Program Logic Model Eliana Mijangos March 18, 2013

Agency History Raise Your Hand Texas (RYHT) is a non-profit organization that trains Texas public school leaders as well as advocates for education policy improvements amongst local public schools (Raise your hand Texas, 2013). This organization was started by San Antonios Charles Butt, part owner of HEB grocery stores, in an effort to put together a group of lobbyists to push for his education reform ideals which include training educational leaders and advancing accountability rates and systems of achievement (Wolcott, 2009). His organization has worked to push education policy and funding through the Texas Legislature since 2009 (Wolcott, 2009). The current CEO, Dr. David Anthony, graduate of Harvard Business School, is leading RYHT from their central office in Houston, Texas (Wolcott, 2009). RYHT now has a great level of sponsorship and collaboration from both Harvard and Rice Universities (Wolcott, 2009). RYHT currently serves five million students within Texas school districts by advocating for increased state funding, an alignment of accountability amongst federal and state standards of achievement, and college career-ready high school graduates (Raise your hand Texas, 2013). These policies as well as several others are currently being represented in the 83rd Texas Legislative session along with the support of the Texas Education Agency (TEA) (Raise your hand Texas, 2013). RYHT also funds three programs that promote the leadership and development of Texass education leaders. These programs include the RYHT Harvard Leadership Program, a partnership with Lubbock ISD that includes services from the International Center for Leadership (ICLE) and Data Wise training, and the RYHT Rice University Education Entrepreneurship Program (REEP) (Raise your hand Texas, 2013). RYHT Issues

Raise Your Hand Texas (RYHT) addresses four main issues within Texas education policy. These include aligning accountability between federal and state standards of achievement, shifting from a One-size-fits-all, (2013) curriculum to one that better prepares students for college and career-level work, closing achievement gaps between low and high income students, and increasing overall funding within Texas public schools. Of all the issues addressed, there is one main issue that links these together; a $5.3 billion budget cut was made by Governor Rick Perry in 2011 that has since affected all Texas Public Schools (Raise Your Hand Texas, 2013). This budget reduction has led to an average cut of $500 per student (Raise Your Hand Texas, 2013). The issue with this lies in the fact that student growth has continued to rise, but test scores and college or career-ready students graduating from Texas schools are not able to rise along with this enrollment rate because they do not have the learning supplements necessary to prepare them for the next level of education. Another issue that stems from the lack of funding is the One-size-fits-all (2013) standard that teachers now follow in an effort to meet federal testing standards and gain more money for their districts. In order to address this issue, the relationship between low-test scores and low family incomes must be addressed. This means that students who come from these lowincome families need to be motivated by school to surpass their parents success level. Ideally, if a student is not intrinsically motivated to learn or if they do not see how what they are learning will benefit their future career, they are less likely to score as high on a test (Student Motivation, 2012). In studies conducted across a wide array or schools and demographics, CEP has found, If students arent motivated, it is difficult, if not impossible to improve their academic achievements, no matter how good the teacher, curriculum or school is, (Student Motivation,

2012). Kumar and Altschuld (2002) argue that technology can supplement both the learning process and the testing outcomes of lower level science education. However, before this supplement can be applied, achievement equivalent or similar achievement levels between state and federal government must be clearly outlined (Raise Your Hand Texas, 2013). RYHT currently working with the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to advocate for a reduction in End of Course (EOC) exams of which Texas averages 10 more than any other state. This will also address the issue of motivation within the classroom as teachers will not have to teach-to-thetest. Federal standards of learning, on the other hand, are determined through Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) requirements, a part of the No Child Left Behind Act and define the success of public schools through standardized testing (Big Money for School Improvements, 2009). This creates a level of confusion for teachers as they are motivated to improve their students test scores for the purpose of increasing their school or districts funding (Raise Your Hand Texas, 2013). However, students do not have an opportunity to learn with a motivation for establishing a better future when learning only to regurgitate information for a test. Inputs

RYHT provides four main programs that can be noted as inputs and address the above stated issues. One, RYHT sponsors teachers and principals to attend a summer, week-long session, the Harvard Leadership program, which introduces best share practices, (2013) or practices that enhance student motivation and preparedness for college. The RYHT leadership program is taught by top-ranking faculty at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. It is meant to enhance networking and encourage collaboration amongst educators. They also

advocate for students to have the option to take more technical courses or courses that better fit their career interests (Raise Your Hand Texas, 2013). The second program RYHT sponsors is REEP, an initiative that focuses on Houston-are principals and improving K-12 leadership throughout Texas public schools. This is a 12-month long program in which selected instructors receive an MBA from RICE University. This input addresses teacher preparedness through a multidisciplinary approach in which teachers relate classroom approaches to those of business principals. These two inputs address half of their clientele, Texas public school teachers. The second set of programs addresses their larger clientele, the 5 million Texas public school students, and their overall goal of improving education in Texas. Starting in June of 2012, RYHT partnered with 33% of Lubbock ISD including middle schools, high schools and elementaries (Raise Your Hand Texas, 2013). This district represents students at risk with 63% of students qualifying for free and reduced lunch (Raise Your Hand Texas 2013). These campuses will undergo consulting from the International Center for Leadership in Education (ICLE) which include Model school visits and coaching on best-practice methods. Educators in this district will be trained in Data Wise, a student assessment data that has been cultured throughout the Harvard Leadership Program (Raise Your Hand Texas). The fourth input would also be considered an internal process. As previously mentioned, RYHT is currently lobbying in the 83rd legislative session for an increase of funding in Texas public schools, closing the gap between low and income districts through state funded pre-K programs, and reducing the use of vouchers. Their team of lobbyists include some of the top in Texas such as David Anderson, Neal Jones, and Michele Smith, Hillco Partners. Funding and Sponsors

All of these efforts are made possible through the founder, Charles E. Butt, RYHT member donations, private donations and through volunteers like Rice and Harvard Universities (Raise Your Hand Texas, 2013). Lobbyists efforts are the leading source of impacts and outputs within this non-profit organization. Outputs and Desired Impacts With an over arching goal of improving education within Texas, RYHT has already achieved a number of impactful objectives that address their four main concerns that fall under the umbrella of education. They have helped to influence the recent increase in funding for Houston school districts as passed February 4th by District Judge John Dietz deeming educational standards were too high for the per capita budget students in Houston were being allotted (Kastner, 2013). They have also increased levels of teacher and principal preparedness through programs like REEP and the Harvard Leadership program. The combination of these two outputs has achieved an increase in learning material and aids for students in the hope of increasing achievement levels. It has also decreased the gap between low and high income school districts and students. Although this organization, only 6 years old, has achieved a number of initiatives that go towards their original goals and intent, there are a still a number of desired impacts that RYHT is looking to complete. These include increasing scores on the TAKS test by decreasing testing and increasing teacher accountability standards, improving more than they have on teacher preparedness, especially that within low-income districts, increasing the budget for students and teachers, and spreading awareness of the importance education holds on Texass economic standing.

ACTIVITIES Logic Model: Raise Your Hand Texas PROBLEM Texas education system is suffering as students are suffering from a lack of college and career preparedness. SUBPROBLEM Testing achievement standards for Texas students have been raised while funding has decreased by $5.4 billion. 1. Rice University Entrepreneurship program (REEP) 2. Harvard Leadership Program (HLP) 3. Lubbock ISD partnership with Data Wise and ICLE (LISD) 4. Lobbying OUTPUT MEASURES

1. Aligning accountability amongst state and federal standards of achievement. 2. Shifting from a One-size-ts-all curriculum to one that better prepares students for college and career work 3. Increasing funding within Texas public schools 4. Closing achievement gaps between low and high income districts.

As a result of the RYHT program effort, educator and principal preparedness has increased and funding for Texas public schools has increased intern decreasing the gap between low and income districts and increasing learning materials and aid for student performance purposes.

OUTCOME

Short Term Increase social awareness of importance of education to future generation and to economic success Increase funding after the $5.4 billion cut made by Governor Rick Perry Increase teacher preparedness in order to increase standards of achievement for students Long Term Establish Texas as a leading state in educational attainment and economic success Close Achievement gaps between low and high income districts Establish cohesive achievement standards between state and federal government.

1. REEP a. Taught by top-ranking faculty at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. It is meant to enhance networking and encourage collaboration amongst educators. 2. HLP b. 12-month long program in which selected instructors receive an MBA from RICE University. This input addresses teacher preparedness through a multidisciplinary approach in which teachers relate classroom approaches to those of business principals. 3. LISD a. Starting in June of 2012, RYHT partnered with 33% of Lubbock ISD including middle schools, high schools and elementaries. This district represents students at risk with 63% of students qualifying for free and reduced lunch. b. ICLE c. Data Wise 4. Lobbying (Internal Process) a. Increase of funding in Texas public schools, closing the gap between low and income districts through state funded pre-K programs, and reducing the use of vouchers.