Texas
We found no statewide hours requirement in the graduation and endorsement rules we read.Work-based learning in Texas: Career Preparation and practicum courses
What the state's rules ask for, how its own documents describe a work-based learning experience, and the course codes schools report it under.
What the documents say about hours
- A statewide hours requirement
- None found in the graduation and endorsement rules we read, 19 TAC §74.12 and §74.13.
- Course credit
- The TSDS course table lists Career Preparation General and Career Preparation for Programs of Study at 2 units each.
- The hours chart
- TEA's attendance accounting chart for Career Preparation courses lists 10 hours per week for 2 units of credit and 15 hours per week for 3. The Handbook introduces the chart with "Use the following chart to determine the CTE code for students participating in CTE Career Preparation." The chart pairs classroom instruction of 1 class period per day (average) with those work-based instruction hours (average).
- Endorsements
- For students who entered high school in 2022-2023 or later, 19 TAC §74.13 names the courses required for a CTE completer designation in a TEA-approved program of study. We found no work-based learning hours in it.
- School accountability
- We searched the Accountability Manual for 2026 Ratings and found no mention of work-based learning or practicum courses.
Sources: Texas Education Agency, 2025-2026 Student Attendance Accounting Handbook (adopted), section 5.7.1, page 170 (the chart and its introducing sentence). 19 TAC §74.12 and §74.13, Texas Education Agency PDF, August 2026 Update (graduation and endorsement rules, read for hours). Texas Education Agency, Accountability Manual for 2026 Ratings (searched for work-based learning and practicum).
What Texas requires of a work-based learning experience
Quoted from the State Board of Education's rules and the Agency's own handbook. Each cites its section.
What Texas asks for
Career Preparation General (19 TAC §127.20(c)(3))
Career Preparation General provides opportunities for students to participate in a work-based learning environment that incorporates continuous collaborative feedback between the employer, teacher, and student. This course combines classroom instruction with business and industry employment experiences that may be outside the student's current program of study.
Career Preparation for Programs of Study (19 TAC §127.21(b)(1))
A student's employment experience connected with this course must be related to the student's program of study.
Practicum (19 TAC §127.86(c)(3), the Agriculture practicum as the example)
Practicum in Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources is designed to give students supervised practical application of knowledge and skills. Practicum experiences can occur in a variety of locations appropriate to the nature and level of experiences such as employment, independent study, internships, assistantships, mentorships, or laboratories.
Planning and supervision (Handbook section 5.7)
Career Preparation and practicums require that the LEA and the training sponsor plan and supervise instruction cooperatively. Students receive instruction by participating in occupationally specific classroom instruction and training site experiences.
Written training plan (Handbook section 5.7.3)
Written training plans must be on file for any student participating in either a paid or unpaid work-based learning experience at an approved training site except for a student participating in an unpaid practicum for which the teacher of record provides all training.
Classroom instruction alongside a practicum (Handbook section 5.7.2)
In a practicum instructional arrangement, related classroom instruction must average one class period per week during the school year. Student instruction during the one class period per week is required to be a minimum of 45 minutes in length.
iYour school makes the final determination on any experience.
Sources: 19 TAC §127.20 and §127.21 (Chapter 127, Subchapter B, effective February 13, 2024, 49 TexReg 696; Texas Education Agency PDF, May 2026 Update). 19 TAC §127.86 (Chapter 127, Subchapter C, effective September 9, 2024, 49 TexReg 6994; Texas Education Agency PDF, November 2025 Update). Texas Education Agency, 2025-2026 Student Attendance Accounting Handbook (adopted), section 5.7, pages 169 to 171.
The course codes schools report
Schools report these course codes in the state's data standards. Each second time a student takes a course has its own code, and each practicum course has its own code in the same table. KANU does not report on a school's behalf.
Career Preparation General (First Time Taken)
Course code 12701111Listed at 2 units in the table.
Career Preparation for Programs of Study (First Time Taken)
Course code 12701121Listed at 2 units in the table.
Career Preparation General/Extended Career Preparation (First Time Taken)
Course code 12701131Listed at 3 units in the table.
Career Preparation for Programs of Study/Extended Career Preparation (First Time Taken)
Course code 12701141Listed at 3 units in the table.
Source: Texas Education Agency, TSDS Web-Enabled Data Standards, Course Codes (table dated 09/02/2025, published version 2026.2.2), Chapter 127 Subchapter B, High School.
Things directors miss
A practicum runs the whole school year.
The Handbook sets this in its practicum eligibility rules.
“A practicum course spans the entire year. A student is expected to be enrolled the entire school year.”
A paid practicum has an age and documentation rule.
The Handbook states it in the same list.
“A student must be a minimum age of 16 and hold valid work documentation such as a Social Security card to enroll in any of the practicum learning experiences that have a paid component.”
A gap in employment has a limit.
The Handbook sets a number of school days for a practicum.
“Students unemployed for more than 15 consecutive school days in a practicum learning experience must be placed in an unpaid learning experience.”
Employment has a start deadline.
The Handbook ties it to the student's enrollment date.
“For a student participating in paid or unpaid experiences, employment must begin within 15 school days of the student’s enrollment date.”
Teachers visit each training site.
The Handbook sets a minimum number of visits a year.
“A teacher assigned to teach courses involving work-based learning experiences, both paid and unpaid, must physically visit each student training site at least six times each school year.”
Career Preparation credits are capped.
The rule counts the three Career Preparation courses together.
“A student may not earn more than six credits for any combination of career preparation courses selected from Career Preparation General, Career Preparation for Programs of Study, and Extended Career Preparation.”
Sources: Texas Education Agency, 2025-2026 Student Attendance Accounting Handbook (adopted), sections 5.7.2, 5.7.4 and 5.7.5, pages 170 and 171. 19 TAC §127.20(b)(2), Texas Education Agency PDF, May 2026 Update.
See the experiences in the catalog
Each lists its planned hours.
Checked 13 October 2026
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