1. Alliance Success Indicator Report 2009

2. Overview The Success Indicators report is a document that provides a snapshot of the educational status and potential of Greater Waco. It will be refined and released each year of the Education Summits. The underlying Eight Assumptions for the Greater Waco Community Education Alliance were developed with the advice of local experts in education who collectively advised that there are certain critical points in a child’s educational development, and that the community needs to know the status of our children at these junctures. With that information, we can align ourselves to improve children’s outcomes and measure our performance. Sources for the Eight Assumptions and Success Indicators include: Gear Up Waco Local superintendents, teachers, administrators, Region 12 professionals Faculty and departmental leadership from Baylor University, TSTC and MCC Scholarship providers and financial aid professionals Closing the Gaps Report (Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board) Texas Education Agency Center for Occupational Research and Development Existing local plans

3. Overview The Greater Waco Education Alliance does not assume credit for strides made in school performance, so it will never be presumed that the Alliance is solely or even largely responsible for increases in TAKS scores for a particular district. However, TAKS performance is a tool for understanding need, and it serves as a guide where focus and alignment are required. It is the hope of the Alliance that TAKS scores will reflect overall positive changes in the lives of children that result from community support. Because the work is so large, the Education Alliance will provide heavy focus on two or three Assumptions each year of the Summit. During the 2009 Summit, Assumptions 1 and 2 will receive the most attention. Assumption 1 – early childhood – was such a vast field that a separate study was required before baselines could be set. That heavy focus is reflected in this report. Following the Summit, targets for improvements in baselines will be determined where appropriate, and with community input, and the targets and progress will be added to future reports.

4. Assumption 1 The most valuable and cost-effective time to invest in education is between birth and the age of five Community Goal: All children reach age five with experiences they need to develop learning readiness and social skills critical to success in school and in life itself

5. Assumption 1 Families must have access to high quality education and preparation and be aware of the role they play, beginning with pre-natal care, in enabling children to enter school ready to learn. The Early Childhood Quality of Life Index provides a great deal of data to assist community planning. The factors that influence a child’s quality of life are beyond the reach of a singular community effort, but there are factors that, with focus, can be influenced with the implementation of evidenced-based programming. From January through May 2009, the community will be convened to respond to the findings of the Early Childhood Quality of Life Index Report and develop a plan for addressing those factors which can be influenced with programming. The challenge to the community will be to increase McLennan County’s Quality of Life Index from 40% to more 50% during the next five years.

6. Assumption 1 Parents and those caring for children need good information about how they can raise a child ready for school and life. The community plan will also consider planning strategies for conveying good information to parents – particularly those in zip codes with a QOL score below 50% - and will determine the appropriate programming and measurement for that factor. Some businesses have expressed interest in supporting quality child care for their employees, and parents across the board have said they are interested in higher quality child care and are willing to pay more for it. Another aspect of community planning will involve an exploration in how to improve child care quality. The overall measurement of effectiveness that will be available in future years is the Texas Primary Reading Inventory Score (TPRI), which measured a child’s readiness to learn upon entering kindergarten. In future years, TPRI scores will be tracked and reported for McLennan County school districts.

7. McLennan County Early Childhood Quality of Life Score There are 10 zip codes with a quality of life less than 50% McLennan McLennan Early Childhood Quality of Life

8. Assumption 1 Value of investing in early childhood Source: Bush School of Government: Cost Analysis of the Benefits of Universal Accessible Full Day Pre-K in Texas, 2006

9. Assumption 1 Most children are not in formal child care settings, so improving the quality of life index must include work that focuses on parents and guardians

10. Assumption 1 Most parents are unaware of early childhood brain development Source: Kronkosky Foundation study of parent practices. "Snapshot of San Antonio: Early Childhood“ Conducted by Galloway Research

11. Assumption 1 Most Parents are interested in learning about brain development Source: Kronkosky Foundation study of parent practices. "Snapshot of San Antonio: Early Childhood“ Conducted by Galloway Research

12. Assumption 1 Child care centers by type Most children in child care are in settings that are not seeking quality, and 27% of them are in a completely unregulated environment.

13. Assumption 1 Although not all children are in quality child care settings, the community needs more quality child care options for parents. By the end of 2010, 16% of all child care centers will have some type of quality certification. As a part of a plan to improve the early childhood environment, the Waco Foundation will convene early childhood stakeholders to set additional quality goals / feasibility of projects to further increases in quality.

14. 766645133434432 203 766404225433742 189 765243122343527 149 766241733322923 134 766382127232825 124 767012120332226 122 766822522262717 117 7663025162021 103 76703123343 25 7670267 23 18 76715762 1 16 7665411434 13 76714451 10 7679832 1 6 Total3343324033883446350316920 Zip Code’03’04’05’06’07Total 76705489468489468452 2366 76706433405439422454 2153 76708404383388452 2079 76707386381392424397 1980 76710332319318352355 1676 76712205226241230269 1171 76643166172202196202 938 76711164162148163169 806 76704141151145123147 707 766571159198125150 579 766556772856081 365 766917776736056 342 765574858576144 268 766335054495850 261 Zips where index is lower than 50% Improving the Quality of Life Index must target the greatest source of the problem – Women not accessing prenatal care Assumption 1 Births by zips

15. Pre-natal care Zips where index is lower than 50% Assumption 1 Births in low quality of life zips Zip code’03’04’05’06’07Total % of births to women with Inadequate pre- natal care 76706433405439422454 2153 13.36% 76708404383388452 2079 10.22% 76707386381392424397 1980 9.57% 76711164162148163169 806 12.02% 76704141151145123147 707 9.68% 766571159198125150 579 16.55% 766645133434432 203 12.61% 767012120332226 122 12.81% 76710332319318352355 16769.84% Total 2047194520042127218210305

16. Assumption 1 Estimated inadequate pre-natal care for five years Zip Code’03’04’05’06’07Total Inadequate pre-natal care 5-year # of births to women with inadequate prenatal care 767064334054394224542153 10.22% 220 76708404383388452 2079 9.57% 199 767073863813924243971980 12.02% 238 76711164162148163169806 9.68% 78 76704141151145123147707 16.55% 117 766571159198125150579 12.61% 73 766645133434432203 12.81% 26 767012120332226122 15.57% 19 76710332319318352355 16769.84%165 Total171516261686177518278629 1135 Pre-natal care Zips where index is lower than 50%

17. Can we reach 295 women who need pre-natal care? Assumption 1 Estimated inadequate pre-natal care for one year Pre-natal care Zips where index is lower than 50% Zip Code’03’04’05’06’07Total Inadequate pre-natal care Five year total One year total of births to women with inadequate prenatal care 76705489468489468452 2366 13.36% 31660 76706433405439422454 2153 10.22% 22046 76708404383388452 2079 9.57% 19943 76707386381392424397 1980 12.02% 23848 76711164162148163169 806 9.68% 7816 76704141151145123147 707 16.55% 11724 766571159198125150 579 12.61% 7319 766645133434432 203 12.81% 264 767012120332226 122 15.57% 194 76710332319318352355 16769.84%165 35 Total2204209421752243227910995 113 5295

18. Assumption 2 Reading on grade level by Grade 3 is critical to future education success. Community Goal: All children reach age five with experiences they need to develop learning readiness and social skills critical to success in school and in life itself

19. Assumption 3 Mastering mathematics fundamentals through Algebra I is a minimal requirement for high school graduation and post-secondary success Community Goal: All children will be proficient in math through Algebra I by their graduation from high school.

20. Assumption 3 At a minimum, students must master math fundamentals (whole numbers, decimals, fractions, and percentages), pre-Algebra, and Algebra I by graduation in high school to be successful. A strong correlation exists between a grounding in mathematics through Algebra II and higher with access to post secondary education, graduation from college, and earning wages in the top quartile of income from employment

21. Assumption 4 All students must be prepared for post- secondary success by the time of their graduation from high school Community Goal: All students will be prepared for post-secondary education while in high school.

22. Assumption 5 All youth must graduate from high school, overcoming challenges that discourage academic engagement Community Goal: All students must be supported and encouraged to stay in school through successful high school graduation.

23. Assumption 6 Parents and students should be aware of available high school to post-secondary paths and financial aid options Community Goal: All parents and youth will know about, plan for and seek access to post-secondary options and to financial aid, if needed.

24. Assumption 7 Financial resources should not be a barrier to post-secondary success Community Goal: The community will ensure that scholarship opportunities are known and supported.

25. Assumption 8 The community should understand the region's secondary and post-secondary success rates and develop support programs to encourage the highest rates of successful completion Community Goal: All youth will complete post-secondary education leading to a chosen career opportunity.

26. Success Indicator Report is a guide and tool for Alliance Areas of community need and progress Where to focus efforts for highest impact Measureable success for indicators tied to what community can do Continue to provide school data for a sense of “McLennan County State of Education” Will refine benchmarks and data each year of the Summit Early Childhood Index Tutors trained in Best Practices Will eventually provide a tool for overall progress in meeting Eight Assumptions Community input to Success Indicator Report is welcome Available at EducateWaco.comducateWaco.com