Author: Christopher T. King
Date: April 26, 2011
Publication Type: Presentation (Prepared for UT Quest Spring April 26, 2011 Lecture at Thompson Conference Center, Austin)

In the early 2000s, the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce launched an initiative to add 20,010 more post-secondary enrollments by 2010 - boosting the direct-to-college enrollment rate to 64% - in order to maintain the region's competitive edge. The initiative successfully engaged business, civic and education leaders throughout the region and recently adopted a direct-to-college enrollment goal of 72% for 2020. The Central Texas Student Futures Project, which is directed by UT's Ray Marshall Center in 11 school districts, has been an integral part of this effort since 2005, gathering, linking and analyzing education and labor market data to keep the initiative informed by providing "real-time" information to superintendents, principals, counselors and others. No other community enjoys such rich support for its postsecondary enrollment efforts.  Dr. Christopher King, director of the Ray Marshall Center, will discuss this initiative, share some of its recent successes and talk about the policy implications for Texas.
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