Forging a Path Forward: Research that Leads to Action 

“Data without action is decoration. Action without data is busy-making,” says Richard Tagle, CEO of E3 Alliance. This is a succinct description of the driving force behind the newly formed LONESTARP3. As a network of researchers, educators and policy advocates, LONESTARP3 members work together to identify the significant challenges Texas students and educators face, and conduct studies to deliver timely insights and actionable solutions.  

At its inaugural Success Summit in September, LONESTARP3 brought together key constituents across multiple sectors that influence education yet rarely get to work, collaborate and learn together.

Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Deputy Commissioner David Troutman, along with university deans and heads of research institutions, served as powerful speakers and advocates, but the educators and policy advocates from around the state were the ones who took center stage. Their intimate knowledge of Texas classrooms and policies shaped the day’s lively discussions.  

Surfacing multiple viewpoints is a fundamental tenet of LONESTARP3—that research becomes relevant only when different perspectives are considered, from the onset of design to the implementation of programs.

Associate Director of CIRCLE at Texas Tech University Jacob Kirksey expressed his enthusiasm for this collaborative community. “LONESTARP3 feels like a second professional home,” he said. “When I first came to Texas, I was surprised at how many of us were doing similar work but had no idea what others across the state were doing. Now it feels like we’re all in the same room.”

This year’s Success Summit homed in on a persistent challenge in Texas—how to prepare students for the good jobs in the state’s growing and changing economy. Today, fewer than half of young adults in Texas — and only 36% of Black and 48% of Latino students — hold a postsecondary degree, such as a certificate, an associate degree or a bachelor’s degree. At the same time, an increasing number of opportunities across the state require some form of education beyond high school, limiting the ability of those without to find stable employment and earn a sustainable wage.  

Guided by the Pathways Research Agenda released by LONESTARP3, attendees discussed where new insights and research are needed to overcome challenges facing Texas students, including meeting academic and career advising needs; ensuring access to quality dual credit programs; leveraging industry-led workforce education programs that lead to jobs; and identifying ways to better monitor student progress to ensure their success. 

The Success Summit was a significant achievement for this new statewide network. Yet it’s only the beginning. Following the event, LONESTARP3 launched statewide Research Collaboratives to generate findings needed to help Texas students succeed on their chosen pathway.

LONESTARP3’s collaborative and multisector approach yielded two major multiyear awards from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Moody Foundation to sustain partner engagement and support a brighter future for Texans.  The energy, passion and excitement expressed at the Success Summit is indicative of an abiding commitment to the students of Texas, as well as the conviction that actionable research must get inside classrooms of schools and offices of legislators to make a difference. 

As challenges continue to emerge in the Texas education landscape, LONESTARP3 stands ready to take action to ensure the best outcomes for each and every student in Texas.