Texas A+ Challenge
Creating Smarter & Stronger Education to Strengthen & Connect Communities
To be a catalyst for change and a model for innovation in education in the Houston area and beyond.
To ensure that every student is prepared for post-secondary success.
Public Schools partnered with A+ to build capacity
Educators have strengthened skills & knowledge through A+ programs
Students served by stronger teachers & school leaders
Our mission
We work with public schools to strengthen instruction and leadership through consulting, on-campus coaching, leadership academies, professional development workshops, and more. We convene educators and thought leaders to learn from peers and experts through our publications and events, including our free, public speaker series.
We know what works in classrooms. Why aren’t we doing it?
Texas A+ Challenge has a long history of supporting teachers and leaders to strengthen their skills and improve results. Our unique perspective – with one eye on schools and the other eye on the education reform horizon – brings a steady stream of research-based innovative practices to schools, serving not only as a catalyst for change but also as a partner in implementation.
What others say about our work
“My A+ coaches are my trusted source for highly-knowledgeable and relevant PD and coaching that I would not be able to provide otherwise and the sole instructional leader on my campus. They understand my vision, and they work well with my teachers, some of whom they have been supporting for multiple years.“
– Samyra Rogers, Principal (Pleasantville Elementary)
“You’ve NEVER experienced effective coaching from a third party until you’ve worked with A+ Challenge. Everyone grows with the coaching and is empowered to succeed after the coaching concludes. The A+ relationship endures – not because the growth is only possible when the coaching is happening, but because teachers have grown to a new place and seek out answers/collaborations to advocate for themselves in the areas they are now able to identify for their students with the content/curriculum.”
-Erin Chavez
“This coaching experience has made me feel cared for and supported to be able to access and implement new knowledge, participate in deep reflection and learning, and to be comfortable taking risks as a new instructional coach.”
-Raymond Mason
Contact Texas A+ Challenge
Our Team
Susannah Young
Academic Performance Coach (Literacy)
James Dirden
Academic Performance Coach (Mathematics)
Erica Milson
Academic Performance Coach (Literacy)
Erin McDaniel
Academic Performance Coach (Mathematics)
Jen Mascheck
Academic Performance Coach (Mathematics)
Dr. Marcy Baez
Senior Director, Texas A+ Challenge
Our WORK
On Campus
On-site coaching, workshops, & more.
Customized support for real academic growth.
Virtual Coaching
Remote conversations and personalized professional development.
Goal-focused, outcomes-driven.
Workshops
Professional learning workshops that help teachers, coaches & specialists drive gains through research-supported best practices.
Academies
Monthly working groups that create space for networking & problem-solving with peers from around Greater Houston.
Houston A+ Challenge Joins Children at risk
CHILDREN AT RISK is proud to welcome Houston A+ Challenge to the team!
Since 1997, Houston A+ Challenge has led an experienced, interconnected team of professional coaches to give school administrators, specialists, and teachers the tools they need to maintain a focus on student learning and academic growth. To date, they have served over 250,000 students and continue to grow.
Both nonprofits work tirelessly to be the catalyst for change Texas children need and are now combining efforts to increase the impact of their work to improve the public education system.
Read our press release here.
Contact Texas A+ Challenge
Our Latest Pk-12 EDUCATION Research & Resources
Which Texas Schools Were Most Resilient?
For more than a decade, CHILDREN AT RISK (C@R) has ranked and graded Texas public schools to help parents, educators, and community members understand how schools in their community are performing, and to spark dialogue on the quality of public education across Texas....
C@R Hosts HISD Trustee Candidate Forum
Elections for Trustees for the Houston Independent School District Board are this November! On October 21st, CHILDREN AT RISK hosted a virtual candidate forum. Watch the recording linked below to hear how they plan to address educational inequity, the challenges for...
Attendance & Learning in the time of COVID-19
IN THE TIME OF COVID: Attendance & LearningResearch shows that students who attend school regularly earn higher grades are more likely to graduate and are better prepared for college. The pandemic made it difficult for many students to attend and engage in school,...
Special Education in the time of COVID-19
IN THE TIME OF COVID: Special EducationSpecial education policies help ensure students with disabilities are placed in the most appropriate environments with the accommodations necessary to meet their learning needs. How has COVID-19 affected special education?For...
Student Mental Health in the time of COVID-19
IN THE TIME OF COVID: Student Mental HealthMental health is an important issue that affects students every day. Having access to mental health services can reduce the stress caused by difficult situations and improve academic performance. Post-pandemic it is more...
In the Time of COVID: Student Rights and School Policies
IN THE TIME OF COVID: School Policies & Student RightsCOVID-19 changed our public education landscape overnight. Thousands of Texas schools and nearly 5.5 million students had to adapt to new policies and health guidelines. As schools grapple with COVID's impact,...
School Discipline
IN THE TIME OF COVID: School DisciplineSchool discipline policies are guidelines that outline the rules of a school. They're important because they help to keep order in schools and to protect students from violence or abuse by other students, teachers, or...
TREC Hosts Racial Equity Roundtable on Going Back to School under COVID-19
On Wednesday, September 29, CHILDREN AT RISK and the Texas Racial Equity Collaborative launched the first in a series of monthly roundtables centered on racial equity first These monthly Racial Equity Rapid Roundtables will gather community leaders, child advocates,...
Special Session Update: Public Education Takes Center Stage
Today, August 30th, the Texas House Public Education Committee will hold a hearing on mask mandates. Two school mask-centered bills are up for public discussion. HB 164 (Dutton) would give school districts the flexibility they need to follow public health...
C@R & Shell Host Webinar on the Resegregation of America’s Schools
Education leaders come together to explore the root causes and potential solutions to school segregation in the 21st century. On August 18th, CHILDREN AT RISK hosted “The Resegregation of American Schools: The Economics of Inequity,” a discussion between education...
C@R & Shell Host Racial Equity in STEM Education Webinar
Teachers and administrators have spent the past 18 months re-envisioning the possibilities of the traditional classroom and what the future of education may hold for students today. On August 4th, CHILDREN AT RISK hosted "Racial Equity in STEM Education," a webinar...
How did Children Fare in the 87th Texas Legislative Session?
Over the last 140 days, Children at Risk monitored thousands of bills, registered support for bills 93 times, provided written testimony 23 times, and provided oral testimony 20 times. Out of our initial legislative priorities, 17 bills ultimately made it to the...