In 2000, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) launched Closing the Gaps by 2015 to expand access, increase postsecondary completions, facilitate more research, and improve quality at Texas institutions of higher education. The goal is to make Texas more competitive in the national economy by 2015. An economic analysis found that if the state achieves these goals, Texas will realize an increase of $489 billion in total spending, $194 billion in gross state product, $122 billion in personal income, as well as the creation of over 1,023,000 new jobs by the year 2030. The state's return on its investment in higher education is estimated at $8.08 for every $1 invested.

Texas has made great strides over the last decade and the most relevant data about this progress can be found in the Texas Public Higher Education Almanac. However, Texas must accelerate its efforts to become a national and international leader by 2030. In 1973, only 28 percent of all jobs in the U.S. required some postsecondary education. By 2018, the percentage is expected to reach 63 percent. Given this challenge, the THECB is focused on policy initiatives designed to significantly increase student success by making higher education more affordable, cost-effective, and aligned with current and future workforce needs.

*Sources: The Perryman Group, “A Tale of Two States - And One Million Jobs!!”
 Georgetown University, Center on Education and the Workforce