Background and Historical Context for a Texas Skill Standards System

Many initiatives led to the establishment of the Texas Skill Standards Board. Texas’ interest in the concept of a skill standards system began in 1991 with the introduction of legislation to establish the nonprofit Texas Skills Development Corporation. The purpose of the corporation was to "convene existing industry groups and industry associations to ascertain the skill requirements of occupations in the Texas work force." (Source: "Developing a System of Skill Standards and Certification for the Texas Work Force," Robert Glover, Center for the Study of Human Resources, LBJ School of Public Affairs, UT Austin, January 1993, p. 20 – project conducted under direction of the Director, Workforce Development Division, Texas Department of Commerce.) Although the bill was never enacted into law, the pursuit of a skill standards system continued.

In the following year, the Governor charged the Texas Department of Commerce with creating a skills development program to work with business and industry to establish employability standards. A panel of business, industry and labor representatives was convened and issued a 1993 report, entitled "Report to the Governor: Texas Skills Development Program". The report included recommendations for: setting standards for core (foundation and workplace) skills; marketing the benefits of skill standards and certification; establishing a State Board of Professional and Technical Standards to distribute industry-validated curricula and assessments; and instituting a system to measure and certify achievement of skills for students and incumbent workers.

Building on the recommendations from the Texas Skills Development Program report, the Tri-Agency Partnership of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the Texas Department of Commerce and the Texas Education Agency took the lead to further research key elements of a skill standards and certification system by funding the Texas Skill Standards Research and Communications Project (TSSRCP) for 1995-1996. As part of its charge, the TSSRCP reviewed national and international literature on skill standards; surveyed Texas employers; conducted focus groups with educators and training providers; and met with skill standards officials in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. In their final 1996 report, the TSSRCP identified strengths and weaknesses of national skill standards projects, and on systems in use in other states and countries. Their recommendations included: a skill standards system model, adoption of a common nomenclature and common format for skill standards.

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