It's a simple formula: education = employment. But right now many Texans are failing to take the first step. In fact, almost half of all Texas high school graduates are not moving on to a college or university. This is troubling because the fastest-growing occupations require an associate or bachelor's degree.

If we want to preserve Texas' prosperous economy, we must first get more students going to college and earning degrees. Not only do the Texas economy and educated Texans benefit from a degree beyond high school, all Texans benefit from an educated society.

Unfortunately, most high school students will not obtain a four-year degree. While some students may not be academically prepared, many students are not enrolling in higher education due to family and financial needs.

So how can we help educate those Texans? Creating a pathway for students that parallels that of their university-attending peers is a start. It's imperative to create parallel pathways for these students to be able to access the education and training necessary to compete with their peers for the jobs of tomorrow.

Many Texas community colleges have developed innovative programs to give students a seamless transition from high school to college. It's outreach programs like these that create parallel pathways to success for students across the state - in both rural and urban communities.

Together - Texans helping Texans - we can ensure that our state remains a top competitor.