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Education and Talent Development Mission: Enhance capacity of K-12 education systems to graduate academically prepared students, ensure greater numbers and a broader spectrum of students graduate from post-secondary or higher education institutions and ensure effective workforce training programs exist to train or retrain residents for continually evolving employment sector.

Contact: Drew Scheberle, Senior Vice President for Education and Talent Development, 512.322.5628.

Vice Chair, Education
Gene Austin
President & CEO
Convio

SECTIONS ON THIS PAGE

20,010 by 2010 Initiative
State of Education in Austin
ACC Progress Report

Community Education Progress Reports
2008 Strategic Plan

20,010 by 2010 Initiative Metro Austin has one of the best educated workforces in the world. More than two-thirds of our population has some college education. Approximately 40 percent has at least a bachelor's degree. Metro Austin, however, imports much of this skilled labor through enrollment at UT-Austin or through employment at many of our high-technology companies. Though improving, the metro area actually lags in the percentage of its "home-grown" population attending higher education. The premium for education continues to grow. To provide more opportunities for our residents, Metro Austin should increase its higher education enrollment percentage from approximately 67,000, or 4.4 percent of the home grown population, in 2000, to 100,000 in 2015 or 6 percent. Over the last five years, Metro Austin higher education enrollment increases have kept up with overall population growth, but our growth trajectory is only half what it needs to be. Actions Which Require Assistance Support regional efforts to increase completion of the Apply Texas application (formerly known as Texas Common Application). Execute plan to increase 7.5 percent annually the completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) financial aid forms. Execute plan to increase 7.5 percent annually college-ready graduates through Austin Partners in Education. Assist with adult education preparation/enrollment through Skillpoint Alliance College & Career Fair on March 6, 2008. Ensure Texas regulators provide key process and outcome indicators for the previous school year no later than 150 days after May graduation. Work with Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to ensure "college ready" standard is increased to reflect actual higher education readiness expectations. Assist Foundation Communities in preparing IRS tax forms to help expedite the financial aid application process.
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20,010 by 2010 Initiative

Metro Austin has one of the best educated workforces in the world. More than two-thirds of our population has some college education. Approximately 40 percent has at least a bachelor's degree. Metro Austin, however, imports much of this skilled labor through enrollment at UT-Austin or through employment at many of our high-technology companies. Though improving, the metro area actually lags in the percentage of its "home-grown" population attending higher education. The premium for education continues to grow. To provide more opportunities for our residents, Metro Austin should increase its higher education enrollment percentage from approximately 67,000, or 4.4 percent of the home grown population, in 2000, to 100,000 in 2015 or 6 percent. Over the last five years, Metro Austin higher education enrollment increases have kept up with overall population growth, but our growth trajectory is only half what it needs to be.

Actions Which Require Assistance

Support regional efforts to increase completion of the Apply Texas application (formerly known as Texas Common Application).
Execute plan to increase 7.5 percent annually the completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) financial aid forms.
Execute plan to increase 7.5 percent annually college-ready graduates through Austin Partners in Education.
Assist with adult education preparation/enrollment through Skillpoint Alliance College & Career Fair on March 6, 2008.
Ensure Texas regulators provide key process and outcome indicators for the previous school year no later than 150 days after May graduation.
Work with Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to ensure "college ready" standard is increased to reflect actual higher education readiness expectations.
Assist Foundation Communities in preparing IRS tax forms to help expedite the financial aid application process.

State of Education in Austin The 20,010 by 2010 initiative was unveiled at the Chamber's State of Education in Austin event in November 2006. 11.27.07—2007 State of Education in Austin 11.27.07—2007 College Essay Winner 11.29.06—2006 State of Education in Austin
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State of Education in Austin

The 20,010 by 2010 initiative was unveiled at the Chamber's State of Education in Austin event in November 2006.

11.27.07—2007 State of Education in Austin
11.27.07—2007 College Essay Winner
11.29.06—2006 State of Education in Austin

Austin Community College Progress Report The Austin Chamber of Commerce unveiled the first Community College Progress Report in the nation on October 19, 2007 at the Austin Chamber-IBM Roundtable. The report, produced by an Austin Chamber Task Force made up of leaders in the business community, details Austin Community College’s enrollment and graduation numbers, talent development specific to growing industries in the Austin area and the college’s production of graduates in certain areas of Metro Austin’s growing workforce. 10.19.07—Austin Chamber-IBM Roundtable Presentation 10.19.07—2007 Austin Community College Progress Report
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Austin Community College Progress Report

The Austin Chamber of Commerce unveiled the first Community College Progress Report in the nation on October 19, 2007 at the Austin Chamber-IBM Roundtable. The report, produced by an Austin Chamber Task Force made up of leaders in the business community, details Austin Community College’s enrollment and graduation numbers, talent development specific to growing industries in the Austin area and the college’s production of graduates in certain areas of Metro Austin’s growing workforce.

10.19.07—Austin Chamber-IBM Roundtable Presentation
10.19.07—2007 Austin Community College Progress Report

Community Education Progress Reports Beginning December 2005 the Austin Chamber of Commerce tasked volunteers from a diverse selection of community and business leaders with the goal of determining Austin Independent School District’s progress in graduating students who are college and career ready. In following years more school districts and more data has been added. 03.19.08—2007 Austin Community Education Progress Report 03.19.08—2007 Bastrop Community Education Progress Report 03.19.08—2007 Manor Community Education Progress Report 03.19.08—2007 Pflugerville Community Education Progress Report 03.19.08—2007 Round Rock Community Education Progress Report 12.08.06—2006 Austin Community Education Progress Report 12.08.06—2006 Bastrop Community Education Progress Report 12.08.06—2006 Round Rock Community Education Progress Report 12.19.05—2005 Austin ISD Community Education Progress Report
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Community Education Progress Reports

Beginning December 2005 the Austin Chamber of Commerce tasked volunteers from a diverse selection of community and business leaders with the goal of determining Austin Independent School District’s progress in graduating students who are college and career ready. In following years more school districts and more data has been added.

2008 Strategic Plan Priority Issues The priority issues that the Education and Talent Development department will strive to achieve include recruiting appropriate business leaders by forming an Education and Talent Development Council and aiming to recruit like-minded trustees from surrounding institutions. Other objectives include promoting strategic planning aligned with the region’s education goals, delivering on key Chamber investments to improve college and talent readiness and advancing public understanding of education successes and challenges. The department also plans to promote sound public policy at local and state levels by promoting Chamber policy recommendations, hosting roundtables and promoting recommendations for increasing post secondary education enrollment. Finally, identifying, recruiting and developing talent for Austin will be accomplished by supporting the Chamber’s Bio Council on talent development issues.
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2008 Strategic Plan

Priority Issues

The priority issues that the Education and Talent Development department will strive to achieve include recruiting appropriate business leaders by forming an Education and Talent Development Council and aiming to recruit like-minded trustees from surrounding institutions. Other objectives include promoting strategic planning aligned with the region’s education goals, delivering on key Chamber investments to improve college and talent readiness and advancing public understanding of education successes and challenges. The department also plans to promote sound public policy at local and state levels by promoting Chamber policy recommendations, hosting roundtables and promoting recommendations for increasing post secondary education enrollment. Finally, identifying, recruiting and developing talent for Austin will be accomplished by supporting the Chamber’s Bio Council on talent development issues.