Are Texas graduates ready for careers or college? This bonus rewards districts for progress

Texas school districts are changing the mindset on how success is measured, thanks to a program spawned from a school finance bill passed by the Texas Legislature in 2019.

In the past, districts had two focuses — students passing state exams in math and English and their graduation rates.

Now, the Texas Education Agency is measuring how well districts prepare students for careers or the military, and rewarding districts that prepare students for college or careers.

“There is a big gap between passing Algebra 1 and being college ready in math,” said Ben Mackey, interim executive director for Texas Impact Network, a nonprofit that helps school districts access performance-based funding created by the 2019 legislation. “If a kid goes to college and is not ready, they have to take remedial classes before they can even start. Then you see a lot of students self-select out.”

The Texas Education Agency sends districts money through the College, Career, and Military Readiness Outcomes Bonus based on test scores and weather students enroll in college, join the military or receive industry certifications following high school graduation. The bonuses range from $2,000 to $5,000 per student, based on certain factors.

In Tarrant County, funding at 100% success rate would equal $101 million. Actual funding received in 2021 (based on 2019 results) was $13 million. Statewide, $1.5 billion could be distributed to districts at a 100% success rate. Based on the 2019 numbers, only 14% of that amount was funded.

Mackey said the goal is to increase the amount of money each district draws annually.

“We shouldn’t yet get hung up on the gap between where districts are drawing down now versus the max draw down — this is an ideal state,” he said. “Rather, we need to be looking for and applauding districts making substantial increases in their draw down amounts year after year.”

Districts can use the money to fund areas that help improve this outcome, from hiring more teachers or increasing their pay to purchasing equipment and supplies.

“The Outcomes Bonus funding provides a sustainability function that, as districts start to increase this, the flywheel begins to turn and they then earn more money to put right back toward bringing more students along,” Mackey said.

The strategy is working in the Fort Worth school district, as the most recent bonus money earned, $2.6 million, is up 34% over last year’s amount, according to David Saenz, the district’s chief innovation officer.

Growth in this area is not just reflective of the bonus money, however. Saenz said the district had already been investing into successful and equitable College, Career and Military Readiness programs before the funds were allotted.

The number of Fort Worth seniors who earned readiness indicators increased from 34% from the class of 2016 to 62% with the class of 2020, surpassing the school board’s goal by 17 points, Saenz said.

Also to bolster student success, Fort Worth has increased the availability of dual credit courses and dual enrollment courses through the University of Texas at Austin OnRamps programs, and ensured Career and Technical Education Pathways culminate with students earning industry-based certifications.

“The current investments focus on providing personnel that will support our counselors with ensuring each student is on a path to being ready for college and career,” Saenz said.

Saenz said the initiatives include a partnership with TCU to deploy college advisers to high school campuses to support educators focused on student success. This partnership is also supported through the district’s involvement with the Tarrant To and Through (T3), an organization trying to fill in the gaps to ensure more students have what they need to thrive in the workplace.

Other investments the district is making includes providing free access to courses from Princeton Review to improve student performance on national assessments like SAT and ACT and offering all juniors a free SAT and ACT exam opportunity during the school day.

Saenz said the district has established “freshman success teams” to ensure students stay on track with graduation.

“We have also started building our middle school infrastructure to allow students to explore the CCMR pathways available to them in high school,” he said.

One of the district’s newest projects allows elementary students to explore STEM by participating in hands-on activities.