blueprint for educational change 2014 progress report

TRANSFORMING OUR REGIONTRANSFORMING OUR REGION

BUILDING THE STRONGEST EDUCATIONAL PIPELINE IN THE COUNTRY

2014REPORT

E3 Alliance® is transforming systems in the Central Texas region by positively influencing educational outcomes through data-driven collaboration among regional educational stakeholders. The E3 model for systems change is capable of replication on a national scale, and if that is done, I believe that the educational system in this country can truly be transformed.

CATHERINE MORSE, GENERALCOUNSEL,SAMSUNGAUSTIN

“ “

1

THE BLUEPRINT FOR EDUCATIONAL CHANGE: TRANSFORMINGOURREGION

Whether it’s the 500% growth in our regional STEM pipeline, $12M in new revenues

to Central Texas schools from improved attendance, or regenerating middle school teaching

and learning, the collaborative efforts to achieve The Blueprint for Educational ChangeTM

are truly transforming our region!

E3 AllianceTM: Education Equals Economics launched in 2006. Business and community leaders came

together to solve a growing problem: even though on almost every measure our students saw improved

education achievements, we were rapidly losing ground to other industrialized nations in an increasingly

global economy. Our education systems struggled to keep pace with the rapid changes of the 21st century,

resulting in great disparities in how well young people were prepared to embrace and thrive in their future.

Our economic future was at risk because of it. Our leaders took a bold and daring step: to help create

an organization that uses data driven decision making and focused community collaboration to establish

a platform for true systemic change. That risk is paying off.

In 2008, E3 Alliance brought together Central Texas leaders to agree upon the priority goals that became

The Blueprint for Educational Change, our regional strategic plan to build the strongest educational

pipeline in the country. The intent of this plan: to corral the thousands of wonderful programs and projects

into a cohesive approach that was fiscally efficient and quantifiably effective in preparing all students to

be college and career ready, cultivating a skilled and versatile workforce that would lead to sustained

community vitality and economic prosperity. The Blueprint is that strategic plan that offers us a clear path

forward — changing complex and interconnected systems to improve student outcomes, and ultimately

advance the building of our sustainable economic prosperity. Now we can truly say that collaborative efforts

to achieve Blueprint goals are transforming our region.

Each year our community comes together to review accomplishments, measure progress toward common

goals and targets, celebrate partners, and recommit to the future that we want to build for our students and

our economic future. As you’ll see in this report, the progress in the six years since we launched the Blueprint

has been truly transformative. It is a direct result of the hundreds of partners who have committed to

achieving these goals. But there is far more work to do. We need YOUR help to continue the transformation

process — to build our future together — for our students and our economic prosperity.

Sincerely,

EARL MAXWELL SUSAN DAWSON

CHAIROFTHEBOARD,E3ALLIANCE® PRESIDENT&EXECUTIVEDIRECTOR, E3ALLIANCE®

2 THEBLUEPRINTFOREDUCATIONALCHANGETM|2014REPORT

The Blueprint reflects the region’s collective aspirations

for prosperity, measurable goals and objectives we

want to achieve, and the strategies and initiatives

required to reach those goals. Education outcomes for

most students on most measures are improving, yet

the competitive pressures of the global economy are

intensifying, raising the bar ever higher. As a result,

Texas loses billions of dollars in wealth and social

capital every year because we don’t take full advantage

of our human capital. E3 Alliance seeks to strengthen

Central Texas economic competitiveness by increasing

educational outcomes for all students. As our name

says: “Education Equals Economics.”

The economic competitiveness of the Central Texas

region requires that all of our students reach their

highest potential. However, socio-economic trends are

challenging us to produce better, faster, and more

broadly shared results. Over the past decade, Central

Texas has changed dramatically. Our student

population has grown at twice the state’s rate,

which is consistently the fastest growing student

population of all 50 states! We take pride in

this growth as it speaks to a strong and diverse

business environment and a high quality of life.

With this tremendous growth, however, our

schools have struggled to keep pace with both

the sheer numbers and rapid changes in our

student population — changes that require

transforming the way we approach education.

A snapshot of student demographic changes

over the last ten years shows1:

• We have 88,031 more students (38%) in our

public schools, almost twice the student growth

rate of the state2

• Our Hispanic and low income student populations

have each grown by 73%3

• The percentage of our students receiving special

education services has grown, while the state’s

rate has decreased by over 10%4

• Our English Language Learner population

has grown by 100%, nearly three times faster

than the state5

• Half of all Central Texas students receive free or

reduced lunch services5

• The number of children living in poverty in our

region has grown at nearly 3 times the national

rate in the last ten years6

LAST DECADE SAW DRAMATIC INCREASE IN

PERCENTAGE OF LOW INCOME STUDENTS

WHAT IS THE BLUEPRINT FOR EDUCATIONAL CHANGE™ AND WHY IS IT NEEDED?

THE BLUEPRINT FOR EDUCATIONAL CHANGE ISCENTRALTEXAS’STRATEGICPLANTOBUILDTHESTRONGESTEDUCATIONALPIPELINEINTHECOUNTRY.

Source:E3AllianceanalysisofTexasEducationAgencyAEISandTAPRdata

TRANSFORMINGOURREGION 3

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

The Blueprint for Educational Change is:

1. Data-driven and focused on positive change

2. Compiling never-before-available, objective, longitudinal information and sharing it transparently to enable

communities and institutions to work together toward common goals

3. A regional strategy — the most effective platform for scalable change

• Large enough to gain economies of scale and leverage strengths, but small enough to be

entrepreneurial and engender understanding and will of the public.

• Designed to be replicated across the state and beyond, with versatility to allow for regional differences.

4. Aligned to institutions and practices from cradle to career

• The traditional vertical separation of various “levels” of education creates huge barriers for

students — even those who are succeeding.

• Localized structures tend to promote inefficient “not invented here” approaches to solving problems.

Together, we can overcome institutional and policy barriers, and align our resources and practices to

optimize educational outcomes.

5. Based on regional precedents for effective public-private partnership

• We can build on the national reputation our region has in public-private partnerships for other

critical infrastructure issues that span artificial geographical boundaries.

• Business and community influence and support are required to build the public will for change.

A MODEL FOR CHANGE

The Blueprint for Educational Change focuses on four priority goals:

GOAL 1: All children enter Kindergarten school ready

GOAL 2: Central Texas eliminates achievement gaps while improving overall student performance

GOAL 3: Students graduate college- and career-ready, and prepared for a lifetime of learning

GOAL 4: Central Texas, as a community, prepares children to succeed

In this report you’ll learn about the progress our region has made this past year around the goals of

The Blueprint for Educational Change, including collaborative results, measures of progress, and what

YOU can do to help us transform our region.

DATA EVALUATION & RESEARCH

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTREGIONAL

STRATEGIC PLAN

IMPROVED STUDENTOUTCOMES LEAD TOREGIONAL ECONOMIC

PROSPERITY

SYSTEMIC ALIGNMENT


WHY WE CARE:

When children are ready to learn they are more likely to succeed in school.7

Just over half of Central Texas Kindergarteners

enter school ready.

• Theearliestyearshaveabigimpacton

development.8Enteringschoolbehindcan

leadtomanyschooldifficulties,including

eventuallydroppingout.

• Childrenwhoparticipateinquality pre-K

programshavebetteroutcomes9:

• Every $1 investedinqualityearlycare

andeducationsaves taxpayers up to $9

infuturecosts.10

ACTION STRATEGIES:

ACTION STRATEGY 1: FAMILIES

Linkparents,grandparentsandun-licensedchild

careproviderstoquality,evidence-basedprograms

inearlycareandeducation,andexpandthe

capacityofthesequalityprograms.

ACTION STRATEGY 2: CHILD CARE

AND SCHOOLS

Ensureourchildreninchildcareorinpre-kare

gettingwhattheyneedtobeschoolready,and

thatchildrenhaveaccesstoservicesbyincreasing

accessandcapacityofbothpublicandprivate

highqualityprograms.

ACTION STRATEGY 3: COMMUNITY

Promoteappropriateschool-readinessstandards,

andadvocateforqualityprogramsforchildrenso

theycanbereadyforschool,workandlife.

GOAL

ONE

OBJECTIVES:

SCHOOL READINESS

70%ofchildrenenterkindergartenschoolreadyby2015

95%ofchildrenenterKindergartenreadyby2020

“ Ready, Set, K! has helped change our teachers’ way of thinking. It is also helping parents understand the development process and we can show them their children’s progress. This is about not only transforming assessment, but transforming classroom teaching.”

—LIZETTERODRIGUEZ,ASSISTANTPRINCIPAL,

HERNANDEZELEMENTARYSCHOOL,SANMARCOSISD

AllChildrenEnterKindergartenSchoolReady

MORE LIKELY LESS LIKELY

READY FOR KINDERGARTEN SPECIAL EDUCATION

GRADUATE REPEAT A GRADE

ATTEND COLLEGE COMMIT A CRIME

EARN MORE

HAVE A STABLE JOB

{


RESULTS TO DATE:

• ConvenedaSchoolReadinessTaskforceof expertsfromacrosstheregionwhoworked morethantwoyearstodevelopReady, Set, K!, instructionalpracticesforPre-Kand Kindergartenteacherswithstudent-centered assessmentofschoolreadiness.

• EducationServiceCenterRegion13and E3AlliancetrainedhundredsofPre-Kand Kindergartenteachersininstructionalpractices tosupportschoolreadinesswithReady, Set, K!.

• Since2010,haveprovidedthemost comprehensive,student-centeredassessmentof readinessavailableanywhereinthestate.These resultshavebeenusedbyteachers,districts, andourregion,inpowerfulways:

º Becauseoftheverystrongcorrelation betweenPreKattendanceandreadiness, Ready, Set, K! datahelpedschooldistricts andlegislatorssustainPre-Kfunding

º Determinedthatgreaterschoolreadiness istiedtoacombinationoflongerschool dayandlowerstudentteacherratio

º Provideddatatocommunity basedorganizationsincludingAAROand theEarlyChildhoodBusinessAlliance toaccelerateregionalreadinessefforts

º Usedregionalresultstosupportthe School Readiness Action Plan for Travis County,ledbySuccessby6.

• TheAustin/TravisCountyCommunityhas adoptedthegoalof70%ofchildrenentering Kindergartenbeingreadyforschoolby2015,

usingReady,Set, K!asthebaselinemeasure.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

EDUCATORS: • Participateinthe2014-2015Kindergarten ReadinessStudy

• Encourageteacherprofessionaldevelopment opportunitiesthatsupportpre-Kteachers

• Streamlinepre-Kregistrationprocesstoensure parentscanmoreeasilyenrolleligiblechildren

• Educatefamiliesaboutexpectationsusing theSchool Readiness Parent Guide

COMMUNITY PARTNERS: • Broadenoutreachtoparentstoencourage eligiblechildrentoenrollinpublicPre-Kprograms

• Supportexpandedqualitycertificationof Pre-Kprograms

• SupporttheTravis County School Readiness Action Plan andbroadenstrategiestotheregion

BUSINESS LEADERS: • JointheEarlyChildhoodBusinessAllianceto increasepre-Kservicesforthreeyearsolds

• Distributeinformationtoemployeesonthe importanceofearlycareandeducation.

• Supportparentsofyoungchildrenthrough familyfriendlybusinesspractices:flexibleleave policiesandschedules;workingfromhome; andprovidingchildcareresources.

SUCCESS INDICATORS: Children Entering Kindergarten School Ready11 2010 2011 2012 2013 Progress to 70% Overall 52% 51% 56% 53% Girls 61% 63% 63% 59% Boys 44% 40% 49% 47% Non-low Income 66% 63% 68% 64% Low Income 39% 40% 45% 44% Attended a Pre-K Program 55% 55% 58% 58% Did not attend a Pre-K Program 39% 38% 42% 46% Eligible 4 year olds enrolled in Public Pre-K 2009 2010 2011 2012 Trend CTX Region12 69% 75% 76% 74% Early Childhood Programs participating in Quality Improvement and Accreditation Programs 2010 2011 2012 2013 Trend Licensed Child Care Quality Rated Capacity13 28% 33% 31% 31% Public Pre-K Campuses in CTX Region14 67% 67% 66% 59%


GOAL

TWO

OBJECTIVES: {

ELIMINATE ACHIEVEMENT GAPS

80%ofall8thgradersineverysubpopulationattainatleastsatisfactoryacademicperformanceinReading,Mathematics,ScienceandSocialStudiesasassessedbytheStateofTexasAssessmentofAcademicReadiness(STAAR)by2015

“ The Blueprint’s work accelerates our progress toward eliminating achievement gaps. Every percentage point gained translates to hundreds of children who are seeing their education prospects improve. Collaboration give us power – power to change systems and change lives.”

—PAULINEDOW,CHIEFACADEMICOFFICER,AUSTINISD

CentralTexasEliminatesAchievementGapsWhileImprovingOverallStudentPerformance

WHY WE CARE:

Academicachievementgapsbetweendifferentethnicandincomegroupsexistintheearlygradesandwidenasstudentsproceedthroughschoolunlesstherearehigh-qualitylearningopportunitiesandinterventionsavailabletostudents.Bytransformingteachingandlearningacrosstheregion,wecaneliminategapsandraiseacademicachievementforallstudents,makingatremendousimpactonourfutureworkforceandeconomy.

InCentralTexas:

• Gapsin8thgradeachievementacrossethnic breakdownsvaryaswidelyas27percentage pointsinmathematics.15

• Thesegapsareevidentasearlyas3rdgrade reading,inwhich90%ofWhite3rdgradersmet standardsinreadingversus74%ofHispanic and66%ofAfricanAmerican3rdGraders.16

• Weknowwecanmakeadifference! Achievementgapsinpassingrateshavesteadily improvedontheTAKS,andnowwiththeSTAAR assessments.Stillthereisalongwaytogo.17

• HispanicandBlackretentionratesfor first-time9thgradersis3timesthatofWhite orAsianstudents.18

• Ourfirst-time9thgraderswhoareretained miss4timesasmanyschooldaysastheirpeers. Theseretained9thgradersare7timesmore likelytodropoutofschool.19

ACTION STRATEGIES:

ACTION STRATEGY 1: LITERACY AND ACADEMIC ENGLISH SKILLSIdentifyandpromoteprogramsandinstructionthathelpensureallstudentsacquireproficiencyinliteracyandacademicEnglishskills.

ACTION STRATEGY 2: EFFECTIVE TEACHING Identify,shareandsupportimplementationofmodelsofhighqualityinstructionfornewandcontinuingeducators;especiallythoseinhigh-needsareas.

ACTION STRATEGY 3: STUDENT ATTENDANCE Increasestudentattendancerates,especiallyforlowincomeandat-riskstudents.

ACTION STRATEGY 4: STUDENT EYESIGHT & VISION Identifyvision-impairedlow–incomestudentsandprovidevisionservices.


SUCCESS INDICATORS:

RESULTS TO DATE:

• StrugglingmiddleschoolstudentsinRAISEup Texasschoolsaredrasticallyoutperforming nationally-normedcomparisonstudentsingains ateverysubjectandeverygradelevel.

• InformedbyresultsoftheBright Spots Study for English Language Learners,theCentralTexas EnglishLanguageLearner(ELL)Collaborative revisedtheELL Rubric for Highly Functioning Campuses.Thepilotandevaluationoftherubric instrumentwilloccurthroughoutthe2014-15 schoolyear.

• TheCentral Texas Council on Educator Preparation (CTCEP) identifiedskillsand knowledgefornewteachersandteacher candidatesdesiredbydistrictsandEducator Preparationprograms,andisusingthis informationtodevelopagreementsfor improvedteacherpreparationacrosstheregion.

• CTCEPreceivedthe2013 Quest for Quality Exemplary K-12 School Partnershipaward highlightingexemplaryqualityinuniversity- basedteacherpreparation.

• Kids Vision for Lifeisprovidingfree eyeglassesforstudentswithproblemvision acrosstheregion.E3Allianceistheevaluation

partnerprovidingground-breakingnational researchintotheimpactofvisionimprovement onstudentsuccess.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?EDUCATORS: • ActivelyparticipateinE3-3Dpresentations, collaborativesandsymposiatoassistin identifyingbestpracticestoeliminate achievementgaps

• KeepE3Alliancestaffinformedaboutthe pressingissuesandbestpracticesinyour schooldistrict

COMMUNITY PARTNERS: • Talktopublicofficialsabouteliminating achievementgapstoleveltheplayingfield forallkids

• Joinaschoolordistrictadvisoryor decision-makingcommittee

BUSINESS LEADERS: • Recruitemployeestobecomementors, tutors,oracademiccoachesatahighneeds middleschool

• CoordinatewithE3Alliancetohostan employeeforumfocusedoneducation

Student Passing Rates 20, 21 2008

(TAKS) 2009 (TAKS)

2010 (TAKS)

2011 (TAKS)

2012 (STAAR)

2013 (STAAR)

Trend* ≥80%

Black 8th Grade Students Mathematics 69% 71% 77% 77% 64% 64% Reading 93% 93% 92% 91% 72% 77% Science 53% 58% 66% 64% 60% 67% Hispanic 8th Grade Students Mathematics 77% 80% 82% 84% 72% 73% Reading 93% 93% 91% 92% 75% 80% Science 53% 62% 68% 71% 65% 72% White 8th Grade Students Mathematics 93% 95% 95% 96% 92% 91% Reading 99% 99% 98% 98% 93% 94% Science 86% 89% 92% 92% 89% 92% Low Income 8th Grade Students Mathematics 73% 76% 79% 81% 69% 70% Reading 92% 92% 90% 90% 72% 77% Science 52% 59% 66% 68% 62% 69% Non-Low Income 8th Grade Students Mathematics 92% 94% 96% 96% 92% 91% Reading 99% 99% 98% 99% 93% 95% Science 84% 88% 91% 91% 89% 92% Students Ready for High School HS Class

of ‘11 Of ‘12 Of ‘13 Of ‘14 Of ’15 Of ‘16

% First-time Freshman who did not advance on time 10% 10% 8% 7% 7% 6%


GOAL

THREE

OBJECTIVES: {

HIGH SCHOOL, COLLEGE & CAREER SUCCESS

95%CentralTexasHighSchoolgraduationrateby2015

86%CentralTexasstudentsarecollegeandcareerreadyby2015

“ Campus 2 Careers connects our students to businesses that will be hiring in the Bastrop area when they enter the workforce. This is a great opportunity for our students to base their career goals on real jobs and real opportunities”

—LESHUDSON,CAREERANDTECHNOLOGYEDUCATIONDIRECTOR,

BASTROPISDONTHEWORK-BASEDLEARNINGINITIATIVE

StudentsGraduateCollegeandCareerReadyandPreparedforaLifeofLearning

WHY WE CARE: In2012,1outof3youngadultsdidnothaveajoborwerenotlookingforwork.AsurveybyBraunResearchfoundthat2outof3hiringmanagersdidnotbelievecollegegraduateswerereadyfortheworkforce.23InCentralTexas,ourstudentpopulationisgraduatingatalowerratethanthenationalaverage,andourlowincomestudentswhograduatearenotenrollingandpersistingincollege.Asaresult,wearenotdevelopingtheskilledworkforcenecessarytocontributetoavibrantandhealthyeconomy.Sweepinglegislativechangesrequiringhighschoolpathwayswithdirectconnectiontocollegeandcareercanstreamlinetransitionsintothepostsecondaryandworkingworlds,butsomeareconcernedthesechangescouldlowerstudentpreparedness.Byfocusingonsecondaryandpostsecondarysuccessforallstudentswewillbuildaworkforcepreparedforalifetimeoflearning.

• Texasrankslastinthenationinthepercentage ofadultswithahighschooldiplomaormore.24

• Conservativeestimatesshowthat,overthe courseoftheirlives,dropoutsfromthe2012 graduatingcohort*coststheregion$410million inlostincome,reducedtaxrevenue,and increasedsocialexpenditures.25,26,27,28

• WhileCentralTexashighschoolgraduateshave improved,nearly40%arestillnotcollege-and career-ready.29

• Only3in5highschoolgraduatesoftheClass of2006enteredcollegewithinayearofgraduating. Ofthose,justhalfearnedacertificate,associate’s orbachelor’sdegreefromaTexashigher educationinstitutionwithin6years.30

• Collegepersistenceratesfromthefirsttosecond yearshownoimprovementoverthelastsixyears –thisholdsforboth2-yearand4-yearinstitutions.31

*Acohortisagroupof9thgradersenrollinginhighschoolinagivenyearthatwouldhavegraduated4yearslater.

ACTION STRATEGIES: ACTION STRATEGY 1: SUCCESSFUL 21ST CENTURY HIGH SCHOOLSReview,shareandsupportevidence-basedpracticesinhighschoolimprovement

ACTION STRATEGY 2: INCREASING COLLEGE ACCESS Align&expandprogramstosimplifytransitionstohighereducationandtoworkandthatincreasecoursearticulations

ACTION STRATEGY 3: TARGETING 21ST CENTURY SKILLS Collaboratewithindustrytobuildoncross-disciplinaryskillsdefinedintheTexasCollegeandCareerReadinessStandardsandstrengthenprogramsincareerawareness,professionalskillsandwork-basedlearning

ACTION STRATEGY 4: COLLEGE AND WORKFORCE ENTRY SUCCESS Promotebestpracticesthathelpstudentssucceedafterhighschool

Only one in ten low-income Central Texas high school graduates will earn a credential (certificate, associates, or bachelors) within six years.


SUCCESS INDICATORS:

RESULTS TO DATE:

• Therearenow7,554secondarystudentsinthe

STEMPipeline,anincreaseof500%since2008!

CentralTexashasalsoincreasedstudentdiversity

inSTEMwithtripledigitgainsinparticipationby

minority,female,andlowincomestudents.39

• Fiveschooldistrictsarecurrentlypilotingan

initiativebetweenschoolsandemployersto

systematizework-basedlearningopportunities

forstudentstoincreasecourserelevance,career

awareness,andconnectthemtoreal-worldrole

modelsandexperiences.

• TheAustinCollegeAccessNetwork(ACAN)has

tripledthenumberofstudentsreceivingdirect

supportservicesinthelastsixyearstoover

6,900primarilylowincomeandfirstgeneration

collegestudents.ACANisacollaborativeof

sevencommunity-basedorganizationsandlocal

highereducationinstitutionsdedicatedto

improvingfirstgenerationstudentcollege

participationandsuccess.

• ACANcreatedanddeliveredworkshopsand

guidesonkeyregionaltopicsincludingtheNEW

TSIAssessment,collegeadvisingforimmigrant

students,andplace-boundstudentsto

over260counselors,andstudentsuccess

practitionersacrossCentralTexas.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

EDUCATORS: • Partnerwithcommunity-basedorganizationson

yourcampusestoimprovestudentperformance,

graduation,andcollegeaccess,especiallyforlow

incomeandfirstgenerationstudents

• Connectwithbusinessandlocalcollegesto

supportcareerpathwaysexpansion

COMMUNITY PARTNERS: • SupporteffortsbyACAN,theGreaterAustin

Chamber,andcommunity-basedorganizations

toimprovegraduationandcollegereadiness

• Shareinformationwithyourparticipants

aboutbothHB5andthenewTexasSuccess

Initiative(TSI)

• Volunteeryourtimetopromotecollege

readinessbyconnectingwithmember

organizationsofAustinCollegeAccess

Network(ACAN)

BUSINESS LEADERS: • Participateincollege-andcareer-fairsand

eventstoencouragestudentachievement

• Providework-basedlearningopportunities

tostudents(e.g.mentoring,jobshadowing,

summerinternships)

Students Graduate College & Career Ready HS Class of ’07 of ’08 of ’09 of ’10 of ‘11 of ’12 Trend Graduation rate32 77% 78% 80% 84% 85% 89% % Seniors Taking Rigorous Coursework33 41% 43% 43% 59% 59% 60% % Graduated on Recommended or Distinguished Plan34 80% 82% 82% 82% 79% 80% % Graduates Meeting State College & Career Ready 43% 47% 53% 58% 59% 62% Standards35 % Graduates Enrolling in Texas Colleges within 1 Year of 62% 61% 61% 61% 60% 58% HS Graduation36 College Persistence and Completion % College Students Persisting in Higher Education 83% 83% 82% 81% 81% NA (Freshman to Sophomore)37 Students Succeed in Workforce Entry HS Class of ’03 of ’04 of ‘05 of ‘06 Trend % College Students Obtaining Postsecondary Credential 49% 48% 47% 48% Within 6 Years of Enrollment38 % College Students Obtaining Postsecondary Credential NA NA NA NA In Regional High Demand Fields % HS or College Graduates Obtaining Jobs in High NA NA NA NA Demand Fields % HS Graduates Obtaining Jobs with Livable Wage NA NA NA NA


GOAL

FOUR

OBJECTIVES: {

COMMUNITY ACCOUNTABILITY

By2015,ourregionhasapervasivecultureofsharedaccountabilityforallstudentsuccess

CentralTexasasaCommunityPreparesChildrentoSucceed

WHY WE CARE: Forourstudentstosucceedandourcommunitytoprosper,itisnotenoughforprincipalsandschoolstobeaccountable—wemustchangethecultureofourregionsothatall of usshareasenseofaccountabilityforthesuccessofeverystudent.Wehelpachievethissharedaccountabilitythroughavarietyofways–publicpresentations,socialmedia,awarenesscampaignsthroughschools,etc.Beginninginspring2011,ourprimaryoutreachtothecommunityhasbeenaroundstudentattendancethroughtheMissingSchoolMatterscampaign.Whatattendance?Becauseimprovedattendancehasa“triplebottomline”positiveimpactonstudents,teachers,andschoolfunding,andbecauseitissomethingthatweascommunitymembercaneffect.E3Alliancestudiedtheissue,andgatheredsomeamazingfindings:

• TheyearbeforetheMissingSchoolMatters campaignwaslaunchedtherewere2.4million absencesinCentralTexas.40

• Ahighschoolstudentwhomissed10schooldays ayearwas3timesmorelikelytodropoutthan onewhomissed5orfewerdays.41

• Becauseschoolsarepaidbasedonstudent attendance,costsadduprapidly.Theaverage CentralTexashighschoolloses$20,000 aweekduetoabsenteeism!42

• CentralTexasloses$91millioninschoolfunding everyyearbecauseofstudentabsences.43

ACTION STRATEGIES: WorkingwiththeAARO(AustinAreaResearchOrganization’s)CommunityAccountabilityTeam,createacultureofcommunityaccountabilityforourstudents’successinCentralTexas.

ACTION STRATEGY 1: STUDENT ATTENDANCE Launchandleadaregion-wideattendancecampaign:MissingSchoolMatters;usethisasastrategicmechanismtoengagethecommunityaroundhowtheycanbejointlyaccountableinhelpingschools.

ACTION STRATEGY 2: COMMUNITY OUTREACH HoldE3-3DOutreacheventstofosterchangedpracticesbasedonobjectivedataandanannualLeadersSummittoshareeducationinformation,drivepeopletoaction,andhelpthemsupportpositivechange.

ACTION STRATEGY 3: COMMUNITY ALIGNMENTEngagecommunityleadersandgroupsinteractivelytoalignthegoalsandobjectivesofestablishedcommunityorganizationswithTheBlueprintforEducationalChange.

ACTION STRATEGY 4: COMMUNITY ACCOUNTABILITY Adoptprocessandoutcomesmetricsformeasuringacultureofaccountabilityforeducationinourregion.

“ The business leadership in Central Texas is impressed by the impact that Missing School Matters is having in our communities and schools. Here is something that works, and E3 has the data to prove it!”

—SUZANNACABALLERO,PRESIDENT/CEO

OFTEXASCERTIFIEDDEVELOPMENTCORPORATION


SUCCESS INDICATORS:

RESULTS TO DATE: • InpartnershipwithAARO,alliancedistricts,and hundredsofcommunityparticipants,E3Alliance continuedraisingawarenessaroundtheMissing SchoolMatters,theregionalcampaignto increasestudentattendance:

º Whenthecampaignwaslaunched, absenteeisminCentralTexaswasworse thanthestateaverageateverygrade. By2012,CentralTexashadcaughtup withthestateandcontinuestoimprove.

º Returned$12 million dollarsinstate fundingrevenuestoCentralTexas districtssincetheinceptionofthe attendancecampaignin2011dueto reductioninstudentabsences.

º Mediaoutreachthroughmultiplemedia outletsaswellasaspecialadvertisement inTexasMonthlyonMissingSchoolMatters havecreatedabuzzthroughouttheregion.

º Launchedanattendancesocialmedia campaigncalled#curbabsenceswith YellowCabwithPSAsonthebackoftaxi cabsin25keyroutesinAustin.

º Supported25schoolsincompetinginthe nationalGetSchooledChallengetoincrease schoolattendance.SevenCentralTexas schoolsfinishedinthetop50schoolsin thecountry.

º Conductedanationallyground-breaking studyonwhystudentsareabsentfrom schoolandfound48%ofabsencesare duetoacuteillnessessuchascolds,flu,etc.

º Launchedanefforttobringfluvaccines toeverystudentandstaffmemberatno costtostudentsordistrictsin56schools inthefallof2014.

Changeishappeninginourcommunity!Wecommissionedanindependentevaluatortoconductanonymoussurveysofkeystakeholderstomeasuretheirperceptionsofeducationandourprogressinfacilitatingpositivechange.Someoftheircompellingfindingsinclude:

1 We value education: 96% of respondents agreed that by improving educational outcomes, we will get more kids out of poverty

2 We are accountable: 92% agreed that “I have a responsibility to support the success of students in our Central Texas region, even if I have no children of my own in school”

3 We know what to do: 86% agreed that they feel informed enough to take action

WHAT CAN YOU DO?EDUCATORS, COMMUNITY AND BUSINESS PARTNERS: • Engageyourconstituents,customersandemployees intheMissingSchoolMattersAttendance Campaignatwww.missingschoolmatters.organd usethemanyresourcesthere:

• SharetheParentGuidetoAttendancewith everyfamilyyouknow

• DownloadandputupMissingSchoolMatters postersatwork

• Placearticlesinyourbusinessor organizationalnewsletter

• Giveapresentationatwork,yourHOA,faithor professionalorganization,orclub

• Helpwithsecuringpublicservice announcements,co-brandingandmessaging onvariousmediaplatforms

2010 2011 2012 2013 # Educators, business leaders, community, and collaborative partners involved in Missing School Matters campaign (cumulative) NA NA 250 384 # Central Texas Students involved in the Get Schooled Attendance Challenge NA NA 20,000 17,000 % Increase in average student attendance in participating Get Schooled challenge Schools NA NA 2.2% .2% Cumulative revenue to school districts through improved attendance since Campaign launched44 NA NA $7.6 Million $12 Million # Stories per year in print media, television, or radio broadcasts 11 16 20 33 # Education, community, and business groups participating in collaborative 127 171 202 242 Blueprint efforts


TRANSFORMATION THROUGH COLLABORATION

TheworkofThe Blueprint for Educational Changehighlightsboththeimportanceandthetransformativepowerof

systemicchange.Byundertakingcollaborativeaction,ourregioncanrealizetheexponentialeffectsofimprovedstudent

outcomesandcivicengagementthatleadtogreatereconomicprosperityforourcommunityandourfuture.

Transformingsystemsismuchmorethanjustpartneringorsharingcommonmetrics-itmeansinvestment,shared

ownershipandsustainedcommitment.Thecommitmentisnottochangethelivesofahandfulofchildreninagivenschool

orneighborhoodthroughoneprogram(nomatterhowstrong).Instead,suchcommitmentmeansthatweexpectresults

notfor60childrenbutfor60,000;notforonemiddleschoolbutforallour68middleschools;notforonedemographic

butforall.E3Alliancehelpstofacilitateandorchestratetransformationthroughcollaborativeaction,fuelingthework

oftheBlueprintthroughobjectivedata-drivendecisionmaking,bringingtogethercommunities,creatingacommitment

tochange,andultimatelychangingnotjustpracticesbutsystems.

THEORY OF CHANGE

OBJECTIVE DATA-DRIVEN DECISION MAKING

BUILDINGCOMMUNITY

CREATINGCOMMITMENTOF CHANGE

SUSTAINING ACULTURE OF HIGH

PERFORMANCE

CONVENESTAKEHOLDERS

IDENTIFYDATA INSIGHTS

BUILDCOMMON AGENDA

FORGECOLLABORATION

CHANGESYSTEMS

CHANGE PRACTICES& BUILD CAPACITY

During 2013, over 1300 people across 242 organizations throughout Central Texas supported, participated in and broadcast Blueprint initiatives helping to transform the education experience for over 390,000 students from Pre-K through Post-secondary.

Andtheseorganizationsarecommittedandbelievecomplexsystemschangeispossible.A2013E3Alliancesurveyofstakeholdersindicated:

✔Over 90% of respondents feel that their organization has a responsibility to help children succeed in school

✔Only 10% of respondents think systemic change in education is too overwhelming to undertake


WHO IS PART OF THIS COLLABORATIVE ACTION?

ALLIANCE DISTRICTS whohaveanongoing,formalrelationshipwithE3Alliancethatallowsforregularjointplanningwithsuperintendentsandotherdistrictleaders,detaileddatasharing,regionalgrantopportunities,sharingofpracticesandotherongoingcollaboration.

AustinISDBastropISDDelValleISDEanesISDHaysCISDHuttoISDLakeTravisISDLeanderISDManorISDPflugervilleISDRoundRockISDSanMarcosCISDTaylorISD

COALITION INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION (IHEs) arebasedintheCentralTexasregionandhaveanongoing,formalrelationshipwithE3AlliancethatallowsforregularjointplanningwithIHEleaders,collaborativeactivitiesandsharedstrategicplanningandpractices.

AustinCommunityCollegeDistrictConcordiaUniversityHuston-TillotsonUniversitySouthwesternUniversitySt.Edward’sUniversityTexasStateUniversityTheUniversityofTexasatAustinWesternGovernorsUniversity

COMMUNITY GROUPS AND NONPROFITS acrosstheregionhaveworkedwithE3Allianceoncollaborativeprojectsandinitiatives,designofThe Blueprint for Educational Change,jointgrants,andotherCollectiveImpactactivitiestosupporthigheroutcomesforthestudentsofCentralTexas.

AmericanYouthworksAnyBabyCanAttendanceWorksAustinAreaResearchOrganizationAustinCommunityFoundationAustinInterfaithAustinPartnersinEducationAustinTechnologyCouncilAustinVoicesforEducation andYouthBastropP-16PartnershipEarlyChildhoodBusinessAllianceBreakthroughAustinCapitalAcademiesCareerExpresswayCentralHealthCentralTexasEducationFundersChildren’sOptimalHealthCityofAustinCollegeForwardCommunitiesinSchoolsCommunityActionNetworkConMiMADREEducateTexasEducationServiceCenterRegion13EntrepreneursFoundation ofCentralTexasEnvisionCentralTexasEssilorVisionFoundationGetSchooledFoundationGirlsScoutsofCentralTexasGreaterAustinChamberGreaterAustinHispanicChamberHispanicScholarshipConsortiumiACTILiveHere,IGiveHereIndependentCollegesandUniversitiesofTexasImpactAustin

KidsVisionCentralTexasLeadershipAustinOpportunityAustinRaiseYourHandTexasRayMarshallCenterfor theStudyofHumanResourcesReadyby21CoalitionSetonFamilySkillpointAllianceSt.David’sFoundationSuccessby6SustainabilityIndicatorsProjectTexasAllianceforMinorities inEngineeringTexasAssociationof SchoolBoardsTexasAssociationof SchoolAdministratorsTexasCharterSchoolsAssociationTexasEducationAgencyTexasEducationGrantmakers AdvocacyConsortiumTexasHigherEducation CoordinatingBoardTravisCountyResearch andPlanningUnitedWayforGreaterAustinUnitedWaysofTexasWorkforceSolutionsCapitalArea

INITIATIVE COLLABORATORS KIPPAustinPublicSchoolsNYOSCharterSchoolTexasA&MUniversity

BUSINESS PARTNERS AND INDUSTRY GROUPS acrosstheregionhavesupportedtheworkofE3Alliancethroughmonetaryandin-kindcontributions,strategicleadership,collaborativeprojectsandinitiatives,designofThe Blueprint for Educational Change,andotherCollectiveImpactactivitiestosupporthigheroutcomesforthestudentsofCentralTexas.Theyincludeover95organizations.


ARCHITECTS OF CHANGEThe Blueprint for Educational Change and E3 Alliance are only a strong as the partnerships and collaborations

that we build. We are pleased to announce this year’s recipients of the Architects of Change recognitions.

An Architect of Change is an individual or organization exemplifying true commitment to the regional collaborative

change process and meaningfully impacting the goals of the Blueprint. Please join us in celebrating the following

individuals and organizations as the 2014 Architects of Change:

EDUCATION SERVICE CENTER REGION 13 SCHOOL READY TEAMThe School Ready Team at Education Service Center Region 13, lead by Cathy Doggett, is dedicated to maximizing

opportunities to enhance quality pre-K services in our region. Despite massive state budget cuts that forced many

Service Centers to discontinue school readiness programs, Region 13 has continued to dedicate staff and resources

to support tools such as Ready, Set, K!, and professional development to enhance pre-K teaching, assessment

and program operations, raising the impact of early education in the over 60 school districts they support and

collaborate with.

DR. GRANT W. SIMPSON, DEAN, SCHOOL OF EDUCATION AT ST. EDWARD’S UNIVERSITYDr. Grant W. Simpson serves as Dean for the School of Education at St. Edward’s University, where he continues

to set the bar on high quality educator preparation programs (EPP). Dr. Simpson also serves on the State Board

of Education Certification (SBEC) and was recognized for his leadership by the Texas Association of Colleges for

Teacher Education. Dr. Simpson helped to launch and currently chairs the Central Texas Council on Educator

Preparation (CTCEP) comprised of over 25 school districts and educator preparation programs. CTCEP is one of

the first joint councils in the state designed to cultivate a shared vision for preparing high quality educators

from the time when they begin their major through their first years of teaching in school.

AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICTOver the last six years, Austin Community College (ACC) has been a vital partner in “moving the needle” for

student outcomes in college access, persistence, and success, especially for traditionally under-represented

student populations. ACC is a founding partner of E3 Alliance, and since the launch of the Austin College Access

Network (ACAN) — a coalition of community organizations helping thousands of low income, first generation,

and under-served students reach their postsecondary goals — ACC has shown tremendous leadership in

developing and implementing new and innovative supports that improve student persistence, degree completion

and/or successful transfer to 4-year institutions.

CO-CHAIRS OF MISSING SCHOOL MATTERS TASKFORCE, AMY JONES & LAUREN PAVERAmy Jones, Principal at O’Connell Robertson, and Lauren Paver, Sr. Director of Operations at CLS Partners are

the founding co-chairs of the Missing School Matters Taskforce. The taskforce is the community outreach arm of

the Community Accountability Team. As the co-chairs of the taskforce, Amy and Lauren have led the efforts of the

taskforce to present and amplify the message of improving student attendance through 41 presentations reaching

1276 individuals, and 33 media outreach and placements in community, business, association and school newsletters

and publications. Lauren and Amy have exemplified the effective leadership community leaders can provide to

raise the awareness around Missing School Matters in Central Texas.

15

HOW CAN YOU SAVE MONEY FOR SCHOOLS AND HELP STUDENTS SUCCEED?

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPACTFUL THING YOU CAN DO THIS YEAR TO HELP GET THE WORD OUT?

Today’s disconnect between industry, teachers and students leaves too many students sidelined from career awareness, preparation, and real-life learning

experiences to prepare for a future in high-demand jobs.

BRINGING THE WORLD TO THE CLASSROOM AND THE CLASSROOM TO THE WORLD

An online portal for regional work-based learning opportunities: • Teachers and Administrators can connect to industry experts aligned to Texas curriculum standards in critical subjects. • High School Students can match their interests and aptitudes to opportunities to enhance career awareness, experience, and preparation for the high demand, high wage occupations in our region.

• Businesses can build employee engagement with local students to cultivate their future workforce.

TAKE UP THE CHALLENGE E3 Alliance is piloting the state’s first regional work-based learning system with two innovative vendor partners, SureScore Campus2Careers and Nepris. You can:

1. Engage students with your business: Post your company’s internships, job-shadowing, and other work-based learning opportunities on Campus2Careers.com. Contact Nathan Green [email protected] for more information.

2. Connect the World of Work to the Classroom: Sign up to become a virtual classroom speaker at

Nepris.com and contact Sabari Raja [email protected] to learn more about engaging your employees.

To support Missing School Matter, go to www.MissingSchoolMatters.org

A typical high school in Central Texas loses $20,000 week due to student absences. If we increase attendance by just 3 days per student per year, school districts in our region will gain $34 million dollars in state revenue annually. Since the start of the Missing School Matters campaign in Central Texas, we’ve been able to reduce absences while enrollment continues to grow, saving $12 million dollars. But we’ve got some ways to go: in 2014 we want to double the amount of savings to $24 million.

34 MILLION

$

Amount of money Central Texas school districts would gain if every student attended just 3 more days

Students can learn more

Teachers have more time to teach

Districts have increased revenue

TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE

HOW CAN YOU BRING THE WORLD OF WORK TO THE CLASSROOM?

WORK-BASEDLEARNINGSYSTEM

TEACHERS &ADMINISTRATORS

HIGHT SCHOOLSTUDENTS BUSINESSES


ENDNOTES:1 E3 Alliance analysis of Texas Academic Performance Report data from the Texas Education Agency. 2, 3, 4, 5 Ibid. 6 Kids Count Data Center: Children (0-17) living in Poverty for Bastrop, Blanco, Caldwell, Gillespie, Gonzalez, Hays, Travis, and Williamson County 2002 to 2012. Available online http://datacenter.kidscount.org/data#TX/5/0.7 Bruner, C., Floyd S.and Copeman A. (January 2005) Seven Things Policy Makers Need to Know about School Readiness, available online: http://www.finebynine.org/uploaded/file/7%20Things.pdf. Accessed: Jan. 24, 2011.8 Ibid.9 Hollier, Dennis, What is the ROI on Early Childhood Education, Preschool isn’t Just about School. Hawaii Business, Feb. 2013. Available online: http://www.hawaiibusiness.com/Hawaii-Business/February-2013/Whats-the-ROI-on-Early-Childhood-Education10 Heckman et al., 2009b Heckman, J.J., Moon, S.H., Pinto, R., Savelyev, P.A., Yavitz, A.Q., 2009b. A Reanalysis of the HighScope Perry Preschool Program, unpublished manuscript, University of Chicago, Department of Economics. First draft, September, 2006.11 Data gathered as part of the 2010, 2011, 2012 Kindergarten Readiness Study conducted by E3 Alliance.12 E3 Alliance analysis of PEIMS enrollment data at The University of Texas at Austin Education Research Center. For 2010, denominator includes students enrolled in kindergarten in 2009-10 in a school district in the E3 region, who were either low income or an English language learner. The numerator includes only those students in the denominator who in 2008-09 were either (a) enrolled in PK somewhere in Texas or (b) not enrolled anywhere in public schools in Texas. For 2011, a similarly analysis was done except the kindergarten year was 2010-11 and the PK or not-enrolled year was 2009-10, and similarly for 2012.13 Data compiled by E3 Alliance using Department of Family and Protective Services Child Care Licensing data with Children in Care reports from Workforce Solutions Capital Area and Rural Capital Area. Early Childhood Education centers with a full license, serving children under 5 that are accredited through Texas Rising Star, NAEYC, NAC, TSR! or the Kindergarten Readiness System or Head Start Centers in Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, and Williamson Counties.14 Data compiled by E3 Alliance using TEA AEIS data, TRS! Certification, and participation in Ready, Set, K! data is based on campuses with pre –k enrollment in the 2012-2013 school year. Note this measure will be changing as TRS has not released new data on Certification.15 E3 Alliance analysis of 20112-13 STAAR results obtained from the Results of Students’ Tests section of the Texas Education Agency website. 16, 17 Ibid. 18 E3 Alliance analysis of PEIMS enrollment data at The University of Texas at Austin Education Research Center.19 Ibid.20 E3 Alliance Analysis of AEIS data from the Texas Education Agency.21 E3 Alliance Analysis of 2012-13 STAAR results obtained from the Results of Students’ Tests section of the Texas Education Agency website.22 E3 Alliance analysis of PEIMS enrollment data at The University of Texas at Austin Education Research Center.23 Juergen, M. (2013) Workforce Trend: Miserable Millennials. Entrepreneur Magazine. Retrieved on January 28, 2014 at: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/229848.24 Texas Workforce Commission. IHS Global Insights Short Term 2011-2014 Forecast. November 2012. http://www.tracer2.com/admin/uploadedPublications/2012rda.pdf. p. 24. Accessed December 23, 2013.25 Levin, H.M. and Rouse, Cecilia E. (January 2012). The True Cost of High School Dropouts. The New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/26/opinion/the-true-cost-of-high-school-dropouts.html?_r=0. Accessed January 28, 2014.26 Levin, H.M. (2009). The Economic Payoff to Investing in Educational Justice. Educational Researcher, 3(1), 5-20.27 Rouse, C. E. (2005). “Labor market consequences of an inadequate education.” Paper prepared for the symposium on the Social Costs of Inadequate Education, Teachers College Columbia University, October 2005.28 E3 Alliance analysis of high school completion data from the Texas Education Agency.29 E3 Alliance analysis of Texas Academic Performance Report data from the Texas Education Agency.30 E3 Alliance analysis of Texas Education Agency graduation data and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board enrollment and completion data at the Education Research Center at The University of Texas at Austin. Students enrolled in fall or spring semesters were considered enrolled that year.31 Ibid.32 Rates for the classes of 2007 through 2011: E3 Alliance analysis of Texas Education Agency graduation data at the Education Research Center at The University of Texas at Austin. Rate for 2012: E3 Alliance analysis of TAPR and high school completion data from the Texas Education Agency.33 E3 Alliance analysis of PEIMS course completion data at the Education Research Center at The University of Texas at Austin. Rigorous coursework was defined as Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or dual credit (or locally defined dual credit in 2010 or 2011).34 E3 Alliance analysis of AEIS and Texas Academic Performance Report data from the Texas Education Agency.35 Ibid.36 E3 Alliance analysis of TEA graduation data and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board enrollment and completion data at the Education Research Center at The University of Texas at Austin. Students enrolled in fall or spring semesters were considered enrolled that year.37, 38 Ibid.39 Van Overschelde, J. P., & Young, M. (2012). Project Lead the Way students more prepared for higher education.40 E3 Alliance analysis of PEIMS attendance data at The University of Texas at Austin Education Research Center.41 E3 Alliance analysis of PEIMS enrollment and attendance data at the University of Texas at Austin Education Research Center.42 E3 Alliance analysis of PEIMS attendance data at The University of Texas at Austin Education Research Center. Schools lose $38/day for each student who is absent.43, 44 Ibid.

3M

ALICE KLEBERG REYNOLDS

FOUNDATION

APPLIED MATERIALS

AUSTIN VENTURES

BANK OF AMERICA

THE BOONE FAMILY

FOUNDATION

BUILD-A-SIGN

CENTRAL HEALTH

DELL GIVING

EZ CORP FOUNDATION

EANES ISD

ELIZABETH CHRISTIAN

& ASSOCIATES

GREATER TEXAS

FOUNDATION

HEB

IBM

JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.

KDK-HARMAN FOUNDATION

THE MEADOWS FOUNDATION

THE MITTE FOUNDATION

NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS

OPPORTUNITY AUSTIN

ORSINGER FOUNDATION

RAISE YOUR HAND TEXAS

ST. DAVID’S FOUNDATION

SILICON LABS

STATE FARM

TG

TEXAS HIGHER EDUCATION

COORDINATING BOARD

TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY

WELLS FARGO FOUNDATION

WRIGHT FAMILY

FOUNDATION

...and multiple individual

contributors to whom

we are grateful!

IN KIND DONORS

ACC

AHRMA

DELL SERVICES

ESC REGION 13

MAXWELL, LOCKE & RITTER

O'CONNELL ROBERTSON

TERMINAL B

BLUEPRINT LEADERS SUMMIT PROGRAM SPONSORS

SUMMIT SPONSOR PRINCIPAL PARTNER

INNOVATOR PARTNERS

E3 ALLIANCE® FOUNDING PARTNERS

E3 ALLIANCE® SPONSORS

blueprint for educational change 2014 progress report

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