Alliance Success
Indicator Report
2009
Overview
The Success Indicators report is a
document that provides a snapshot of the
educational status and potential of Greater
Waco. It will be refined and released each
year of the Education Summits.
The underlying Eight Assumptions for the
Greater Waco Community Education
Alliance were developed with the advice of
local experts in education who collectively
advised that there are certain critical
points in a child’s educational
development, and that the community
needs to know the status of our children at
these junctures. With that information, we
can align ourselves to improve children’s
outcomes and measure our performance.
Sources for the Eight Assumptions and Success Indicators
include:
• Gear Up Waco
• Local superintendents, teachers, administrators,
Region 12 professionals
• Faculty and departmental leadership from
Baylor University, TSTC and MCC
• Scholarship providers and financial aid professionals
• Closing the Gaps Report (Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board)
• Texas Education Agency
• Center for Occupational Research and Development
• Existing local plans
Overview
The Greater Waco Education Alliance does not
assume credit for strides made in school
performance, so it will never be presumed that
the Alliance is solely or even largely responsible
for increases in TAKS scores for a particular
district.
However, TAKS performance is a tool for
understanding need, and it serves as a guide
where focus and alignment are required. It is the
hope of the Alliance that TAKS scores will reflect
overall positive changes in the lives of children
that result from community support.
Because the work is so large, the Education Alliance will
provide heavy focus on two or three Assumptions each
year of the Summit. During the 2009 Summit,
Assumptions 1 and 2 will receive the most attention.
Assumption 1 – early childhood – was such a vast field
that a separate study was required before baselines could
be set. That heavy focus is reflected in this report.
Following the Summit, targets for improvements in
baselines will be determined where appropriate, and with
community input, and the targets and progress will be
added to future reports.
Assumption 1
The most valuable
and cost-effective
time to invest in
education is
between birth and
the age of five
Community Goal: All children reach age five with experiences they need to
develop learning readiness and social skills critical to success in school and in
life itself
Assumption 1
Families must have access to high quality
education and preparation and be aware of the
role they play, beginning with pre-natal care, in
enabling children to enter school ready to learn.
The Early Childhood Quality of Life Index
provides a great deal of data to assist community
planning. The factors that influence a child’s
quality of life are beyond the reach of a singular
community effort, but there are factors that, with
focus, can be influenced with the implementation
of evidenced-based programming.
The challenge to the community
will be to increase McLennan
County’s Quality of Life Index
from 40% to more 50% during
the next five years.
From January through May 2009, the
community will be convened to respond to the
findings of the Early Childhood Quality of Life
Index Report and develop a plan for
addressing those factors which can be
influenced with programming.
Assumption 1
Parents and those caring for children need good
information about how they can raise a child
ready for school and life. The community plan will
also consider planning strategies for conveying
good information to parents – particularly those in
zip codes with a QOL score below 50% - and will
determine the appropriate programming and
measurement for that factor.
Some businesses have expressed interest in
supporting quality child care for their employees,
and parents across the board have said they are
interested in higher quality child care and are
willing to pay more for it.
Another aspect of community
planning will involve an exploration
in how to improve child care quality.
The overall measurement of effectiveness that will be
available in future years is the Texas Primary
Reading Inventory Score (TPRI), which measured a
child’s readiness to learn upon entering kindergarten.
In future years, TPRI scores will be
tracked and reported for McLennan
County school districts.
McLennan
Early Childhood
Quality of Life
McLennan
Zip
Code
City
Total
%
76633
76712
76638
76630
76655
76643
76624
76691
76682
76557
76524
76640
76664
76710
China Spring, TX
Woodway, TX
Crawford, TX
Bruceville, TX
Lorena, TX
Hewitt, TX
Axtell, TX
West, TX
Riesel, TX
Moody, TX
Eddy, TX
Elm Mott, TX
Mart, TX
Waco, TX
96
89
87
79
86
85
83
80
76
68
65
63
59
56
80.00%
74.17%
72.50%
71.82%
71.67%
70.83%
69.17%
66.67%
63.33%
56.67%
54.17%
52.50%
49.17%
46.67%
76657
McGregor, TX
49
40.83%
MC
76706
76701
76708
76705
76704
McLennan County
Waco, TX
Waco, TX
Waco, TX
Waco, TX
Waco, TX
48
45
38
38
37
32
40.00%
37.50%
34.55%
31.67%
30.83%
26.67%
76711
Waco, TX
28
23.33%
76707
Waco, TX
26
21.67%
McLennan County Early Childhood Quality of Life Score
There are 10 zip codes with a quality of life less than 50%
Assumption 1
100%
80%
60%
40%
49.7%
46.7%
55%
38.4%
38.5%
23%
20%
0%
24.6%
14.4%
Completed
High School
Dropped Out
Retained in
Grade
Value of investing in early childhood
Placed in
Special
Education
25.1%
15%
16.9%
9%
Arrested by
Age 18
Arrested for
Violent Crime
by Age 18
With Full Day Pre-K
Without Pre-K
Source: Bush School of Government: Cost Analysis of the Benefits of Universal Accessible Full Day Pre-K in Texas, 2006
Assumption 1
22%
78%
Children in
Childcare
(9,683)
Children with
parents at home
or in care of
others at home
(34,317)
Most children are not in formal child care settings, so
improving the quality of life index must include work that
focuses on parents and guardians
Assumption 1
33%
67%
Parents
unaware of
brain
development
Parents
aware of
brain
development
Source: Kronkosky Foundation study of parent practices. "Snapshot of San Antonio: Early Childhood“
Conducted by Galloway Research
Most parents are unaware of early
childhood brain development
Assumption 1
Source: Kronkosky Foundation study of parent practices. "Snapshot of San Antonio: Early
Childhood“ Conducted by Galloway Research
Most Parents are interested in learning
about brain development
Assumption 1
7%
Texas Early Education Model
(TEEMA) classroms
27%
Licensed Child Care Centers
Licensed Child Care Houses
40%
Registered Child Care
16%
Listed Family Homes (unregulated)
10%
Child care centers by type
Most children in child care are in settings that are not seeking quality, and 27% of them are
in a completely unregulated environment.
Assumption 1
Although not all children are in quality child care settings, the community
needs more quality child care options for parents.
By the end of 2010, 16% of all child care centers will have some type of
quality certification.
As a part of a plan to improve the early childhood environment, the Waco
Foundation will convene early childhood stakeholders to set additional quality
goals / feasibility of projects to further increases in quality.
Assumption 1
Births by zips
76664
51
33
43
44
32
203
76640
42
25
43
37
42
189
76524
31
22
34
35
27
149
76624
17
33
32
29
23
134
76638
21
27
23
28
25
124
76701
21
20
33
22
26
122
76682
25
22
26
27
17
117
76630
25
16
20
21
21
103
76703
12
3
3
4
3
25
707
76702
6
7
2
3
18
150
579
76715
7
6
2
1
16
60
81
365
76654
1
1
4
4
13
73
60
56
342
76714
4
5
1
58
57
61
44
268
76798
3
2
54
49
58
50
261
Total
3343
3240
Zip
Code
’03
’04
’05
’06
’07
Total
76705
489
468
489
468
452
2366
76706
433
405
439
422
454
2153
76708
404
383
388
452
452
2079
76707
386
381
392
424
397
1980
76710
332
319
318
352
355
1676
76712
205
226
241
230
269
1171
76643
166
172
202
196
202
938
76711
164
162
148
163
169
806
76704
141
151
145
123
147
76657
115
91
98
125
76655
67
72
85
76691
77
76
76557
48
76633
50
3388
3
10
3446
1
6
3503
16920
Zips where index is lower than 50%
Improving the Quality of Life Index must target the greatest source of
the problem – Women not accessing prenatal care
Assumption 1
Births in low quality of life zips
Zip
code
’03
’04
’05
’06
’07
Total
% of births to
women with
Inadequate prenatal care
76706
433
405
439
422
454
2153
13.36%
76708
404
383
388
452
452
2079
10.22%
76707
386
381
392
424
397
1980
9.57%
76711
164
162
148
163
169
806
12.02%
76704
141
151
145
123
147
707
9.68%
76657
115
91
98
125
150
579
16.55%
76664
51
33
43
44
32
203
12.61%
76701
21
20
33
22
26
122
12.81%
76710
332
319
318
352
355
1676
9.84%
Total
2047
1945
2004
2127
2182
10305
Pre-natal care
Zips where index is lower than 50%
Assumption 1
Estimated inadequate pre-natal care for five years
Inadequate
5-year # of
births to
women with
inadequate
prenatal care
Zip Code
’03
’04
’05
’06
’07
Total
pre-natal care
76706
433
405
439
422
454
2153
10.22%
220
76708
404
383
388
452
452
2079
9.57%
199
76707
386
381
392
424
397
1980
12.02%
238
76711
164
162
148
163
169
806
9.68%
78
76704
141
151
145
123
147
707
16.55%
117
76657
115
91
98
125
150
579
12.61%
73
76664
51
33
43
44
32
203
12.81%
26
76701
21
20
33
22
26
122
15.57%
19
76710
332
319
318
352
355
1676
9.84%
165
Total
1715
1626
1686
1775
1827
8629
Pre-natal care
Zips where index is lower than 50%
1135
Assumption 1
Estimated inadequate pre-natal care for one year
Five
year
total
One year total of
births to women
with inadequate
prenatal care
Zip
Code
’03
’04
’05
’06
’07
Total
Inadequate
pre-natal
care
76705
489
468
489
468
452
2366
13.36%
316
60
76706
433
405
439
422
454
2153
10.22%
220
46
76708
404
383
388
452
452
2079
9.57%
199
43
76707
386
381
392
424
397
1980
12.02%
238
48
76711
164
162
148
163
169
806
9.68%
78
16
76704
141
151
145
123
147
707
16.55%
117
24
76657
115
91
98
125
150
579
12.61%
73
19
76664
51
33
43
44
32
203
12.81%
26
4
76701
21
20
33
22
26
122
15.57%
19
4
76710
332
319
318
352
355
1676
9.84%
165
Total
Pre-natal care
2204
2094
2175
2243
2279
10995
113
5
35
295
Can we reach 295 women who need pre-natal care?
Zips where index is lower than 50%
Assumption 2
Reading on grade
level by Grade 3 is
critical to future
education
success.
Community Goal: All children reach age five with experiences they need to
develop learning readiness and social skills critical to success in school and in
life itself
Assumption 3
Mastering
mathematics
fundamentals through
Algebra I is a minimal
requirement for high
school graduation
and post-secondary
success
Community Goal: All children will be proficient in math through Algebra I by
their graduation from high school.
Assumption 3
At a minimum, students must master
math fundamentals (whole numbers,
decimals, fractions, and percentages),
pre-Algebra, and Algebra I by
graduation in high school to be
successful.
A strong correlation exists between a
grounding in mathematics through
Algebra II and higher with access to
post secondary education, graduation
from college, and earning wages in the
top quartile of income from
employment
Assumption 4
All students must be
prepared for postsecondary success
by the time of their
graduation from high
school
Community Goal: All students will be prepared for post-secondary education
while in high school.
Assumption 5
All youth must
graduate from high
school, overcoming
challenges that
discourage academic
engagement
Community Goal: All students must be supported and encouraged to stay in
school through successful high school graduation.
Assumption 6
Parents and students
should be aware of
available high school
to post-secondary
paths and financial
aid options
Community Goal: All parents and youth will know about, plan for and seek
access to post-secondary options and to financial aid, if needed.
Assumption 7
Financial resources
should not be a
barrier to
post-secondary
success
Community Goal: The community will ensure that scholarship opportunities
are known and supported.
Assumption 8
The community should
understand the
region's secondary and
post-secondary
success rates and
develop support
programs to encourage
the highest rates of
successful completion
Community Goal: All youth will complete post-secondary education leading to
a chosen career opportunity.
Success Indicator Report is a guide and tool for Alliance
• Areas of community need and progress
• Where to focus efforts for highest impact
• Measureable success for indicators tied to what community can do
Continue to provide school data for a sense of “McLennan County
State of Education”
Will refine benchmarks and data each year of the Summit
• Early Childhood Index
• Tutors trained in Best Practices
Will eventually provide a tool for overall progress in meeting
Eight Assumptions
Community input to Success Indicator Report is welcome
Available at EducateWaco.com