RGV FOCUS to Accelerate, Expand Preschool Through College Programming in Rio Grande Valley Area Schools

HARLINGEN, Texas, Oct. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- RGV FOCUS, a collective impact initiative of Educate Texas, an educational arm of Dallas-based Communities Foundation of Texas (CFT) today announced a $2.4 million transformational investment that will allow RGV FOCUS, its local partners and schools to accelerate and expand their efforts in South Texas to improve attainment outcomes for students from cradle-to-career (P-16).

The investment will focus on expanding and strengthening engagement with local partners across the region and enhancing RGV Focus' equity-informed, multi-partner capabilities and data strategy.

"We are honored to have the opportunity to expand and accelerate our work across the Rio Grande Valley," said Rodney Rodriguez, newly appointed Senior Director of RGV FOCUS. "This new investment will allow RGV FOCUS and our local partners to continue our work to improve attainment outcomes for Rio Grande Valley students."

"From expanding our All-In Partnerships and early childhood education to enhancing workplace-based learning experiences for Valley students, we're excited to build upon our past success and support students across P-16, from cradle to career," added Rodriguez.

"RGV FOCUS is working to ensure every learner in the region can grow and get ahead. We're pleased to support their continued efforts to ensure that educational and economic systems work better for everyone," said Jean-Claude Brizard, Deputy Director, US Program, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The investment, which comes with the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will advance critical areas of work that are foundational to the work undertaken by RGV FOCUS. Critical investments will be made in the following areas:

• Convenings and data engagement to leverage the existing strengths of the RGV FOCUS in an effort to improve educational and life outcomes for over 427,000 P-16 students in the Rio Grande Valley;
• Expansion of workplace-based learning through a holistic strategy that engages not only educational professions, but also students, their families and the business sector;
• Strengthening and codifying early childhood work being undertaken in Harlingen CISD to enable expanding it to Head Start programs and possibly other school districts in the region;
• Expansion of the United Way's All-In Partnership to the rest of southern Cameron County to include two additional school districts in Los Fresnos and Port Isabel; and
• Providing student development training and enhancing student voice within school campuses with an aim to increase college and career readiness.

These additional investments will enable RGV FOCUS to strengthen and ensure systemic improvements across the region to further advance greater postsecondary degree attainment and success for students.

To learn more about the work of RGV FOCUS, visit rgvfocus.org.

About RGV FOCUS

RGV FOCUS, a is a collective impact initiative in the Rio Grande Valley – a team of leaders from school districts, higher education institutions, community-based organizations and business/workforce partnering to improve student lives from cradle-to-career. In 2012, Educate Texas, an educational arm of Dallas-based Communities Foundation of Texas, partnered with Valley leaders to launch RGV FOCUS to transform college readiness, access and success across Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy counties. The work to date is driven by the following vision: All RGV learners will achieve a degree or credential that leads to a meaningful career.

SOURCE RGV FOCUS