Central Texas districts team up to help students succeed

Central Texas districts team up to help students succeed

E3 Alliance Peer Learning Networks (PLN) and Steering Committees are essential to collaborating with the educational alliance in Central Texas. PLNs are a community of peers with diverse perspectives and experiences who come together to tackle real-life challenges impacting students.

At our recent PLN Symposium, leaders from Central Texas school districts shared how they are increasing attendance and improving math outcomes for students.

Attendance PLN: Smart moves to help students show up  

Austin, Hays, Pflugerville, and Seguin ISDs are helping more students come to school every day.  

Austin ISD reached attendance goals on several campuses. Staff focused on students who missed the most days. Schools used clear systems to track absences, met in teams every week, and created fun reasons to show up, like dances and prizes.  

Hays CISD talked with high school students to learn why they miss school. Next, they will meet with younger students. These talks help schools give the right kind of support. They also turned to local leaders to tie in the community.   

Pflugerville ISD sent messages in English and Spanish and spoke with families in many languages. Staff learned how to take action early. At Connally High School, over half the students improved their attendance.  

Seguin ISD set goals across the district and built strong attendance plans for most campuses. Teams meet weekly and use a three-level support system. This helps students who are close to missing too much school get back on track.  

Math PLN: Creating strong math pathways   

Del Valle, Lake Travis, and Leander ISDs are changing how they teach math, enabling more students to take advanced classes and prepare for college.  

Del Valle ISD trained teachers and counselors to guide students into honors math. They also made the honors policy easier for families to understand.  

Lake Travis ISD added summer classes and improved how they teach Algebra I. They also used data to place more students in 6th-grade honors math.  

Leander ISD listened to teachers explain what makes math hard to teach. Then, they used that feedback to improve their plan. Teachers also worked together to plan lessons and support each other.  

Stronger Together: Building success across the region 

These school districts are making real progress. They are working as a team and sharing what works for them. Their plans help more students succeed in school.

Our PLNs and Steering Committees are essential to collaborating with the educational alliance in Central Texas. With continued support from funders and community partners, we can keep moving forward and reach even more students.