With the new year comes great change for the Communities Foundation of Texas’ statewide education initiative. The Texas High School Project (THSP) has become Educate Texas. Since the organization’s founding, the THSP name has been reflective of its work in Texas high schools to pilot and scale innovative college-ready practices and campus models. Successful examples of that work include Texas Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (T-STEM) Academies and Early College High Schools. Sixteen such campuses can be found in the Dallas area alone. But as successful collaborations have grown, so has the work of Educate Texas—which now extends beyond high schools and encompasses middle schools, districts, community colleges, technical schools and regional universities.
“The name Educate Texas more accurately reflects our focus and the work we are tackling in college readiness, postsecondary access and postsecondary success,” says Educate Texas chief operating officer George Tang. Launched in 2004, Educate Texas is a unique public-private alliance dedicated to ensuring all Texas students graduate from high school ready for college and career success.
Public and private organizations in the Educate Texas Alliance include the Texas Education Agency, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Governor’s Office, Texas Legislature, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, The Meadows Foundation and Greater Texas Foundation, along with CFT. Private philanthropic investments are managed by CFT.
As Melisa and Darryl continue their journey with CFT, they hope to educate friends and family on the power of intentional giving. Ambers notes, “We plan to continue to identify opportunities to tell others how they can give thoughtfully and see the results of their investment. CFT makes it so easy.”