New collaboration empowers rural school districts with tailored strategies to boost college and career readiness, addressing long-standing gaps in postsecondary outcomes
HOUSTON, Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — In a landmark partnership, OneGoal, a leading nonprofit dedicated to transforming postsecondary advising and support, and the Texas Impact Network (TIN) announced today that 10 rural Texas school districts will join the statewide OneGoal Leadership Network. These districts will access OneGoal’s innovative approach to building sustainable postsecondary success pathways for high school students nationwide through this collaboration.
The inaugural districts for the 2024–2025 school year include Anahuac ISD, Anderson-Shiro CISD, Buna ISD, Channing ISD, Lake Dallas ISD, Marathon ISD, Mercedes ISD, Newton ISD, Rio Hondo ISD and West Sabine ISD. TIN will support 10 additional rural districts to join the OneGoal Leadership Network at no cost to the districts in the 2025–2026 school year.
The new initiative provides tailored support to districts looking to strengthen their college and career advising structures. By partnering with OneGoal, TIN aims to expand its support for rural districts, helping local leaders create enduring systems that enable students to thrive after high school. As part of the OneGoal Leadership Network, districts will benefit from expert guidance, customized improvement plans and system-level strategies designed to increase outcomes such as FAFSA and TASFA completion rates, enrollment in dual credit courses, TSI Assessment readiness and college, career and military readiness (CCMR) benchmarks.
“School leaders in rural districts wear many hats,” said Lynette Balkcom, director of the Rural CCMR Accelerator Program at TIN. “Our goal is to equip them with the support they need to help students succeed beyond high school. We share OneGoal’s vision that strong, empowered leadership is the foundation for student success.”
Through the partnership, participating districts will receive free coaching and strategic planning, enabling them to make significant strides in college and career readiness.
“We’re thrilled to expand OneGoal’s impact in Texas and to work with dedicated district leaders across the state,” said Alex Dailey, executive director of OneGoal. “Through our work together, students will get the high-quality expert guidance they need and deserve to make informed decisions about their college and career options and feel confident that they can succeed in whichever pathway they choose.”
A postsecondary education unlocks opportunities for students and entire communities. Yet, for millions of underserved students, it remains out of reach. Nationwide, only 22% of students from low-income communities earn a postsecondary degree, compared to 67% of their peers from high-income areas. This is not for lack of talent but for lack of opportunity. On average, high school students only receive 38 minutes of college and career advising per year, with the counselor-to-student ratio around 415:1. Most high schools need added expertise and capacity to offer robust support to all students in their transition to postsecondary paths.
Schools and districts in Texas are invited to complete an application to join the OneGoal Leadership Network. Visit OneGoal.org to read case studies and research and to explore all of OneGoal’s solutions for transforming postsecondary advising and support. Fill out the interest form for the Rural Accelerator Network to tap into resources provided by TIN to rural districts in Texas.
The Texas Impact Network exists to provide the support and consultation that allows rural, suburban and urban districts alike the ability to unlock new resources on behalf of the students they serve. The Network collaborates with regional partners, empowering local stakeholders to leverage resources, share best practices and implement sustainable solutions tailored to district needs.
The Rural CCMR Accelerator Program provides holistic, focused support for policy-oriented challenges and solutions on high-impact, high-value legislative opportunities such as Rural Pathway Excellence Partnerships and funding for dual credit coursework through Financial Aid for Swift Transfer. More than 75% of Texas school systems serve less than 2,000 students. If policy solutions are to last in Texas, they must work for all of Texas.
OneGoal transforms postsecondary advising and support so that every student can define their own future. We’re building a movement with our partners to close the opportunity gap. We work side by side with partner schools and districts to build their knowledge and capacity. The result is more equitable and effective support for all students. Our unique approach prioritizes strong human relationships—and it’s proven to deliver real student impact. Nationally, 80% of OneGoal high school graduates enroll in a postsecondary institution, and 72% of those who enroll persist one year after high school.
For more information on OneGoal, contact Amie Hornbaker, Senior Publicist, myWHY Agency, at [email protected] or 312-291-1099.
Media Contact:
Amie Hornbaker, Senior Publicist
myWHY Agency
[email protected]
312-291-1099
SOURCE OneGoal
