Supporting Texas Teachers in Readying Students for College and Career Pathways

Since 2012, Education Opens Doors (EOD), a Texas-based nonprofit organization, has been encouraging students to dream big about their futures and coaching teachers and counselors on how to support those dreams in the classroom. By partnering with schools and student-centered community programs, EOD equips middle and early high school students – who typically receive less than an hour of college and career advising over four years – from predominately low-income communities and diverse backgrounds with the knowledge and skills they need to realize their college and career potential. The organization develops training resources and utilizes a best-in-class curriculum to help teachers lead discussions and student-centered, measurable exercises on topics such as time management, financial literacy, high school choice, self-awareness, college affordability, and college and career readiness skills. These subjects aren’t traditionally taught in the classroom but data has shown they are essential for students, especially those who are the first in their families to aspire to college, to imagine and successfully navigate post-secondary pathways.