What Works:
High Impact Programs for Student Success
Texas Community College Teachers Association
February 22, 2008
Texas Public Schools Snapshot (2006)
 K-12 Public Schools
 4.5 million students
 45% Hispanic, 37% White, 15% African American
 1,033 Districts
 7,956 campuses (including 313 charters)
 4.5 million students
 1.2 million in high schools
 194 Charter Operators
 313 Charters
Source: Texas Education Agency
Why change high schools?
Graduation Rates - Class of 2006
100
89
90
80
74.5
72
71.7
70
60
50
African
Hispanic
American
White
Eco
Disadv
Source: Texas Education Agency
Disparities persist
100
90
83
80
70
60
52
57
54
50
40
African Hispanic
American
White
Eco
Disadv
TAKS Exit Level Passing Rates - Preliminary Spring 2007
Source: Texas Education Agency
College-readiness low
English/LA
Math
Both
All students
52%
53%
38%
AfricanAmerican
39%
32%
20%
Hispanic
42%
42%
27%
White
64%
67%
50%
Percent of Students Meeting THECB Standard for Higher Education Readiness
(Preliminary 2007)
Mission
All Texas high school students will have the
opportunity to achieve their highest educational
potential and promote state competitiveness in the
21st Century.
Vision
All Texas students will graduate high school ready for
college and career success and prepared to be
contributing members of the community.
Goals
 Increase high school graduation rates
 Promote a college-going culture and increase
college readiness
 Build statewide capacity for supporting high school
redesign and reform
 Create systemic changes that ensure long-term
sustainable high school improvement
THSP focuses on high-need areas
 Urban areas and Texas-Mexico border
 First-generation college students
 Economically disadvantaged students
What do we mean by college?
 Postsecondary education beyond high school
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Community Colleges
Four year colleges and universities
Technical/Trade Schools
Apprenticeship or Employer-based training
Military
THSP’s Public-Private Alliance
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Texas Education Agency
Governor’s Office and the Texas Legislature
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Michael and Susan Dell Foundation
Communities Foundation of Texas
National Instruments
Greater Texas Foundation
More than $300 million dedicated to improving graduation and college-readiness
Communities Foundation of Texas Role
 Fiscal agent and re-grantor for private philanthropic
funds
 Largest national education grantee of Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation
 Employs 20 professional staff to provide technical
assistance to grantees across Texas
 Provides direct private grants from CFT internal
funds focused on North Dallas
THSP’s Work
 In classrooms – Implementing
intervention programs for at-risk students
 In schools – Creating new models to
address 21st Century student educational
needs
 In districts – Empowering district
administrators to change practices and
policies to support campuses
 In people – Developing innovative
preparation and professional development
programs for teachers and school leaders
THSP Program Areas
 Creating new models and support structures
 Texas Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics (T-STEM)
 Early College High Schools
 New Schools and Charter Schools
 Redesigned High schools
 School District Engagement
 Educational Leadership – Teachers and Campus
Principals
Early Signs of Success
 Higher rate of commended student performance on
TAKS
 Higher attendance rates
 Fewer discipline cases
 Stronger parental involvement
 Enhanced collaboration between P-12 and postsecondary
THSP Alliance Snapshot
 Campus/classroom programs
 AVID campuses
28
 AP Strategies campuses
111
 New or redesigned schools
177
 Early College High School
23
 High School Redesign
99
 T-STEM Academies
38
 New and Charter Schools
17
 Total number of students served at new or redesigned schools
 Current
83,000
 Projected
100,000
Note: Investments include TEA, MSDF & CFT support
THSP Alliance Snapshot (cont’d)
 District Engagement (Systemic Improvement)
 Austin
 Houston
 Dallas
 San Antonio
 Education Leadership – Retention, Recruitment,
Development of Teachers and Principals
 Innovative Principal Certification programs at 5
universities
 Houston ISD
 UTEACH replication (U of H, UT-Dallas)
 New Teacher Project
THSP/CFT Projects
Lubbock
Ft Worth
Dallas
Center in Texas A & M
El
Paso
Waco
Austin
Early College High Schools (13)
High School Redesigned Schools (6)
San
Antonio
Houston
New/Charter Schools (13)
T-STEM Academies (22)
Leadership Investments (6)
T-STEM Centers (7)
Asia Society plans to open
two schools in under-served
urban areas and/or along the
Texas - Mexico Border
Brownsville
TEA programs
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Early
Innovators, Academies and Centers (22)
Postsecondary Success Initiative Pilot Program (6)
Middle College/Early College High School
Expansion Grant (10)
TX High School Redesign and Restructuring (12)
TX High School Redesign and Restructuring— Cycle
2 (17)
Early College High School Grants (9)
Texas Grants to Reduce Academic Dropouts (12)
TX High School Completion and Success Grant (128)
TX High School Completion and Success—Cycle 2 (105)
Comprehensive School Reform—TX High School Initiative Grant (84)
High Schools That Work Enhanced Design Network (14)
*Representational map - does not reflect exact numbers of grantees for each program
Early College High School (ECHS)
 Establishes small high schools that integrate
college/K-12 instructional programs
 Allows students to earn associate’s degree or up to 60
hours college credit
 Targets economically disadvantaged and firstgeneration college-goers
Key Elements of Early College
 Dual credit courses
 Alignment of high school and community college
curriculum
 College-going culture
 Intensive support to address rigor
 Strong post-secondary and public education
partnerships
Snapshot ECHS throughout Texas
THSP Higher Education Snapshot
 Texas Association of Community Colleges
 Investments in 6 public university systems
 University of Texas System
 Texas A&M University System
 Texas Tech University System
 Texas State University System
 University of Houston System
 University of North Texas
THSP Early College High Schools
 University of Texas System
 UT-San Antonio – East Central ISD, Southside ISD, Southwest ISD
 UT-Pan American – Hidalgo ISD (2)
 University of North Texas System
 Brookhaven Community College – Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD
 Mountain View Community College – Dallas ISD
 Cedar Valley College – Dallas ISD (opening 2008)
 Texas Association of Community Colleges
 Del Mar College – Corpus Christi ISD
 Southeast Community College – Houston ISD
 El Paso Community College – Socorro ISD
 Texas A&M University System
 Texas A&M Corpus Christi – Flour Bluff ISD
 Texas A&M International – Laredo ISD
THSP Early College High Schools
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Houston Community College – Houston ISD
San Jacinto Community College – Clear Creek ISD
Temple College – Taylor/Hutto ISDs
Texas State Technical College Marshal – Panola Charter
School
Texas State Technical College Harlingen – Harlingen ISD
Blinn College/Texas A&M – Bryan ISD
University of Texas Brownsville – Santa Rosa ISD
South Texas College – Progresso ISD
EPCC at Valle Verde – Ysleta ISD
North Harris Community College – Aldine ISD
Challenges
 Facilities
 Transportation
 Staffing
 Dual Credit textbook costs
 Buy-in and support from Faculty and Administrators
 Some opposition to innovation and new ideas
 Policy to support and promote ECHS movement
Value-Add of Community Colleges
 Culture of access
 Student-centric values
 Innovation in the DNA of faculty and administrators
 Strong connections with ISDs
 Natural intermediary with 4-year colleges
www.THSP.org