Annual State of Education Highlights Plans to Prep Workforce

Posted on 11/17/2015 by Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce

State of Education

On Tuesday, November 17, 2015, the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce hosted over 450 business and education leaders from throughout Central Texas for the 10th Annual State of Education. The focus of the luncheon was to discuss the education and workforce pipeline and honor the schools and administrators who proved exemplary performance over the past year.

Paul D’Arcy, Senior Vice President at Indeed, dissected the Metro Austin labor market. Austin remains a key city for the nation’s top talent. D’Arcy explained that over half of Austin’s job seekers are from out of state and mostly apply for highly skilled jobs. With so many out-of-towners competing for jobs in Austin, where does that leave local talent? And, how are we preparing local students for the highly skilled and highly paid jobs in Austin?

Texas Higher Education Commissioner Raymund Paredes explained Texas’ 60x30TX plan to prepare students for the labor market. The goal the plan is to ensure that 60 percent of Texans age 25-34 will have some post secondary credential (bachelor’s degree, associate’s degree or vocational certificate) by 2030.

He stressed that the key is to focus on value-added degrees and directly addressed critics of higher education.

“We don’t need to push kids away from going to college or pursuing a liberal arts degree,” said Paredes. “What we need to do is ensure that higher education provides young people will the marketable skills to enable them to succeed in the workplace.”

Austin education advocates are working on a regional plan to prepare students for the highly skilled and highly paid jobs in Austin. This plan, called DTC70, works in concert with Texas’ higher education plan. The goal is to get students to directly enroll in college or university so that they can be equipped for the best jobs in Austin.

Shaun Cranston, 2015 Chamber Education Chair and SVP of Brookfield Residential Texas, gave a presentation on the overall state of education in Central Texas.

See the event page here for more information and links to the speaker’s presentations.

Education Awards

In addition to the presentations on education and the workforce, the Chamber also presented awards to following schools and administrators:

ApplyTexas Submission Rate

  • 95%, Cedar Ridge High School, RRISD (475-700) (Superintendent Dr. Steve Flores, Principal, Lynette Thomas, Lead Counselor Larrie Colton
  • 100%, Manor High School, (250-474) (Superintendent Kevin Brackmeyer, Principal Jennifer Mann, Roslyn Caldwell)
  • 100%, Ann Richards, AISD Ann Richards High School, AISD (50-249) (Dr. Paul Cruz, Principal Jeanne Goka, Project ADVANCE Advisor Eric Heineman)

Highest Overall FAFSA Submission Rate by enrollment category:

  • 66%, Akins High School, Austin ISD (475-700) (Dr. Paul Cruz, Principal Brandi Hosack, Project ADVANCE Advisor Sarah Simmons)
  • 70%, Hutto High School, Hutto ISD (250-474) (Dr. Doug Killian, Principal Roy Christian, Shirley Reich, Erica Blando)
  • 88%, Ann Richards High School, Austin ISD (50-249) (Dr. Paul Cruz, Principal Jeanne Goka, Project ADVANCE Advisor Eric Heineman)

Highest Financial Aid Saturdays Attendance:

  • Hutto High School w/ 338 (Dr. Doug Killian, Principal Roy Christian, Shirley Reich, Erica Blando)

Highest Student Futures Project Participation Rate:

  • 100%, LASA (Austin ISD) - (Dr. Paul Cruz, Principal Stacia Crescenzi, Project ADVANCE Advisor Jamie Kocian and Lead Counselor Shannon Bergeron)
  • 100%, Ann Richards, AISD Ann Richards High School, AISD (50-249) (Dr. Paul Cruz, Principal Jeanne Goka, Project ADVANCE Advisor Eric Heineman)

Greatest Improvement in Direct to College Enrollment Rate-School:

  • 49% to 58% Travis High School (Dr. Paul Cruz, Principal Ty Davidson, Project ADVANCE Counselor Alex Juarez)

Greatest Improvement in Direct to College Enrollment Rate-School:

  • 46% to 51%, Manor ISD (250-474) (Superintendent Kevin Brackmeyer, Principal Jennifer Mann, Steve Zipkes, Roslyn Caldwell)

Highest Overall Direct College Enrollment Rate:

  • 91%, LASA (Austin ISD) - (Dr. Paul Cruz, Principal Stacia Crescenzi, Project ADVANCE Advisor Jamie Kocian and Lead Counselor Shannon Bergeron)

Austin Partners in Education College Readiness Award: Yesenia Yanez

Business Volunteer of the Year: Julian Rivera

Superintendent of the Year: Kevin Brackmeyer (Manor ISD)


Related Categories: Chamber, Economic Development, Education and Talent, Public Policy