Advancing Impact Donor Breakfast: Cradle-to-Career Systems

On Tuesday, May 14, 2024, Greater Houston Community Foundation (Foundation) hosted a learning event that explored the impact of cradle-to-career systems designed to provide comprehensive support for children from infancy to adulthood. The event brought together national and local experts to share their insights on developing effective strategies for this critical period.  

Moderated by Sara Martinez, Senior Director of Community Impact, the event featured Josh Davis of StriveTogether, who joined the program virtually, sharing national trends in developing cradle-to-career systems. The panel included local leaders from organizations implementing various strategies to support children’s development: Justin Fuentes of The Tejano Center, Abby Mayer of The Commit Partnership, and Cary Wright of Good Reason Houston. More information about our featured speakers and panelists and the organizations they serve can be found here.

What are cradle-to-career systems?

Cradle-to-career systems are not just initiatives but transformative forces that are designed to address all areas and stages of a child’s development from infancy to young adulthood. Through this multi-level, long-term intervention, implementing cradle-to-career systems can bring long-term, large-scale changes to related outcomes, including access to early learning, pivotal elementary benchmarks, and successful enrollment or matriculation starting in pre-kindergarten through postsecondary education and/or career tracks.  

How is this related to the landscape in Harris County?

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board tracked the percentage of public school eighth graders in 2008-09 who eventually graduated from high school, enrolled in a college or university in Texas, and graduated. If we follow the educational journey of these eighth graders in Harris County, about 76% graduated from high school, 52% enrolled in an in-state college, and only 21% actually graduated with a degree or certificate. According to Understanding Houston, less than one in four eighth graders in the region will earn a postsecondary credential by the time they are 25 years old.  

There is a lot of research on how these education gaps formed in Houston, but to help paint a picture of the issues our region faces and why cradle-to-career systems can ignite transformative impact in our community, panelists talked about how every student is on a journey. For some of these students, there are a lot of missing planks where they fall through the gaps. A strategic cradle-to-career system will identify where those missing planks are, what causes those planks to be missing for those students, and develop or implement solutions to replace those missing planks.  

Setting the Stage: A Snapshot of the National Landscape

Josh Davis, Vice President of Policy and Partnerships at StriveTogether, set the stage for our discussion by highlighting the importance of building a strong civic infrastructure to drive positive change for all children. StriveTogether is a nationwide cradle-to-career network that supports communities in building the civic infrastructure—relationships, collaboratives, and partnerships—necessary to transform the systems that shape opportunity.  

Davis shared an example of his experience in Sunflower County, Mississippi, where they targeted improving kindergarten readiness rates. According to Davis, their work increased the kindergarten readiness rates in Sunflower County from 23% to 64% in four years, a remarkable achievement. Sharing their success in Sunflower County enabled Davis’ team to make a case backed with data that could impact policy and decision-making gains for the broader Mississippi community.  

Davis emphasized the importance of achieving gains and protecting and maintaining them. By recognizing the value of sustained efforts, we can create a more lasting impact on the lives of individuals and communities.  

Key Themes Shared by Panelists to Implement Cradle-to-Career Strategies

Holistic Support.
Many factors outside of school contribute to a student’s academic obstacles. Issues can be broad, including housing instability, healthcare access, and more. Justin Fuentes shared how students cannot meaningfully learn about math or science if they are worried about food. Fuentes cited La Tiendita, the Tejano Center’s response to limited food access and education in their neighborhood. 

In addition, when beginning a cradle-to-career strategy at the neighborhood level, ensuring that the community is bought in is critical. Fuentes shared how if the community does not trust you, then there is no way they will trust you with their children. At Tejano Center, they see incredible value in educating parents so that they can support their children. Fuentes also shared an example of how they took 9^th graders to the Port of Houston to make a more distinct connection of how the programming in their school is connected, exposing students to longer-term career pathways. 

Evidence and data must guide decision-making.
This work takes patience but must be grounded in data. Cary Wright shared that getting data on how students perform in their careers or obtaining a post-secondary degree takes a long time. At Good Reason Houston, they are focused on the kindergarten through twelfth-grade space, aiming to improve public education in Houston. They track many metrics to help them deeply understand the dynamics of the geographic areas they work in, setting 3-, 5-, and 10-year goals. They use this data to identify any predictive factors in Houston specifically that indicate a student is on the path to a post-secondary career. Although they are engaging in this important work now, they truly will not see the benefit of their work for years, sometimes decades. For example, the employability of this year’s prekindergarten class, meaning when they enter the workforce, on average, will not be until around 2043. 

Long-term partners and investments are crucial.
Building a coalition of partners to get investment from the state or private funders is paramount to success. As a collective impact organization or initiative, each entity must understand the role it plays in enhancing an educational ecosystem. Many cradle-to-career systems have to coordinate across various school systems and districts; city, county, and state governments; non-profits; and more.  

Clear and measurable goals and roles.
Establishing a clear “north star” is essential. Abby Mayer shared how The Commit Partnership (Commit) in Dallas aims to help at least half of all 25-34-year-old residents, irrespective of race, earn a living wage by 2040. To do this, Commit’s focus is to equitably increase educational success aligned with high-demand jobs, maximizing the cumulative impact from providing a quality early education to ensuring that every student graduates from high school ready for a viable career or a postsecondary education that will lead students on a pathway to economic mobility.  

Our Donor Programming is designed to ignite insightful discussions, provide deeper education on specific topics, and foster peer connections. In partnership with our donors, we help make high-impact philanthropy happen. Reach out to learn more about how you can make a difference.

More Helpful Articles by Greater Houston Community Foundation:

• Building Community Resiliency: Our Disaster Response Journey
• High-Impact Grantmaking Journey: Investing in Economic Mobility
• Advancing Impact Donor Breakfast: Building Thriving Neighborhoods

About our Speakers and Panelists

Josh Davis, Vice President of Policy and Partnerships,Strive Together:

Josh Davis serves as vice president of policy and partnerships for StriveTogether. He provides leadership and strategy for the organization’s policy, advocacy and mobilization work, while also leveraging national partnerships to accelerate progress throughout the Cradle to Career Network. Prior to StriveTogether, Josh was vice president of external affairs for the Delta Health Alliance (DHA), a nonprofit dedicated to supporting health and education initiatives across the 18-county Mississippi Delta region. His responsibilities included project implementation oversight, resource development, government relations, and external communications and partnerships. While pursuing governmental support sources, he assisted with grant and budget composition, briefed U.S. Congressional leaders and staff on efforts supported with public funds, and shared data and practices that helped inform policy. Josh joined DHA in 2010 with professional fundraising experience from higher education. He also served as project director for the Indianola Promise Community and the Deer Creek Promise Community, federally funded Promise Neighborhoods with DHA as the backbone. These initiatives unite government, nonprofits, health care, education, community, and faith-based services to create a pipeline of resources for children from prenatal care through high school graduation. Josh used a results-based accountability framework with staff, partners, and local stakeholders, focusing on reaching population-level goals for academic success and community well-being. Josh uses results-based facilitation to move groups from talk to action as they align efforts and reach a consensus on shared goals, strategies, and accountability. Previously, he held several roles at the University of Mississippi, including assistant director for the alumni association. Josh completed his bachelor’s degree in business administration at the University of Mississippi and earned his master’s of public administration from the University of Memphis. He is a 2017 Presidio Institute Fellow and was named one of Mississippi Business Journal’s Top 50 Under 40 Professionals in 2016. 

Justin Fuentes, Chief Schools Officer, The Tejano Center:

With over 25 years of dedicated service in the field of education, Justin Fuentes is an accomplished professional, currently serving as Chief Schools Officer at Raul Yzaguirre Schools for Success (RYSS) Public Charter School District. Prior to joining RYSS, Fuentes was a reputable leader in the Houston Independent School District (HISD). Throughout Fuentes’ extensive career, he has consistently demonstrated leadership excellence. Serving in various capacities within HISD, Fuentes has contributed significantly to district initiatives, fostering academic consistency and proficiency. In his most recent role as Assistant Superintendent/Executive Director, he was instrumental in overseeing 121 Magnet programs, twenty-nine transfer types, and 3,600 transfer options across 287 campuses. His strategic management has facilitated the coordination of the Magnet Schools Assistance Program, utilizing $15 million to establish STEM programs in collaboration with Baylor College of Medicine and NASA. In his tenure as the Principal of R. S. Sterling Aviation High School, Fuentes successfully transformed the school from a multi-year Improvement Required status to achieving five TEA Campus Level Distinctions in three years. He implemented innovative changes and secured an $8 million grant to convert the school into an Early College, providing students with a more relevant educational experience. As the Director of High Schools across HISD, Fuentes oversaw the operations of the High School Education office, directing and supervising School Support Officers and managing a budget of $135 million. He played a pivotal role in the implementation of the PowerUp 1:1 technology initiative, modernizing classroom instruction and contributing to cost savings in textbook replacements. Throughout his distinguished career, Fuentes has made impactful contributions to the educational community. He has been an active participant in various presentations and publications, including engaging in discussions at ALAS on integrating the digital world into the school environment. Fuentes also shared insights at the Council for Great City Schools, emphasizing the use of dual enrollment to ensure students are college ready. His involvement in the North Carolina Small School Initiative highlighted his expertise in Early College Transition. Fuentes’ commitment to collaboration and support for embedded students was evident in presentations at the Middle College National Consortium. He addressed the Yale Club of Houston on college options in the city’s public schools. Fuentes is associated with prestigious organizations such as Magnet Schools of America, Texas Association of School Administrators, Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents, Texas Association for Latino Administrators and Superintendents, Association of Hispanic School Administrators, Middle College National Consortium, Houston Association of School Administrators, and the National Council of Urban School Transformation, further establishing his influence and dedication in the field of education. Fuentes has his Master’s in Education Administration from the University of Houston, with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and a minor in Secondary Education. 

Abby Mayer,Managing Director of Philanthropic Investments, The Commit Partnership:

Serving as the Managing Director of Philanthropic Investments, Abby combines her experiences as an educator, fundraiser, advocate, and parent of a Dallas ISD student to connect the philanthropic community with opportunities to ensure all students receive an excellent, equitable education. Abby grew up in San Angelo, TX, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in English and Education from Angelo State University. She began her teaching career at Leander ISD as a middle school Language Arts teacher. Opportunities to move with her family took her to teaching positions at Bruce Randolph School in Denver Public Schools, Spence Middle School in Dallas ISD, and her alma-mater, Central High School in San Angelo ISD. In 2013, she joined the philanthropy team at Genesis Women’s Shelter as the Grant Manager and then became the Director of Philanthropy. During this time, Abby became involved in her neighborhood Dallas ISD school, and that passion drew her to return to education, where she worked in the Human Capital Management Department for Dallas ISD. Her passion and advocacy for public education extends beyond her career. She served as PTA President at her daughter’s school, Kramer Elementary School, founded the Kramer Elementary Preschool Association to recruit and educate prospective families about neighborhood school options, and is a board member of the Hillcrest Forest Neighborhood Association, where she serves as the liaison between her neighborhood and the surrounding public schools. She was selected as a member of the 2019 Dallas County Civic Voices Fellowship through Leadership ISD and holds a Master’s in Business Administration from Southern Methodist University. 

Cary Wright, Chief Executive Officer, Good Reason Houston:

As Chief Executive Officer, Cary is responsible for the organization’s vision and long-term strategy. He leads the nonprofit in working with school and community partners to improve public school education in Houston with a focus on equitable student outcomes. 

Cary brings nearly 15 years of experience in public education and public affairs. He began his career as a public school elementary teacher, and has held various positions at Teach For America, including as Executive Director of the Dallas-Fort Worth region. He served as the Press Secretary for U.S. Congressman William “Mac” Thornberry in Washington, D.C. and most recently served as Chief External Affairs Officer for Good Reason Houston, where his responsibilities included communications, policy, and advancement. 

Cary earned a bachelor’s degree from Davidson College. He is a graduate of Texas public schools and is proud to call Houston home. 

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