RGV Focus: Valley is making good progress in education

Published: June 3, 2020, noon

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HARLINGEN, RGV Focus, a collective impact initiative of Educate Texas, has unveiled its 2019 annual report and scorecard.

As with last year\\u2019s report, the title is \\u201cContigo,\\u201d which is Spanish for \\u201cWith You.\\u201d

The scorecard tracks the key metrics RGV Focus has identified to be important in understanding education in the Rio Grande Valley. It also tracks how the Valley scores in comparison to those for the state of Texas.\\xa0

\\u201cIn this year\\u2019s annual report you will see that Rio Grande Valley students now match or out-perform their Texas peers in eight out of 12 key indicators,\\u201d said Rodney H. Rodriguez, senior director at RGV Focus.

Rodriguez offered a few highlights:

  • 51% of RGV high school students are completing Advanced Placement or Dual Credit Courses, exceeding the state average of 43 percent;
  • 73% of RGV seniors are completing the FAFSA application for higher education financial assistance, exceeding the state average of 64 percent;
  • 80% of RGV higher education graduates are finding employment or furthering their education at 4-year colleges, exceeding the state average of 75 percent.

\\u201cThis is big,\\u201d Rodriguez said. \\u201cContigo, our collective efforts are working.\\u201d

Editor's Note: Go to www.riograndeguardian.com for the full story.

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.

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