Texas Success Center Unveils "Translating Opportunity Texas" Initiative to Support Multilingual Learners of English
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Texas Success Center Unveils "Translating Opportunity Texas" Initiative to Support Multilingual Learners of English
Austin, TX — The Texas Success Center (TSC), a division of the Texas Association of Community Colleges, is excited to announce the "Translating Opportunity Texas" project, aimed at improving educational outcomes for Multilingual Learners of English (MLE) in Texas community colleges. Funded by Ascendium’s Education Philanthropy | Division of Ascendium Education Group (ascendiumphilanthropy.org), this project focuses on creating equitable pathways that support MLE students through targeted research, professional development, and strategic planning.
Partnering with WestEd, Student-Ready Strategies, and the Center for Community College Student Engagement (CCCSE), the Texas Success Center is dedicated to equipping Texas community colleges with the tools and knowledge necessary to enhance MLE student success. This initiative aligns with the broader Talent Strong Texas Pathways framework, which seeks to drive upward socioeconomic mobility across the state.
The Texas Success Center is proud to announce Amarillo College, Brazosport College, El Paso College, and Houston Community College have been selected as the first cohort of colleges to lead the redesign of the MLE pathway. The colleges will co-develop materials, systems, and embedded support services as they align this work with their respective Talent Strong Texas Pathways strategies.
The "Translating Opportunity" project will provide comprehensive support to community colleges, including research on best practices, professional development for faculty and staff, and strategic planning to implement evidence-based interventions. Through these efforts, the partners and colleges aim to create a more inclusive educational environment that addresses the diverse needs of MLE students and supports their success from enrollment to graduation and beyond.
“We are honored to collaborate with our partners, and with the generous support of Ascendium, to expand opportunities for multilingual learners of English,” said Dr. Kimberly Lowry, Executive Director of the Texas Success Center. “This initiative is not only about addressing the unique needs of these students but also about equipping them with the resources and support they need to succeed academically and reach their career aspirations. Together, we are creating lasting pathways for student success and driving meaningful socioeconomic mobility across Texas.”
“The Texas Success Center’s mission aligns with our aim to strengthen holistic supports and pathways to upward mobility for learners from low-income backgrounds,” said Keith Witham, Vice President of Education Philanthropy at Ascendium. “Thanks to their commitment to Texas’ learners, they’re building the capacity of local postsecondary institutions to implement and scale systemic reforms so that more learners, regardless of background, have what they need to achieve their academic and career goals.”
For more information about the "Translating Opportunity Texas" initiative, please visit our website.
About Ascendium:
Ascendium Education Group is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to helping people reach the education and career goals that matter to them. Ascendium invests in initiatives designed to increase the number of learners from low-income backgrounds who complete postsecondary degrees, certificates, and workforce training programs, with an emphasis on first-generation learners, incarcerated adults, rural community members, learners of color, and veterans. Ascendium’s work identifies, validates, and expands best practices to promote large-scale change at the institutional, system, and state levels, with the intention of elevating opportunity for learners from low-income backgrounds. For more information, visit https://www.ascendiumphilanthropy.org.
About the Texas Success Center:
The Texas Success Center supports Texas community colleges in their efforts to improve student success and direct Texas Pathways —a statewide strategy focused on building capacity for community colleges to design and implement structured academic and career pathways at scale, for all students. For more information, visit https://www.tacc.org/tsc.
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