Moving Beyond Pathways
During its start-up phase LONESTARP3 developed a series of collaborative protocols and processes that allowed us to generate consensus on a Pathways Research Agenda, and mobilize Research Collaboratives to advance that agenda. We are now prepared to leverage our relationships, insights, and experiences to identify and pursue research needs in other parts of the education continuum.
LONESTARP3 is initiating a process to produce preliminary research frameworks that will strategically position the network to inform and influence urgent and systemic challenges in Texas. Potential topics could range from rural education to teacher workforce, school finance to non-academic student supports, or out-of-school learning to early childhood education – and beyond.
These research frameworks will help build shared knowledge around critical topics, generate tangible products to support practice and policy, and serve as launchpads for future collaborative research efforts.
Framing the Future
We began by identifying shared priorities—topics that matter most to our community partners across the entire network. We did that by gathering input from our Members and triangulating their insights with key contributors in policy advocacy and in philanthropy. This inclusive approach ensured that what rose to the top reflects the real needs of Texas communities and works within the realities of the policy and resource environment.
Once shared priorities were identified, we moved forward with a call for Strategy Teams. One Strategy Team will be formed for each priority topic, and will include representation from research, practice, and advocacy sectors to offer diverse perspectives and insights. Individuals will be recruited through an application process that will ask them to demonstrate their expertise in the topic and their connections to communities and practice. A selection committee will review applications to form Strategy Teams with members from across the state that reflect both subject matter expertise and lived experiences of those close to the work.
We’ll convene each Strategy Team for a day to build a research framework around their topic using structured protocols that foster collaboration, clarity and confidence. Strategy Leads will be identified in advance to facilitate sessions through inclusive protocols and to synthesize team contributions into a draft framework. Strategy Team members will be asked to provide feedback on that draft to inform the final framework.
Opportunities to Engage
This work reflects key values of LONESTARP3: strategic alignment powered by grassroots input, consensus building driven by collective expertise, and actionable solutions generated to meet the needs of Texans. Surveys, applications, work sessions, and reviews all provide meaningful touchpoints for engagement. We’ll release survey findings as soon as they are complete to make the resulting insights and actions visible to all.
Your voices will shape this work. Applications to serve as a Strategy Team member were released in August. We’ll announce the composition of each team and topic on our website and via email soon. Our first Strategy Team will meet on November 12, with others meeting on January 29 and March 5.
