On May 16, Teach Plus and EdTrust in Texas will bring together local leaders at Rice University to elevate teacher-led solutions for postsecondary and workforce success.
Houston, TX, May 11, 2026—More than half of Texas students graduate high school without a clear path to a stable career. In Houston, a global hub for energy and aerospace, that gap is especially stark. To close it, Teach Plus Texas and EdTrust in Texas will host a Student Success Summit on May 16, from 3–7 p.m. at Rice University’s Anderson Clarke Center. Teachers from the Houston Policy Fellowship and Teach Plus Texas Policy Fellows who teach in Houston will join community and industry leaders to act on research that prepares all students to earn a postsecondary credential or degree within six years of graduation. The Houston summit is the third in the series, with previous summits held in Dallas-Fort Worth and El Paso.
“The best ideas for career-connected teaching and learning solutions will be generated by the people most directly affected by them. That’s why we are hosting the Houston Student Success Summit to bring together educators, administrators, nonprofit leaders, and the community at large to discuss how Houston can better prepare students to earn the credentials, experiences, and opportunities they need to lead to successful, financially secure lives,” said Antonio Sangueza, Jr. Teach Plus Texas Houston Policy Manager.
“We believe in elevating the voices of those affected by policies. Educators deserve a seat at the table in decisions that affect their institutions, schools systems, classrooms, and their students. Our educators have spent the last year learning and advocating for real, lasting, positive change. Come learn from them,” said Judith Cruz, Houston Region Assistant Director of EdTrust.
Through surveys and focus groups with educators across the state, the Fellows have gathered data on specific barriers teachers face, such as working conditions, the integration of AI and other emerging technologies, and the challenge of connecting classroom learning to the future needs of the workforce. Attendees at the Houston summit will engage directly with this data through interactive sessions designed to turn research into concrete policy recommendations, marking the synthesis of insights gathered from teachers across Texas over the three summits.
“There are nearly 400,000 public school teachers in Texas, and their work extends far beyond the classroom. They are neighbors, parents, mentors, and trusted members of the communities they serve. They know strong schools are built when teachers, students, families, and communities share a vision and build together, and that is exactly what our Career-Connected Teaching and Learning research represents,” said Kevin Potter, Houston school teacher and Teach Plus Texas Houston Policy Fellow.
Houston Summit Highlights Include:
- The Industry Integration Panel: Experts and educators explore how to bridge the gap between Houston’s industries and the classroom, creating direct pipelines to high-demand local career paths.
- The Statewide Research Reveal: A deep dive into educator-developed recommendations specifically designed to improve postsecondary credential and degree attainment across the state.
- The Impact Expo: A showcase featuring Houston Policy Fellows presenting real-world results of the advocacy projects they have already launched in their local schools and districts.
Summit participants will collaborate on a number of priorities, including building the first regional frameworks for AI-driven learning.
“It’s inspiring to be in a setting with motivated people who, through our voices and agency, are devoted to working together in creating solutions that enhance education standards for our current and future crop of students,” said Obinna Ibeh, a Houston teacher and Teach Plus Texas Policy Fellow.
The Houston summit is free and open to the public. Lunch will be provided. All attendees must register in advance at https://sites.google.com/
About Teach Plus Texas
Teach Plus Texas is a teacher-led advocacy organization that empowers educators to take on leadership roles beyond the classroom—shaping policy, driving research, and championing solutions that expand opportunity for all students. Teach Plus Texas Policy Fellows are current classroom teachers selected to conduct research and develop policy recommendations that reflect what’s actually happening in schools. Learn more here.
