Texas 2036

In 2022, Texas 2036 leveraged its data-driven, research-informed, non-partisan approach to Texas state policy to develop and publish research, interactive data tools, and viable solutions for how the state might address complex and long-term issues facing Texas. In 2022, Texas 2036 also developed a focused Legislative Agenda and priorities that guide our work in 2023. During 2022, we also solidified our reputation as an expert resource for data, research, and thoughtful policy analysis for policy makers, business and community leaders, and everyday Texans. We prepared and shared hundreds of pages of data and policy analysis that were shared with legislative committees, government commissions, agencies, and business, non-profit and civic groups, as well as made available on our blog and social media. Texas 2036 continued to develop coalitions to build support for solutions to real and pressing needs. These coalitions include Digital Texas, which is focused on expanding access to high-speed broadband, and Aim Hire Texas, a statewide consortium of advocates, employers, non-profit organizations, and education and training providers working to improve the Texas workforce system for the benefit of all Texans and their employers. New in 2022, Texas 2036 cultivated, in a collaborative realignment with InvestEdTx, support for a strong Accountability and Assessment Defense system in our state's public schools. Texas 2036 also developed and initiated a number of projects to continue to build fact bases, data analyses, research summaries, reports, and other resources aligned with various goals of Texas 2036's Strategic Framework for the future of Texas that have been, or will be, made available to the public, with the goal of helping Texans and their policy makers better understand and contemplate solutions for the many challenges that Texas continues to face.

Texas 2036 believes it is critical for Texans across the state to know the challenges that our state faces, both now and into the future, and to understand the role that state policy plays in addressing those challenges and ensuring all Texans have the opportunity to flourish. In 2022, Texas 2036 shared pertinent data, research, reports, and expert insight on Texas' challenges and opportunities in accessible, accurate, and compelling ways. Texas 2036 staff shared information with the public through media interviews, op eds, blogs, presentations, panel discussions, social media, reports, infographics, one-pagers, and interactive websites. Texas 2036 visited communities and organized meetings across the state during multi-day visits in El Paso, Texarkana, Nacogdoches, Lufkin, Lubbock, Amarillo, Midland, Odessa, Longview and Tyler. Texas 2036 staff shared our research and data before conferences, events, and meetings across the state for a variety of stakeholder, industry, advocacy, business, and community groups.

At Texas 2036, data informs our policy work and is used to monitor the resulting progress. In 2022, Texas 2036 continued the expansion and creation of robust yet accessible data tools and published numerous reports outlining what the research/data indicates for our future. These resources are available to explore on our website at texas2036.org and provide data-driven insights about Texas across important policy areas including education, justice, natural resources, health and employment. In 2022, tools included a Community College Finance Simulator that models the outcomes of possible changes to the state's funding formula, an Advanced Coursetaking Dashboard that illuminates disparities in student access to advanced courses such as Algebra I in 8th grade, and a Hospital Pricing Transparency Dashboard tracking hospital compliance with new requirements to publicly disclose pricing, and more. Texas 2036 commissioned and supported various research projects that focused on developing unique data insights, including the multi-year Who are the Uninsured in Texas? Study to identify contributing barriers to increasing Texas' insured rate, the Blueprint for Addressing Texas' Water Infrastructure Crisis, and the Texas Law Enforcement Data Landscape Report, which analyzes TCOLE's data policies and hiring/disciplinary procedures. We also prioritized input from real Texans on what matters most to them through two statewide voter polls, the launch of an online Action Center, and our series of traveling Road Shows. The impact of this work and Texas' progress toward the long-term goals of our guiding Strategic Framework (revised and updated in 2022) are tracked through 36 primary indicators, comparisons to other peer states, and improvement across over 100 leading indicators. Texas 2036 continues to provide data tools and reports to ensure that Texans have access to quality, meaningful data to inform fact-based decision-making.