Chris Walters

Walters

chris.walters@texas2036.org

Chris Walter is a contributor at Texas 2036, where he writes on the long-term policy challenges and opportunities facing the state. With a background in public policy and data analysis, Chris focuses on translating complex issues—ranging from infrastructure and education to economic growth—into clear, actionable insights for Texans.

Posts

Inside the Texas Legislative Interim

June 2, 2026

This is a preview of our Texas 2036 newsletter providing a look inside the legislative interim. To receive this weekly look at our work, sign up here. The Texas Legislature Never Really Stops Primary elections are over. School’s out. There’s no legislative session this year — but Texas state government doesn’t stop. Legislative committees are…

Improving Credit Transfer in Texas Colleges and Universities

March 9, 2021

Texas colleges and universities are offering more pathways to degrees and credentials than ever before. From high schoolers enrolled in dual credit to adult learners working towards industry certifications, hundreds of thousands of Texas students now earn course credits from more than one institution. But despite growing numbers of students who have attended multiple colleges...

HB 1132 and HB 755 Give Students Critical Information on Program Outcomes

February 3, 2021

It is widely understood that a college degree or credential is becoming increasingly important to attaining a decent job. Far-reaching forces such as automation, artificial intelligence, and globalization are changing the very nature of work and driving education and skill requirements for jobs further and further upward. According to a pre-pandemic analysis, by 2036 71%...

Empower Students With Wage Data

February 1, 2021

Texas students entering colleges and universities too often don’t have the information they need to make smart choices about which program they will enroll in. Advocates and organizations around the state have acknowledged this problem and are working to address it; however, solutions are too often grounded in the idea that students do not have...

Two Bold Ideas to Tackle COVID-19 Learning Loss

December 29, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a terrible toll on student achievement in Texas. Early projections suggest that students might have lost as much as one-third of a year in reading growth and over half a year in math. Low-income students and students of color have been hit even harder by learning loss than peers, increasing...

COVID Can’t Be An Excuse To Lower Education Standards

December 9, 2020

The impact of the coronavirus pandemic on education is worrying. As we noted in October, “almost 250,000 students, representing four percent or more of all Texas students, are missing from Texas schools.” But even many of those students who are attending school are struggling. ABC 13 in Houston recently submitted Freedom of Information Act requests...