Austin 2030 Network�Committed to Real Action and Real Opportunities for Austin Youth

INVESTIGATING AND SENSE-MAKING

Looking Deep, Wide, and Under the Surface at

Seemingly Intractable Problems.

​

ACCELERATING CHANGE

Socialize New Ideas, Leverage Momentum,

Coordinate Across Fragmented Systems,

Support Incubation and Implementation and Evaluate

S

CONNECTING AND CONVENING

Nurturing Pluralistic Leadership Skills

What roles does Austin 2030 play?

Earning a living wage makes young adults 2x more likely to increase their child(ren)’s income trajectory

at birth.

Creating pathways

to postsecondary opportunities and supporting students in earning credentials makes them ~2x more likely to earn

a living wage.

Effectively preparing students to be college and career ready makes them ~1.5x more likely to achieve post-secondary success.

Receiving support and resources to achieve 3^rd grade reading benchmarks makes students 2x more likely to stay

on track throughout K-12.

Students with access to equitable and affordable PreK are 2x more likely to be on track to meet key academic milestones.

Middle school math prepares students for entry into algebra, a gateway to later achievement in school and career.

Broader Field of Vision�

Agency, Engagement, Belonging, Social and Emotional Wellbeing

After School Care, Summer Programming, Internships and Enrichment

Pathway Out Of Poverty: The positive impact of a parent’s postsecondary education on their child’s social and economic mobility.

Policy Lever – House Bill 8 (HB8)

New funding model for community colleges

based on measurable, student-focused

outcomes and data.

Policy Lever – House Bill 3 (HB3)

Districts can earn additional funds for preparing graduates for College, Career, or Military Readiness (CCMR)

$5,000/student – economically disadvantaged ● $3,000/student – not economically disadvantaged

$2,000/student – special education

Momentum for a College Promise

​

​

Postsecondary Landscape Analysis

Recommendations

1. Establish Shared Postsecondary Vision, Goals and Framework
2. Develop Postsecondary Data Infrastructure
3. Build Adult-Capacity
4. Align Stakeholders

Progress Toward Recommendations

​

1. Establish shared Postsecondary Vision, Goal and Framework

​

• Network partners collaborated in Action Teams to develop a Common Agenda (mission, vision, preliminary geographic focus) and inaugural Theory of Change.

​

• Emergent conversations around community priorities and values (equity, college affordability, workforce)

​

1. Develop postsecondary Data Infrastructure

​

• Austin 2030 collaborated with E3 Alliance to build a data sharing and monitoring plan for the Network’s geographic focus area.

​

• Austin 2030 participated in a pilot study with Economic Mobility Systems (EMS) to explore a collaborative partnership with Austin schools, ACC, and local workforce agencies to align data sets across a shared Salesforce platform.

​

• In April 2024, AISD joined EMS’ College and Career Network after signing a three-year contract with EMS to develop a comprehensive student-level management platform to assist teachers and leaders in developing real-time action plans for CCMR accountability.

Progress Toward Recommendations

​

3. Build Adult-Capacity
• Austin 2030 partners attended a two-day Regional Talent Networks Leadership Institute in Dallas hosted by Economic Mobility Systems. Partners had the opportunity to hear about strategy and planning from other promise representatives from North Texas, Kalamazoo, and Seattle.

​

• The Network hosted a five-part workshop and learning series with Dr. Ulcca Joshi Hansen exploring systems-level change and the steps for building an education system that lays the groundwork for a more equitable, just, and humane future for all children.

​

• Austin 2030 is hosting a year-long series of community-wide conversations to explore the possibility and opportunity of establishing a college promise for Austin.
• Align Stakeholders
• In 2022, Austin 2030 was invited to participate in StriveTogether’s first Training Hub pilot to accelerate the impact of place-based partnerships. This six-month course provided assessments, training, coaching, and certificates to support local leaders as they develop critical capacities needed for cross sector work.

​

• In January 2024, Chancellor Russell Lowery-Hart proposed a free-tuition pilot program to Austin Community College’s (ACC) Board of Trustees. Approved by the Board in April, ACC’s free-tuition pilot will begin with the Class of 2024 and continue for the next five years.

​

• Austin ISD Trustees and Superintendent Matias Segura have made college and career readiness a district priority. During March, the Board heard two CCMR presentations, and in April, AISD contracted with EMS to build a new data system to monitor CCMR progress in real-time.

Roadmap to an Austin Promise�

Phase I: Learning & Exploration

Spring-Fall 2024

• Listening to students and their families to understand needs and barriers to, and hopes, and aspirations for college success,
• Assessing public engagement and political will,
• Analyzing the local, state and national landscape, including existing local free-tuition and scholarship initiatives, and
• Site visits to high-impact programs in Texas and other states to capture lessons learned and inform priorities and values for

an Austin promise.

​

​

Phase II: Feasibility & Program Design

Winter 2025 - Summer 2026

• Feasibility study to explore immediate as well as more stable revenue sources to ensure long-term financial sustainability,
• Assessment of community readiness and capacity for expanded promise,
• Program design (goals and outcomes, logic model, program requirements and eligibility), and
• Advance work to build infrastructure and financial and community supports for an expanded Austin promise.

​

​

Phase III: Expanded Promise Pilot

Fall 2026

• Launch of expanded Austin Promise,
• Coordinate with ACC to host information sessions and recruitment of students to identify inaugural cohort for Fall 2028,
• Evaluation and revisions,
• Assess possibility of scaling and expansion

Investing in Austin’s Youth

ROADMAP TO AUSTIN PROMISE EXPENSES