CRADLE-TO-CAREER
New Systems Thinking
in Education Reform
tHrıve
ALLIANCEHOUSTON
November 2009
imagine
a Greater Houston
in which our children and youth
succeed in school, ready for
whatever options they want to
exercise after high school…
college…first career…any option.
in which our children and youth
grow up socially
able to act responsibly,
able
to work in groups,
and emotionally
fit,
able to solve
listen problems
to each other,
able to communicate well,
collaboratively and creatively.
in which our children and youth
are healthy, physically fit for
long, active, and productive lives.
in which our children and youth
H
why
imagine
such a
future ?
because…
Our individual and
collective well being
depend on it.
individual
well-being ?
each child deserves
to develop
to his or her fullest
potential
collective
well-being ?
in time,
Houston will
not be a
desirablesuch
…envision
place to live
a future…
if we
don’t…
… and
create
it!
so,
what are the
prospects for
realizing this
future ?
without
strategic
action . . .
. . . not
so
good.
a Texas
example…
Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board
Closing the Gaps
The case for
increasing and accelerating
college-going.
assuming that
optimal academic
development
requires some
post-secondary
education…
Goal: 630,000 more Texans to college by 2015
below
target
two years
Targets
forthe
all last
students
2008
a special
challenge,
specifically
for Houston
SCALE !
Sixth largest
metropolitan
area in the US.
Elementary / Secondary Enrollments
in greater Houston as percentage of:
Texas:
22.1%
US:
1.6%
54 Public
School Districts
7 of which are
among the 100
largest districts
in the US
9 Community
Colleges or CC
Systems
2 of which are
among the 10
largest districts
in the US
10 four-year
Universities
6 of which are
public.
4 of which are
private.
so…
we have a
compelling
vision
and
we have
some
challenges
we also
have…
a strategic
response
H
ALLIANCEHOUSTON
H
The Houston Regional Investment in Education and the Economy
tHrıve
imagine
An inclusive,
multi-sector group of
community stakeholders
who take responsibility
for the
cognitive,
social / emotional,
and health-related
development of all children
in Greater Houston,
by committing to and acting on
five fundamental principles.
A student developmental
roadmap,
cradle - to - career.
tHrıve
Research-Based Student Roadmap: Benchmarks and Transition Years*
Cognitive Development / Academic Success
Grade
Birth
age 2
K
4
1
2
6
3
4
8
5
10
6
7
12
8
9
14
10
16
11
12
18
college / career
20
22
24
26
Social-Emotional Well-Being / Professional Skills / Personal Health
*adapted by permission from
and University of Cincinnati
Center for Urban Education
Benchmarks to be developed
Key transition years
The stakeholders’ group
represents multiple sectors
and is broadly inclusive.
The stakeholders’ group
must be broadly inclusive.
business
non-profits/
faith community
educators
psychologists
philanthropy
health specialists
parents
elected officials
All decision-making is
based on data
across the
student success roadmap.
Grade
Birth
age 2
K
4
1
2
6
3
4
8
5
10
6
7
12
8
9
14
10
16
11
12
18
college / career
20
22
24
26
Strategic
action is
undertaken
in cycles of
continuous
quality
improvement.
The
community
is kept involved
and informed
through annual
progress reports.
constructing
tHrıve
…dealing with the
problem of scale
A “hub and spokes” format.
Lone Star
CC Dist
West
Houston
Monument
tHrıve
East End
Chamber
Ft. Bend
Galveston
tHrıve
spans and serves
the greater Houston
metropolitan area
Lone Star CCD
Houston East End
West Houston
Monument
Fort Bend
Galveston
what does
tHrıve do ?
tHrıve
1. Helps form Regional Councils
where they don’t yet exist.
tHrıve
tHrıve
1.
Helps form Regional Councils where they
don’t yet exist.
2. Sets community-wide goals and
initial indicators.
EXAMPLES: Goals for Academic Success
Every child on
grade-level in
reading and
math entering
middle school
Every child
ready for
Kindergarten
Grade
Birth
age 2
Every child
exhibits selfregulation,
motivation
K
4
Every student
completed high
school
curriculum
ready for college
or technical
career.
1
2
6
3
4
8
Every child
has ageappropriate
“body/mass
index”
5
10
6
7
12
8
9
10
14
Every student
participates in
community
and school
organizations
16
11
Every student
who elects
college persists
from 1st to 2nd
semester, 1st to
2nd year.
12
18
college / career
20
22
24
Every college
student has
sufficient
financial aid
EXAMPLES: Goals for Social-Emotional Well-Being, Personal Health, Support
26
EXAMPLES: Indicators of Academic Success
Reading
readiness and
number sense
scores
Grade
Birth
age 2
K
4
Preschool
social
interaction
observation
system
High school
transcript,
courses
completed
Standardized
test scores
1
2
6
3
4
8
5
10
Weight and
height data/
Obesity early
onset diabetes
incidence data
6
7
12
8
9
14
10
11
16
School and
community
organization
rosters
Enrollment
status on
THECB data
base
12
18
college / career
20
22
24
College
financial aid
data
EXAMPLES: Indicators of Social-Emotional Well-Being, Personal Health, Support
26
tHrıve
1.
Helps form Regional Councils where they don’t yet
exist.
2.
Sets community-wide goals and initial indicators.
3. Provides cost-effective services,
including process training, to the
Houston Regional Councils.
Data Systems
and Continuous Quality Improvement
Communications
Governance
Finance
Management
Learning Communities
tHrıve
1.
Helps form Regional Councils where they don’t yet
exist.
2.
Sets community-wide goals and initial indicators.
3.
Provides cost-effective services to the Houston
Regional Councils.
4. Establishes and monitors standards
for implementation and continuous
quality improvement with Regional
Councils.
Characteristics of the Stakeholders’ Group
Using Data for Action and Strategic Planning
in Cycles of Continuous Quality Improvement
Communicating to the Broader Community
Forming
Learning Communities among
Regional Councils
what does a
tHrıve regional
council do ?
Recruits and convenes
a broad-based,
multi-sector,
committed
regional executive
committee.
Analyzes regional
baseline data
and assesses
community assets.
Reviews tHrıve
community-wide
goals and indicators and
adopts its own
region-wide
goals and indicators.
Creates an Action Network
associated with
each regional goal.
Action Networks mobilize and align
regional individuals and
organizations
that bring interest,
prior experience, and expertise
to bear on the regional goals.
Action Networks take up their
goals adopted by the regional
council
– including the data and
assessment of community assets
and decide on
additional data needs
(when necessary),
priority intervention strategies,
and indicators of success.
Action Networks
launch their interventions
and gather
data on outcomes.
Action Networks and Regional
Council
review outcomes
using continuous quality
improvement protocols.
Based on the review of outcomes,
the regional council
sustains the
Action Networks, their
priority strategies, and
interventions
or makes adjustments.
tHrıve and the Regional Council
make annual reports
on goals, Action Network activity
and outcomes
to the larger community.
in
summary…
tHrıve
+
Regional Councils
Community Action Networks
tHrıve
+
Regional Councils
Community Action Networks
community engagement
+
data
+
continuous quality improvement
+
community responsiveness
tHrıve
is developing
its approach…
…as a member
of a national
coalition.
The
Educational Partnership
Implementation Network
EPIN
EPIN
+
=
cradle-tocareer
alliances
major urban
public
universities
+
$100,000.00
FOUNDATION
Members of the EPIN
Oakland
Cal State, East Bay
Indianapolis
IU/PU/I
Richmond
VCU
Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
Houston
University of Houston
Leading the
Educational Partnership
Implementation Network
www.strivetogether.org
We welcome your interest in
CRADLE-TO-CAREER
New Systems Thinking
in Regional, Community-Based
Education Reform
H
Bob Wimpelberg
Chair, Executive Board
tHrive Alliance Houston
Dean, College of Education
University of Houston
Donna Scott
Executive Director
tHrive Alliance Houston
H
ALLIANCEHOUSTON