CTE STUDENT ADVOCACY QUICK REFERENCE PAGE 2 SkillsUSA Texas Student Leaders | Updated September 15, 2026 2 START HERE Advocacy Starts with Your Story SkillsUSA Texas 2025-2026 State Officers THE MAIN REQUEST As SkillsUSA Texas students, we ask leaders to give every student access to a high-quality CTE pathway that leads to further education, a recognized credential, an apprenticeship, or a good job without creating a financial or geographic barrier. HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE 1 Choose one federal ask and one Texas or local ask that match your experience. 2 Bring one short personal example and one local fact, such as a waitlist, transportation gap, equipment need, certification cost, or employer partner. 3 Ask a direct question, listen carefully, and request a specific follow up. YOUR 30 SECOND SKILLSUSA MESSAGE My name is [name], and I represent SkillsUSA Texas at [school] in [city]. Through [program or competition], I developed [technical, workplace, or leadership skill]. Students in our community still face [one barrier]. Will you support [one specific action] so more students can complete a pathway and become skilled professionals, career ready leaders, and responsible community members? Our SkillsUSA Texas perspective We connect classroom learning with real work. SkillsUSA Texas reports more than 22,000 student members and 1,500 advisors and administrators. Our chapters add leadership, employability, safety, service, competition, and industry feedback to technical instruction. When we advocate, we should explain how the classroom, workplace, and chapter work together to prepare the skilled workforce. BEFORE THE MEETING • Know who controls the decision. Congress funds and oversees federal programs. Texas officials set state policy and funding. School boards and district leaders make many local program, staffing, scheduling, and partnership decisions. • Speak as a student, not as a policy expert. Stay nonpartisan and specific. Explain the skill you built, the student outcome you want, and the practical barrier that must be removed. • Never guess. If you do not know an answer, offer to follow up with the correct information.