Life School has been named a recipient of a Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) grant, awarded by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) and announced by Governor Greg Abbott on April 30, 2026. The $100,036 grant is being used to purchase and install equipment to train students in Healthcare who will go on to be nurses, doctors, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals, expanding Life School's already thriving Health Science CTE program at Life High School Waxahachie.
Life School was one of 10 Dallas-Fort Worth area schools to share in more than $2.4 million in JET grant funding — part of the state's ongoing investment in career and technical education programs that prepare students for high-demand occupations.
"This grant is a tremendous honor, and more importantly, it's a direct investment in the futures of our students," said Eddie Davis, Chief Development Officer. "Our Health Science program doesn't just give students a certification; it gives them a head start on a career. We are proud to be recognized alongside some outstanding schools in this region."
Life School's Health Science program has been building workforce-ready students for nearly a decade. Launched in 2017 under the direction of instructor Dr. Kathryn Barnes, the program originally trained students as Pharmacy Technicians. Over time, it expanded to include clinical partnerships with Baylor Scott & White Medical Center, where students train on-site and earn nationally recognized certifications in Patient Care Technician and Phlebotomy Technician. A separate Pharmacy course continues to give students the opportunity to sit for the ExCPT or PTCE (the same licensing exams required of working pharmacy professionals) with certification issued through the Texas State Board of Pharmacy.
The results speak for themselves. This year, 83% of Life School pharmacy students passed the ExCPT exam; the highest pass rate in program history, surpassing the previous record of 70%. Students averaged 27 hours of independent study time on review materials and completed six full practice exams before test day. For students who did not pass, a Tech in Training license through the State Board of Pharmacy allows them to continue working in the field for up to two years while preparing to retake the exam. For the past seven years, 100% of students in the Health Science Practicum class have passed the Patient Care Technician and Phlebotomy Technician certification tests, making them job ready in Health Care after high school graduation.
"These students never backed down," said Dr. Barnes. "They learned over 200 medications, state and federal pharmacy law, safety protocols, and so much more — and they did it while being seniors. Senioritis is real, but this group showed up every day with focus and maturity that is truly remarkable."
The reach of Life School's Health Science program extends far beyond graduation. Today, an estimated 100 former students are working in the medical field at hospitals including Parkland, Methodist, Baylor Waxahachie, and Baylor University Medical Center. They also work at pharmacies across the region including HEB, CVS, Walgreens, and independent pharmacies.
Former students have gone on to work in the ICU, NICU, PACU, Labor and Delivery, the ER, and Med-Surge floors. One alumnus credited his Life School certifications with advancing him past other candidates to become a Medic in the U.S. Navy, a position he found rewarding enough to re-enlist for four additional years.
Many students have used their pharmacy and healthcare credentials to fund their college education, staying out of debt while pursuing nursing and other advanced healthcare careers. Nursing schools, which are highly competitive, have admitted Life School graduates over candidates with higher GPAs because of the hands-on clinical experience they enter with.
"What this grant means is that even more students will have the opportunity to experience what our current students have built," added Dr. Barnes. "They are leaving high school with a future already in place. That's what this program is all about."
The JET grant funding supports the purchase of clinical training equipment to expand capacity and enhance the hands-on learning environment for incoming Health Science students at Life High School Waxahachie.
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Life School is a tuition-free, public charter school with campuses in Cedar Hill, Dallas (Oak Cliff, Mountain Creek), Lancaster, Red Oak and Waxahachie, TX. Life School develops leaders with life skills through strong academics, character training, and partnerships with parents and the community. Its mission is accomplished in part through the financial support of donors who provide scholarships to help make students ready to learn, ready to lead and ready for life.
Parents who are interested in enrollment can visit lifeschool.net/learn-about-life. Partners who would like to support Life School financially can give online at lifeschool.net/give.
