Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced July 22 that the state government will allocate $118 million in federal funding to support higher education in Texas, including $93 million to help post-secondary students continue their education through targeted financial aid and emergency support.
This funding is in addition to the $57 million investment Abbott announced July 8. Both investments come from the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund, made available through the CARES Act. The $118 million investment includes:

• $46.5 million in targeted financial aid for displaced workers in high-demand fields.
• $46.5 million in emergency support for students whose families have been severely financially impacted by COVID-19.
• $15 million for strategic education and workforce data infrastructure to provide students, institutions, employers and policymakers with relevant information.
• $10 million to improve the quality of online learning and allow institutions to offer more courses online.

“One of the best ways to accelerate our economic recovery is to make strategic investments in our future workforce,” Abbott said. “These federal funds will provide targeted assistance to keep students enrolled or help them re-enroll in higher education so they can pursue new professional and economic opportunities for themselves and their families. By investing in our students and institutions, we will make our workforce and our economy even stronger.”