When Houston’s KIPP network reached a milestone that most educators would celebrate indefinitely, its co-founder paused to consider an uncomfortable truth. In 2016, the charter school system reported that 50% of its eighth-graders eventually earned college degrees—a remarkable achievement compared to the 5-10% rates in surrounding neighborhoods.
But for Mike Feinberg, that 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—one that includes traditional trades, entrepreneurship, and military service alongside the college pathway his earlier work championed.
The College Debt Calculation
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. Philosophy majors owing $100,000 exemplified a pattern Feinberg now identifies as a systemic miscalculation.
“College prep should be in all schools,” he 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.
Mike Feinberg’s New Focus: WorkTexas and Beyond
The realization prompted concrete action. In 2018, Feinberg established the Texas School Venture Fund to support educational models beyond the college prep framework. The fund’s projects include Neighborhood Schools serving pre-K through eighth grade, Neighborhood Preschools addressing childcare access, and most prominently, WorkTexas—a training program launched in 2020.
WorkTexas 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.
“We need people who get to work on time, who can work on a team,” he notes. The program’s mission focuses on helping participants “get jobs, keep jobs, and advance in careers”—a marked departure from traditional training programs that measure success solely through credential completion.
Addressing Historical Gaps
The current skilled trades shortage reflects decisions made decades ago. When asked about demand for electricians and plumbers, Feinberg points out the obvious: “Good luck finding a 30-year-old plumber.”
The demographic reality stems from the same “college for all” messaging that shaped education policy throughout the 1990s and 2000s. Reversing those patterns requires both immediate action—training adults who missed earlier opportunities—and long-term reform through reintegrating vocational education into high schools.
WorkTexas operates at two Houston locations, serving high school students simultaneously earning diplomas and trade certifications, plus evening programs for adults. The model demonstrates viability: 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.”
For an educator who spent decades proving that students in underserved communities could excel academically, the evolution represents growth rather than retreat—a recognition that effective education matches preparation to diverse talents and circumstances rather than funneling everyone through identical gates.