A landmark set of new data tools, released today by Texas 2036, provides new information and insight on Texans’ educational progress and the paths they take in higher education or careers after completing high school.
The data puts an unprecedented spotlight on the challenges Texas faces in preparing students for the millions of 21st century jobs that Texas will need to extend its prosperity into its bicentennial year of 2036 and beyond.
Based on information from the Texas Education Agency, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Texas Workforce Commission, these data sets include a variety of metrics detailed by high schools, school districts or counties.
The reporting tools can be found at: https://reports.texas2036.org.
“In order to meet the workforce needs of the future, decision-makers need clear, accessible data about what happens to students after high school,” said Margaret Spellings, CEO of Texas 2036, a nonprofit organization focused on the challenges and opportunities facing Texas as the state’s bicentennial approaches. “These tools put a spotlight on the choices high school graduates are making, the success they are having and where they might be falling through the cracks.”
The Texas 2036 Education-to-Workforce reporting tool consists of the following interactive reports:
◼ The Workforce Outcomes Report shows how quickly students from specific schools or campuses are entering the workforce and whether they make above or below a living wage.
◼ The Higher Education Transition Report allows users to track, by college or university, the school districts that most often feed into those institutions.
◼ The High School to College Transition Report is a look at how students from specific high schools and districts are performing in college.
◼ The High School to Workforce Pathway Report illustrates the various paths that students take after high school, such as whether they enroll in and complete college, and how often students who go down each pathway make above or below a living wage.
◼ The Education to Workforce Interactive Map shows where students are working after high school or college. It is searchable by county and higher education institution.
The teams that assembled the tools could not see any personal identifying information about the individuals behind the data, and such identifying information is not available or visible to anyone using the tools.
Texas 2036 often highlights the alarming gap between educational attainment in the state and the number of future jobs that will require some type of college certificate or degree. In the coming years, 77 percent of jobs will require a college degree or certificate, but only 28 percent of Texas eighth-graders now complete a postsecondary degree or certificate within six years of high school graduation. In fact, more than half of Texans between ages 25 and 34 have not completed any form of postsecondary education.
“This information vividly illustrates how we are doing now and where we need to improve,” said Texas 2036 Founder Tom Luce. “Because much of this data is broken down by school districts and counties, Texans can use these tools to get a better sense of the educational successes and challenges in their specific communities. Reliable, credible data will guide us toward the long-term strategies Texas needs to help prepare our students for the future workforce.”
###
About Texas 2036
Texas 2036 is a nonprofit organization building long-term, data-driven strategies to secure Texas’ continued prosperity for years to come. We engage Texans and their leaders in an honest conversation about our future, focusing on the big challenges. We offer non-partisan ideas and modern solutions that are grounded in research and data to break through the gridlock on issues that matter most to all Texans. Smart strategies and systematic changes are critical to prepare Texas for the future. For more information, visit www.texas2036.org. To arrange an interview or to learn more information about Texas 2036 and its data, please contact Jason Embry at (512) 560-3876.