CRADLE-TO-CAREER

New Systems Thinking

in Education Reform

tHrıveALLIANCEHOUSTON November 2009

imagine

a Greater a Greater HoustonHouston

succeed in school, ready for whatever options they want to exercise after high school…college…first career…any option.

in which our children and in which our children and youthyouth

in which our children and in which our children and youthyouth

grow up socially and emotionally fit,able to act responsibly, able to listen to each other, able to work in groups, able to communicate well, able to solve problems collaboratively and creatively.

are healthy, physically fit for long, active, and productive lives.

in which our children and in which our children and youthyouth

in which our children and in which our children and youthyouth

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why imaginesuch 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 desirable place to live if we don’t…

…envision such a future…… 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

acceleratingcollege-going.

assuming that optimal academic development requires some post-secondary education…

Goal: 630,000 more Texans to college by 2015

Targets for all students

2008

below target the last two years

a special challenge, specificallyfor Houston

SCALE !

Sixth Sixth largest largest

metropolitametropolitan area in n area in the US.the US.

Texas:

22.1%

US:

1.6%

Elementary / Secondary Enrollments

in greater Houston as percentage of:

54 Public School Districts7 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 Universities6 of which are

public.

4 of which are private.

so…we have a compellingvision

andwe have some challenges

we also have…

a strategic response

tHrıveALLIANCEHOUSTON

tHrıveThe Houston Regional Investment in Education and the Economy

imagine

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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,c r a d l e - t o - c a r e e r .

Cognitive Development / Academic Success

Key transition years

Grade K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 college / career

Birth age 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26

Responds to parent/caregiver

high-quality talking, reading,

singing

Uses exploration and

discover

to understand surroundings

Participates in

high-quality preschool

Participates in full-day

(vs. half-day)

KindergartenDevelops letter knowledge

and reading sensitivity

Grade 4

Is at reading level

Grade 7

Has a clear expectation

of going to college

Grade 8

Masters Algebra I

Grade 10

Passes at least 5 9th grade courses

with no failing grades Grade 13

Participants in 1st year seminars

(academic and social)

Grade 15

Enrolls in junior year

of college

Social-Emotional Well-Being / Professional Skills

Has a stable relationship

with a strongly involved

parent or caregiver

Has a parent or caregiver who

understands developmental

milestones Exhibits learning-related skills

such as self-regulation, social

competence, self-esteem, and

motivation

Grade 7

Has a strong

adult figure

attachment other

than parent

Grade 8

Demonstrates

social-emotional

competence

Grade 9

Engages in community

and school

organizations

Grade 10

Develops career plan

and establishes goals

Grade 13

Has sufficient

financial aid

Grade 13

Engages in community

and campus

organizations

Grade 13

Develops time and

stress management

skills

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Research-Based Student Roadmap: Benchmarks and Transition Years*

*adapted by permission from

and University of Cincinnati Center for Urban Education

Grade 12

Masters advanced

science and math

/ Personal Health

Benchmarks to be developed

The stakeholders’ group represents

multiple sectors and is

broadly inclusive.

The stakeholders’ group must be broadly

inclusive.

All decision-making isbased on data across the student success roadmap.

Strategicaction isundertakenin cycles of

continuous quality

improvement.

The

communityis kept involved

and informedthrough annual

progress reports.

constructing

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…dealing with the problem of scale

A “hub and spokes” format.

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spans and serves the greater

Houstonmetropolitan

area

Fort Bend Galvesto

n

Monument

West Houston

Lone Star CCDHouston East End

what does do ?tHrıve

1. Helps form Regional Councils where they don’t yet exist.

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1. Helps form Regional Councils where they don’t yet exist.

2. Sets community-wide goals and initial indicators.

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EXAMPLES: Goals for Academic Success

Every child ready forKindergarten

EXAMPLES: Goals for Social-Emotional Well-Being, Personal Health, Support

Every child on grade-level in reading and math entering middle school

Every student completed high school curriculum ready for college or technical career.

Every student who elects college persists from 1st to 2nd semester, 1st to 2nd year.

Every child exhibits self-regulation, motivation

Every student participates in community and school organizations

Every child has age-appropriate “body/mass index”

Every college student has sufficient financial aid

EXAMPLES: Indicators of Academic Success

Reading readiness and number sense scores

EXAMPLES: Indicators of Social-Emotional Well-Being, Personal Health, Support

Standardized test scores

High school transcript, courses completed

Enrollment status on THECB data base

Preschool social interaction observation system

School and community organization rosters

Weight and height data/ Obesity early onset diabetes incidence data

College financial aiddata

1. Helps form Regional Councils where they don’t yet exist.

2. Sets community-wide goals and initial indicators.

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3. Provides cost-effective services, including process training, to the Houston Regional Councils.

Data Systemsand Continuous Quality Improvement

CommunicationsGovernance

FinanceManagement

Learning Communities

1. Helps form Regional Councils where they don’t yet exist.

2. Sets community-wide goals and initial indicators.

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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 Planningin Cycles of Continuous Quality Improvement

Communicating to the Broader Community

Forming Learning Communities among Regional Councils

what does a regional council do ?tHrıve

Recruits and convenes a broad-based,

multi-sector,committedregional executive committee.

Analyzes regional baseline data

and assessescommunity assets.

Reviewscommunity-wide goals and indicators and

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adopts its own region-wide goals and

indicators.

Creates an Action Network associated witheach 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 Networkslaunch their interventions and gatherdata 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, theirpriority strategies, and interventions

or makes adjustments.

and the Regional Council

make annual reports on goals, Action Network activity and outcomes to the larger community.

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insummary…

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Regional Councils

Community Action Networks

Regional CouncilsCommunity Action Networks

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data+

continuous quality improvement+

community responsiveness

community engagement+

is developing its approach…

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…as a member of a national coalition.

TheEducational PartnershipImplementation Network

EPIN

EPIN

=cradle-

to-career

alliances

+

+

major urban public

universities

FOUNDATION$100,000.00

OaklandCal State, East Bay

IndianapolisIU/PU/I

CincinnatiUniversity of Cincinnati

RichmondVCU

HoustonUniversity of Houston

Members of the EPIN

Leading theEducational PartnershipImplementation Network

www.strivetogether.org

CRADLE-TO-CAREERNew Systems Thinking in Regional, Community-BasedEducation Reform

We welcome your interest in

tHrıveBob WimpelbergChair, Executive Board

tHrive Alliance Houston

Dean, College of EducationUniversity of Houston

Donna ScottExecutive Director

tHrive Alliance Houston

tHrıveALLIANCEHOUSTON