SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, RGV - The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has awarded a grant of $2.44 million to RGV Focus.
A ceremonial check presentation was made at RGV Focus’ annual retreat on South Padre Island.
RGV FOCUS is a collective impact initiative of Educate Texas, which in turn is an educational arm of Dallas-based Communities Foundation of Texas.
“This grant of $2.44 million is really a nod of confidence from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for the great work that is happening in the Rio Grande Valley among multiple school districts, our higher ed partners and so many of the nonprofits that are working together,” said Chris Coxon, managing director of programs for Educate Texas.
Coxon said the various organizations that make up RGV Focus are trying to find solutions and best outcomes for the community and the children in the Valley.
“I think this grant announcement is definitely a stamp of approval of that great work that has been taking place.”
The funding announcement from the Gates Foundation follows hot on the heels of a $1.25 million grant awarded to RGV Focus by the Greater Texas Foundation. That grant announcement was made at the Rio Grande Valley’s State of Education Summit, held in Weslaco last May.
Coxon said the new funding will help “augment and extend” the work RGV Focus has been doing.
“Educate Texas is just thrilled to be able to support and accelerate some of the progress that has already been happening down there.”
Coxon pointed out that RGV Focus tracks 12 common metrics. These run the gamut from 3rd grade reading all the way through enrolling in college and persisting and completing college.
“Across those 12 there are nine where we are either the same as the state or beating the state in terms of outcomes,” Coxon said proudly.
“When most people think of education in the Valley, they do not always recognize the fact there is such great education taking place and some really strong outcomes that we are getting across multiple districts, multiple counties.”
Coxon said it is not just that one district or one campus is doing well.
“Here you are seeing some lifting of all of the communities in the Valley and that, I would say, is pretty impressive; to see that type of success and growth and sharing of best practices.”
Coxon noted that Living Cities, a nonprofit that identifies which communities do best at educating low-income minority students, has recognized the work being done in Brownsville schools. He also pointed to the fact that 8th grade girls in the Valley had scored highest in the state for mathematics.
“I think when you see all of these things happening, it is not just isolated pieces of work, these are systemic initiatives that are being worked on, developed and grown across the region. That is something that has made a group like the Gates Foundation take notice,” Coxon said.
The Gates Foundation announced that five communities across the nation were to receive checks. They are in Tacoma, Washington; Buffalo, New York; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Dallas, Texas; and the Valley.
“To have two recognized in the state is incredible and when you think of those other communities, those are either in pretty big urban centers or have major universities. That the Valley was able to stand out because of the great work it is doing and to attract the attention of the Gates Foundation and secure one of these grants, is really great work.”
Asked where the money will be spent, Coxon referenced six different initiatives:
With regard to early childhood education, Coxon said Harlingen CISD has been doing an incredible job. “So, we are providing some resources to Harlingen to expand the work they are doing and to codify it, so that if any other districts want to do it they will have the playbook available.”
With regard to the student leadership initiative, Coxon said students from Port Isabel, Vanguard Academy and Palmview school districts are to be provided with leadership development training this summer in Florida. “We are working with Peer Forward, a national organization that does a lot of leadership development work with students. They have come highly recommended to us. The students will identify an issue important to their community. When they get back to campus they will identify other students and leverage their leadership with their peers.”
Editor's Note: The main image accompanying the above news story shows three students from Port Isabel receiving a ceremonial check from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. They are pictured with Patricia Alvarez McHatton, UT-Rio Grande Valley's executive vice president for academic affairs, student success, and P-16 integration, and Chris Coxon, managing director of programs for Educate Texas.
