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Philanthropy Advocates 2021 Policy Work Groups

December 18, 2020
Philanthropy Advocates works to build a "big tent" of advocacy partners around an aligned set of effective policy recommendations that improve student outcomes from cradle to career. Every biennium Philanthropy Advocates' members invest in pooled funds to commission research and support a diverse set of advocacy grantees leading up to and through each legislative session. True to our mission, the work of Philanthropy Advocates' grantees includes conducting research, as well as disseminating research findings and policy recommendations to eduWe are proud of the partnerships our members have invested in ahead of the 2021 legislative session.cate and inform policymakers, their staff, and other education stakeholders. 

 We have a mixture of grantees that reflect institutional voice, student voice, and business and community voice. Each of our Philanthropy Advocates grantees brings unique perspective, expertise and strategy to the Capitol. 

Here is our complete list of our 2020-2021 research and advocacy grantees.
 
Pathways to College and Career Policy Work Group
 
  • The Texas Association of Community Colleges (TACC) 
Philanthropy Advocates has commissioned TACC to do research on student transfer in light of COVID. This work will build upon a TACC-administered Student Needs Survey from April 2020 to identify what issues remain or are new for students resulting from COVID-19. The knowledge generated through this effort will make clear how COVID-19 has affected the education trajectory of community college students toward remaining at a two-year institution or moving to a four-year institution. 
 


Our advocacy grantees for this policy work group will advance this TACC research and our pathways policy recommendations in the 2021 legislative session. These grantees are:
  • Young Invincibles
  • Jolt Initiative
  • Texas Business Leadership Council
  • Texas Hispanic Policy Foundation
  
Effective Teaching Policy Work Group
 
  • Teach Plus Texas 
Philanthropy Advocates has commissioned Teach Plus Texas to conduct two research efforts resulting in two policy briefs ahead of the session focused on teacher voice. Teach Plus Texas fellows will use mixed-methods research studies to research two important questions ahead of the next legislative session: 
Teacher Preparation: What do teachers believe are the key components of an effective clinical teaching experience? What competencies are the most essential for clinical experiences to build in teaching candidates?

On Education During and After Covid-19: What policy and practice issues do teachers believe need to be addressed now, and what do they foresee being critical when schools begin to re-open?
 


Our advocacy grantees for this policy work group will advance this Teach Plus Texas research and our effective teaching policy recommendations in the upcoming legislative session. These grantees are:
  • Deans for Impact
  • The Education Trust
  • Leadership ISD

Early Grade Success Policy Work Group
 
  • Texans Care for Children
English Learners (ELs) have always made up a significant portion of the Texas public school population. Texas schools educate the greatest proportion of ELs in the U.S., including 28 percent of the state's pre-k through 3rd grade enrollment. Experts are predicting a significant "academic slide," in particular for young ELs and low-income students. 

Philanthropy Advocates has commissioned Texans Care for Children to create a statewide work group of EL and early childhood experts in Texas to assess what Texas is doing well to educate young EL students and outline where we need to go from here to ensure more EL students are on a path to educational success. 
 


Our advocacy grantees for this policy work group will advance this Texans Care for Children research and our early grade success policy recommendations in the next legislative session. These grantees are:
  • Every Texan
  • Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA)
  • Leadership ISD

 THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR MEMBERS WHO SUPPORTED THESE POLICY WORK GROUPS! 

Philanthropy Advocates was formerly known as the Texas Education Grantmakers Advocacy Consortium (TEGAC) until August 2020. Previously-created resources, documents and blog posts mentioning TEGAC are still provided on this website for your reference.

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