When Houston’s KIPP network reported that 50% of its eighth-graders eventually earned college degrees, most educators would have celebrated indefinitely. For Mike Feinberg, the celebration lasted approximately 15 seconds.
“That’s half,” he recalls thinking. “What about the other half?”
The question launched a fundamental reassessment of an education philosophy that had dominated reform efforts for three decades. Today, Feinberg leads multiple initiatives through the Texas School Venture Fund that demonstrate a more expansive vision of student success.
The College Debt Reality
The shift stems partly from hard data about student outcomes. While many KIPP graduates thrived in college and beyond, others accumulated substantial debt pursuing degrees that didn’t translate to sustainable careers.
“College prep should be in all schools,” Feinberg explains. “But college prep does not need to mean college for all.”
The distinction matters. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, education reform movements successfully raised expectations and academic rigor. However, they also contributed to eliminating vocational programs from high schools—a decision Feinberg now calls “a terrible mistake.”
When college tuition resembled a car loan, encouraging students to “figure it out” on campus made sense. As costs ballooned to match home mortgages, that same advice became financially perilous, particularly for first-generation college students without family safety nets.
WorkTexas Model
The realization prompted concrete action. WorkTexas, launched in 2020, provides trade instruction in fields ranging from welding and electrical work to medical assistance and commercial truck driving.
Critically, the program operates with employer input to ensure graduates develop both technical competencies and workplace behaviors. According to Feinberg, technical skills represent about 30% of what employers seek. The remaining 70% involves reliability, teamwork, and professionalism.
WorkTexas operates at two Houston locations, serving high school students simultaneously earning diplomas and trade certifications, plus evening programs for adults. Most participants attend free through grants and scholarships, while employer partnerships provide job placement pipelines.
“This is not about lowering expectations,” Feinberg emphasizes. “This is about expanding what success looks like and making sure every pathway leads somewhere meaningful.”