Direct-to-College Achievement

The Direct-to-College Achievement Plan, or DTC70, is the first multi-chamber, multi-school district, multi-business compact to commit to enroll 70% of graduating high school seniors directly in higher education.

  • DTC70 business & education partnership

    The majority of Central Texas’ 119,600 open jobs (June 2022) require postsecondary credentials, but the majority of our region’s 36,200 unemployed lack these credentials. While Austin MSA direct-to-college enrollment has increased by 32% since 2010, our rate of direct-to-college enrollment stands at 62% and trails the national average of approximately 70%.

    For this reason, the Austin Chamber and its partners created the Direct-to-College 70% Achievement Plan (DTC70). This plan is the first multi-chamber, multi-school district, multi-business compact committing to enroll 70% of the Class of 2022-2023 directly in higher education. Partners are also working on direct-to-work strategies to help non-college intending students connect to CTE-yielding (career technical education) certifications, dual-credit courses yielding degrees in high school, and jobs after graduation. This program also partners with employers to bridge local talent gaps and promote upskilling opportunities for those with some college and no degree.

    DTC70 Brochure
Key strategies & initiatives

SURVEY STUDENT NEEDS – We survey juniors & seniors in five school districts to identify college-going plans and barriers. College counselors use this information to target college advising and interventions.

TARGET REMINDERS – Our school partners send targeted text reminders to juniors and seniors on key college admissions, financial aid, and enrollment deadlines.

HELP THEM PAY – Between October and February, we host 40 Financial Aid events for families to receive 1:1 assistance to complete college financial aid forms in advance of state priority aid deadlines.

GET THEM READY – Partners leverage our OneLogos College Ready Portal to track college readiness performance on ACT, SAT, and TSI assessments and target support and tutoring to students in advance of high school graduation.

GET THEM ENROLLED – Our Summer Melt program works with about 10,000 of the approximately 13,000 Central Texas graduating students to overcome obstacles in directly enrolling in college.

HELP THEM EARN WHILE THEY LEARN – Work with employers and training providers to connect working students/employees with some college and no degree to financial aid, advising, and training that will accelerate progress to in demand degrees or credentials.

EVALUATE OUTCOMES – To support continued improvement and recognize success, partners track postsecondary enrollment, persistence, completion, UI wages and employment outcomes.

SOURCES

1. University of Texas at Austin, Ray Marshall Center, Student Futures/Chamber DTC70 Partner multi-year postsecondary enrollment outcomes 2006-2021.

2. ApplyTexas and Financial Aid Outcomes, aggregated by OneLogos and Austin Chamber from THECB and U.S. Department of Education respectively for Class of 2021-2022.

3. U.S. Department of Education, Q1 First-time FAFSA Filings by Zip (Austin MSA), 2005-2021.

  • Opportunity Austin supports college and career readiness

    To grow our Human Capital, Opportunity Austin 4.0 has an aspirational goal: 100% readiness and placement directly from high school graduation into college, a credentialing program, or a high-performance workplace.

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Business Partners

Chamber Partners

School Partners

Recent news

  • Chamber & ISD partners achieve top state FAFSA rate, make college more affordable for families

    Over the last four years, the Austin Chamber and its DTC70 school district partners (Austin, Hutto, Leander, Pflugerville, Round Rock) have worked to achieve the goal of 70 percent direct to college enrollment rate. To do this, the Chamber organizes,...

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  • Austin Chamber encourages high school seniors to file FAFSA before new priority aid deadline: Jan. 15

    AUSTIN, Texas—Today, with two months remaining until the Jan. 15, 2019, Texas priority aid deadline, Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice President for Education and Talent Drew Scheberle released the following statement:“In a change from previous years, the...

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  • Austin Chamber Celebrates Educators and Students at 2018 State of Education Event

    Since 2006, the Austin Chamber has partnered with local colleges and several Central Texas school districts to improve college enrollment. The Direct-to-College 70 (DTC70) program is working to attain a 70 percent rate of direct enrollment into post-secondary education, on...

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