June 12, 2007
Austin, TX — E3Alliance recently received a grant from United Way Capital Area in the amount of $50,000 to fund deliberative discussions on the economic and social impacts of educational achievement gaps across the Central Texas region. The discussions will represent all students, families and stakeholders across the region – rich and poor, of all ethnicities, challenged and unchallenged in the education process.
“We are excited to receive this support from the United Way, “said Susan Dawson, executive director of the E3 Alliance. “This will allow our region to be at the forefront of creating a better aligned educational system that improves outcomes for every student.”
The E3 Alliance is a collaborative effort of the Austin Community College District (ACC), the Austin Area Research Organization (AARO), the University of Texas and others to initiate a regional effort to increase global competitiveness, economic vitality and overall quality of life in Central Texas by aligning the region’s education systems.
The goal of the E3Alliance is to break down barriers and build better alignment across the education continuum to strengthen access and student success, and ultimately, increase competitiveness of the region.
“The United Way is moving to a model that addresses the root cause needs of our communities,” stated David Balch, president of United Way Capital Area. “Creating actionable plans to address educational achievement gaps and raise the outcomes for all of our students certainly drives a more sustainable region. We are excited to support this groundbreaking effort.”
E3 Alliance, in partnership with Austin Voices for Youth in Education and Texas Forums (LBJ Presidential Library), will convene community-wide deliberative discussions about the achievement gaps in education in seven communities across the Central Texas region. These discussions, involving hundreds of business and community leaders, parents, students, and other stakeholders, will not only form a plan for closing the achievement gap in Central Texas, but also create a basis for reaching a region-wide consensus on educational goals.
For more information, please visit www.e3alliance.org
