The Texas OnCourse Educator Blog

Providing equitable education and advising for students in the age of virtual learning is more important now than ever. 

Trabian Shorters, best-selling author, social entrepreneur, and leading authority on diversity and inclusion, has been working for years to help foundations and nonprofits change the stories they tell about the communities they support. Many philanthropic organizations start with the challenge or the problem first – “tales of deficit and despair,” as Shorters describes. But this sort of approach stigmatizes communities, contributes to further stereotyping, and can often make change seem impossible. 

With the pandemic forcing school closures, education adjusted. Educators adapted. Students and their families adapted. Then George Floyd, who was raised in Houston, was murdered in another instance of police brutality against black people. Our nation and the world responded to this latest instance of systemic racism with historic protests. 

Right before I left for vacation in March 2018, my supervisor called me into his office and said, “Mia, Dr. Lathan wants to create a comprehensive college and career readiness program for middle school students.” My heart leaped with joy. That’s right. News of a brand-new program I’d be charged with developing the day before vacation made me joyous. Here’s why.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching effects on all aspects of education: academic, extracurricular,  athletic, and more. With this webinar, gain valuable knowledge on how student-athletes and their families can engage with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) during this atypical time. 

On this National Day of Mourning, let’s be forthright. This has been a hard couple of weeks to try to go on with business as usual for us on staff at Texas OnCourse. We mourn with you, with the nation, and with the world over the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others who may never be named. George Floyd was raised in Houston. Maybe you knew him. Maybe you taught him. Maybe he was your neighbor, your relative, your student’s relative. Maybe you or your students knew Mike Ramos, Atatiana Jefferson, Botham Jean. Maybe this experience is dredging up past memories and traumas. We recognize that this is a difficult week for you, during a difficult year. We are deeply saddened, we are angry, we worry for the future of all our black and brown children. But we also have hope.

Hi, all! We’ll be winding down these live videos soon as we all hopefully step away from screens for a few weeks over the summer. If you have any requests from us for future Facebook live updates, put them in the comments!

Six Actions Educators Can Take Right Now to Support High School Seniors’ Transition

The following six actions have been adapted from the National College Attainment Network (NCAN) Immediate Next Steps guide for supporting high school seniors’ transition to a postsecondary educational program. Take the following actions to prevent summer melt and ensure that the high school class of 2020 enrolls at their postsecondary program in the fall. 

As we approach the end of an unpredictable school year, we applaud you and all the other educators who stepped up to meet the needs of their students, staff, and families during the COVID-19 crisis. Your efforts and dedication have been truly amazing. 

Many of your students have likely experienced changes to their personal and family income. These changes can affect expected family contribution, so your students may need to update a financial aid application.