To numerous Texans, today might seem like just another blazing hot Thursday in Central Texas. And for many people, that actually is the case. However, the Texas Education Agency reports that for over 386,000 local students, 26,500 teachers, and the remaining staff of over 615 area schools, today is much more eventful. Either today or in the coming days, school districts across Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, and Williamson Counties open their doors to yet another new school year, and with it some familiar struggles. Lack of educator diversity, a disproportionate high school drop out rate among students from low-income families, and a lack of volunteers to work one-on-one with students during the day are just a few of the issues that seem to plague the education system in Central Texas from year to year.
Holistic Educational Support
To face these issues head on and support sustainable improvement to our local education systems, Give Texas believes in a Holistic Educational Support approach. This approach identifies students, educators, and their schools as interconnected components of the education system that should not be considered as lone targets of support. Supporting these three components as one makes for a better, stronger education system where students, educators, and schools are each and all empowered to achieve the highest level of growth and success.
Education Nonprofits engaging in Holistic Support
Austin Partners in Education
1550
Volunteers providing students with academic and social/emotional support
3:1
maximum student to instructor ratio in Classroom Coaching program
4.5
Hours of weekly tutoring provided to targeted students
Students
Austin Partners in Education (APIE) serves students by providing them with advanced mentoring and academic programs, driven by volunteers. This support tackles not only academic, but also social and emotional learning, leading to elevated self-esteem as well as communication and study skills.
Educators
By promoting healthy communication and study habits in students while also providing volunteer support, APIE allows educators to focus more on the growth of their class. Consistent and improved study and communication habits make way for more growth between educators and their students.
Schools
By gearing focus on schools found in under-resourced communities, APIE provides support where it is needed most. A school equipped with better resources, plentiful volunteer support, motivated students, and focused teachers is a school built to change lives.
Austin Voices for Education and Youth
2800
Families served each year by Austin Voices
37%
Increase in Reagan High School graduation rate over 7 years
13
Campuses working with Austin Voices to support development and priorities
Students
Austin Voices for Education and Youth’s after school programs cultivate student leadership through voice and expression. But they don’t stop there – they also have Family Resource Centers which produce successful students by supporting at-risk families.
Educators
Austin Voices for Education and Youth is a part of the national movement to develop community schools. This means they empower educators through strategic planning and connections between teachers, students, parents, and community members.
Schools
The community school idea is to surround schools with support from parents, staff, nonprofits, community partners, and even local government to plan and improve growth. Nobody embraces this idea better than Austin Voices for Education and Youth.
Branch Alliance for Educator Diversity
51%
Public school children who are of color
20%
Public school teachers who are of color
40%
Public schools in the U.S. without a single teacher of color
Students
Students deserve access to diverse and highly effective educators. Through Branch Alliance for Educator Diversity, those students will be taught by an educator workforce that better represents them.
Educators
Branch Alliance has an unmatched focus on educator diversification and empowerment. They provide teachers with critical training and hands-on support to prepare them to meet the needs of a student body that grows more diverse every year.
Schools
Branch Alliance for educator diversity is working daily to eliminate the percentage gap between students of color and educators of color. As that gap lessens, schools become more welcoming places where students of all backgrounds can succeed.
Communities in Schools Central Texas
88%
Students who improved grades, attendance, or behavior
41,837
K – 12 students supported through Communities in Schools Central Texas
66
Elementary, middle, and high school campuses served
Students
The number of kids who face poverty, hunger, poor health, and other obstacles that impede academic learning is greater than 70,000 just in Central Texas. Communities in Schools keeps at-risk students in school and on the path to success by forging relationships and providing physical and emotional needs.
Educators
Experienced site coordinators work intensely with school educators and administrators to understand and assess the needs of the student. Through this close interaction, Communities in Schools empowers educators to provide more than just academic knowledge to their students.
Schools
Communities in Schools Central Texas creates collaborative partnerships between schools and the businesses and community organizations in their areas. This creates a smarter school, better equipped to serve disadvantaged students.
Girl Start
949
Central Texas girls served by after school programs
1258
Educators served through professional development
97%
Percentage of girls able to participate in programs at no cost
Students
Girl Start knows we are all better off with more solutions coming from more girls with more ideas. It’s really pretty simple! This nonprofit supports numerous programs that help girls find their place in STEM at an early age.
Educators
One way that Girl Start promotes female engagement in STEM is by providing professional development and collaboration opportunities directly to educators. These educators are empowered to then provide their female students with knowledge and access to STEM resources.
Schools
Girl Start partners directly with schools in Austin ISD, Del Valle ISD, Georgetown ISD, Hays CISD, Leander ISD, Pflugerville ISD, and Round Rock ISD to provide free STEM education programs every week throughout the school year.
Learn More
There are many more nonprofits that provide education support in the Greater Austin area. Keep up with Give Austin to learn more about the local organizations making Central Texas a better place for students, educators, and schools.