In 2015 MISD and a small group of business and community leaders partnered with Educate Texas, a public-private partnership focused on improving the public education system so that every Texas student is prepared for success. Over a period of 22 months, Educate Texas provided technical assistance and helped guide the formation of a 40+ member Leadership Team, a Data Support Team, and 2 task force groups that provided recommendations for improving Teacher Recruitment/Retention and Facilities at MISD. While the task force groups met only temporarily, the bringing together of diverse ideas and expertise resulted in a different and long-lasting way of thinking about education in Midland. Conversations about human resources consulting, educator coaching, and alternative learning methods and theories of action have begun to take shape due to the connecting of people, ideas, and resources.

Moving forward, Educate Midland is now the “backbone organization”, responsible for convening and facilitating the Leadership Team, the Data Support Team, Future Action Networks (focus groups) and other community partners around a common agenda for education in Midland.