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Academic Outreach

Texas College & Career Readiness Regional Round-up

               Over 250 secondary and postsecondary administrators and educators along with business and community partners of education from the DFW Metroplex area met to learn about College & Career Readiness Initiatives November 2, 2009. 

                                                   
                 The Texas College and Career Readiness Regional  Round-up, hosted by Texas Woman’s University in partnership with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) and Texas Education Agency (TEA), was held at the Embassy Suites Hotel DFW in Grapevine, Texas.   

        

                 Texas is now amoung the first states in the country to begin implementation of statewide standards, an initiative mandated by the 79th Texas Legislature.   The Texas College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) will increase the levels of achievement of students in the critical areas of English/Language Arts, Social Studies/Sciences and Mathematics allowing a more seamless transition from high school to college or the workforce.

Download CCRS-Standards...  http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/collegereadiness/TCRS.cfm.

 

Highlights of Round-up

House Bill 3

What do we know?

  • Backmapping of the Texas College & Career Readiness Standards(CCRS):       
    Jan Lindsey (TEA)
  • Presentation of Regional College Readiness Data: 
    Vicki Traweek (Western Metroplex P-16 Council) 
    Changkuan Xu (North Texas Regional P-16 Council)

Working together:  Resources for Vertical Alignment

  • The Secondary-Postsecondary Conversation:
    Suzanne Maulsby (ELA,Weatherford ISD)
    Mark Noe, Ph.D. (English,The University of Texas –Pan American)

  • Reference Course Profiles: 
    Lynette Heckman (THECB)

  • San Antonio Pathways Project: Colby Stoever, Ph.D. (THECB)
    Learn more about the different Pathways projects: https://share.thecb.state.tx.us/sites/Pathways/default.aspx

 Sessions

  1. Regional Career Clusters:  Connecting Education, Industry & Workforce 

    The Dallas/Fort Worth Regional Workforce Leadership Council (RWLC) is the driving force for a cooperative approach to promoting the region’s strongest industries. Formed in 2002, the RWLC has created clusters in the following areas: Aerospace, Healthcare, Logistics, and Semiconductor and Technology. The clusters bring together industry, education and workforce to create and train the workforce in our region. Cluster accomplishments include: direct and indirect services to students, professional development for educators, counselor training, collaborative curriculum development, and creation of career pathway programs. Representatives of the four clusters and their education partners discussed this important industry-education connection.
    Facilitator:  Judy McDonald, Regional Workforce Leadership Council
    Panelists:  Judy Bell, Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; Steve Braswell, Bell Helicopter; Marcia Brown, Workforce Solutions for North Central Texas; John Shellene, DFW Semiconductor and Technology Executive Council; Steven Smith, Dallas Regional Chamber; Craig Wright, Arlington ISD

  2. High School Re-design - Programs of Study

    Research indicates that high school redesign, specifically designs that emphasize rigor, relevance, and relationships, can reduce the achievement gap, increase graduation rates, improve access to postsecondary education, and ultimately help students succeed as economically secure adults. Representatives of area ISD’s discussed the development and implementation of programs of study designed to keep students engaged and prepare them for successful transition to college and/or the workforce.

    Facilitator:  Tony Neely, Director, Career and Technical Education, Northwest ISD
    Panelists:  Gene Buinger, Superintendent, Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD; Joanne Frantzen, Director, Career Education & Workforce Partnerships, Dallas ISD; Melanie Henson, Coordinator of High School Redesign, Fort Worth ISD; Marty Thompson, CTE Director & Dean of the Advanced Technology Complex, Denton ISD

  3. Creating Vertical Curriculum Alignment

    Panelists from P-12 and postsecondary education described recent collaborative initiatives designed to improve vertical alignment of curriculum throughout the P-16 education continuum. Emphasis was placed upon:  1. practical information and tools which will enable attendees to organize and convene local alignment meetings, and 2. input from participants to identify necessary next steps.

    Facilitators:  Diana Mason, University of North Texas; Jesse Jones, UNT Community College Consortium; Marilyn Lynch-Kolesar, Brookhaven College
    Panelists:  Don Edwards, Texas Woman’s University; Robyn Ford, Denton ISD; Elizabeth Howell, North Central Texas College; Mary Ann Teel, University of  North Texas

  4. Meet the Metro Area P-16 Councils

    The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) recognizes and encourages P-16 Regional Councils to: “Advance regional efforts to target, design and implement systemic actions to establish college-going habits and traditions in middle and high schools, particularly to increase Hispanic college participation and completion rates; improve parental outreach; and increase awareness of College and Career Readiness Standards.”  
    Four Councils in the region are recognized by THECB.  Leadership of the four councils  discussed the mission, structure, membership, and representative initiatives of their organization.

    Panel:  Jean Keller, North Texas Regional P-16 Council; Jeanne Gerlach, The University of Texas at Arlington P-20 Metroplex Council; Vicky Traweek, Western Metroplex P-16 Council, Raul Hinojosa, University Crossroads

 

page last updated 3/9/2010 11:21