements for school districts to post detailed postsecondary outcome data on their websites, including enrollment rates, remedial coursework completion, and wage information.

Requires school counselors to provide students with information about career training opportunities, postsecondary credentials, and graduate outcomes during their high school enrollment.

Requires the agency to create and update a quantifiable statewide goal for career readiness at least every five years.

DEFINITION

Added new definitions for 'Approved program of study' to include courses that prepare students for careers including the military.

Introduced → Engrossed · 10 edits · May 25, 2025

MAJOR

This bill expands career and technical education programs by adding new funding streams, revising eligibility criteria for certain students, and establishing a new high school advising program. It also updates definitions for instructional facilities and adjusts funding thresholds for specific programs.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope to include military pathway grants, dual credit opportunities for high school graduates, and a new high school advising program that includes military advising support.

FISCAL

Added a new Military Pathway Grant Program providing $50,000 grants to school districts implementing Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps programs, with a $2 million annual cap.

Increased the instructional facility allotment cap from $100 million to $150 million per school year.

Created a new High School Advising Allotment providing $40,000 per full-time equivalent advisor or contracted service provider, subject to performance-based reductions.

ELIGIBILITY

Expanded eligibility for the Foundation School Program to include high school graduates enrolled in P-TECH schools or R-PEP partnerships who are completing courses through articulation agreements with higher education institutions.

Modified eligibility criteria for career and technology education programs to include students enrolled in dual credit courses leading to degrees, licenses, or certifications.

REQUIREMENT

Established a new High School Advising Program requiring partnerships with higher education institutions, employers, armed services, or workforce boards to provide college, career, and military advising support.

Added requirements for high school advising program advisors to have caseloads of no more than 200 students and spend at least 80% of their time on college, career, and military advising.

Amended career and technology education program requirements to include opportunities for students to earn college credit for coursework and participation in technical student organizations.

DEFINITION

Added 'new instructional facility' definition to include renovated portions of facilities used for high-cost and undersubscribed career and technology education programs.

TIMELINE

Specified that most provisions apply beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, with some amendments taking effect September 1, 2025.

Floor votes · House Apr 16, 2025

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Jun 20, 2025

Signed into law

Signed by the Governor

executive

Jun 1, 2025

Upper · Passed

Signed in the Senate

upper

May 31, 2025

Lower · Passed

Signed in the House

lower

May 28, 2025

Introduced

House concurs in Senate amendment(s)-reported

upper

May 28, 2025

Introduced

Text of Senate Amendment(s)

lower

May 28, 2025

Introduced

House concurs in Senate amendment(s)

lower

May 28, 2025

Introduced

Senate Amendments Analysis distributed

lower

May 28, 2025

Introduced

Senate Amendments distributed

lower

May 26, 2025

Lower · Passed

Senate passage as amended reported

lower

May 25, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed

upper

May 25, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed to 3rd reading as amended

upper

May 25, 2025

Upper · Passed

Amended

upper

May 25, 2025

Introduced

Amendment(s) offered

upper

May 20, 2025

Upper · Passed

Committee report printed and distributed

upper

May 20, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported favorably as substituted

upper

May 13, 2025

Upper · Passed

Vote taken in committee

upper

May 8, 2025

Upper · Passed

Left pending in committee

upper

May 8, 2025

Upper · Passed

Testimony taken in committee

upper

Apr 23, 2025

Committee

Referred to Education K-16

upper

Apr 23, 2025

Introduced

Read first time

upper

Apr 16, 2025

Introduced

Received from the House

upper

Apr 16, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed

lower

Apr 15, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed to engrossment as amended

lower

Apr 15, 2025

Lower · Passed

Amended

lower

Mar 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee report sent to Calendars

lower

Mar 27, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee report distributed

lower

Mar 18, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported favorably as substituted

lower

Mar 18, 2025

Lower · Passed

Recalled from subcommittee

lower

Mar 5, 2025

Lower · Passed

Left pending in subcommittee

lower

Mar 5, 2025

Lower · Passed

Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in subcommittee

lower

Feb 25, 2025

Committee

Referred to s/c on Academic & Career-Oriented Education by Speaker

lower

Feb 25, 2025

Introduced

Read first time

lower

6 primary · 19 co-sponsors