The Education Trust in Texas

Who We Are

The Education Trust (Ed Trust) works to close opportunity gaps that disproportionately affect students of color and students from low-income backgrounds. We are equity-driven, data-centered, and student-focused. Through our research and advocacy, Ed Trust supports efforts that expand excellence and equity in education from preschool through college, increase college access and completion particularly for historically underserved students, engage diverse communities dedicated to education equity, and increase public will to act on equity issues.

Ed Trust in Texas brings the power of research and advocacy to the front lines in Texas. We develop our own agenda informed by state data and partners, contribute analysis based on local needs, and grow the capacity of Texas advocates. We do this while taking advantage of national research, partnerships, and resources that allow us to translate federal policy and promising initiatives from other states.

The Texas K-12 school population is 75% students of color and 61% students from low-income backgrounds. We advocate for an excellent and equitable education for these students, who, for too long, have gone underserved. The stakes are high: Texas’s success depends on their success and on our collective ability to ensure schools provide all students opportunities to thrive in the classroom, in college, and in their careers.

What We Do

WE BRIDGE POLICY AND COMMUNITY: We seek to influence policy in Texas by learning from and partnering with youth, families, educators, community-based organizations, civic and business leaders. Our goal is to drive an expansive and inclusive conversation about how every Texan can benefit from an education system that better serves students of color and students from low-income backgrounds, pre-K through college and career.

We work with advocates across Texas to:

• Draw attention to inequities that disproportionately impact underserved students across the state

• Equip partners with actionable and accessible tools to advance better educational outcomes and opportunities for underserved students

• Advocate for policies and practices that improve opportunities and outcomes for students of color, linguistically diverse students, students from low-income backgrounds, and students with disabilities

• Learn from and partner with students, families, educators, and communities to build capacity and collective will for educational equity and justice

What We Believe

• WE BELIEVE that the equitable allocation and use of resources — people, time, and money — enables all children to reach empowering goals, no matter their race, ZIP code, or income.

• WE BELIEVE that all students thrive when they have access to effective and diverse teachers and safe and inclusive learning environments.

• WE BELIEVE that high-quality early-learning environments set a critical foundation for children’s development and academic success.

• WE BELIEVE that a postsecondary degree is essential to achieving social and economic mobility, yet our systems do not equitably prepare and support students to enroll in, afford, and complete college.

• WE BELIEVE that school and district accountability systems have the potential to serve as a powerful tool to help close opportunity gaps and achieve equity.