At ConnectED 2026, Good Reason Houston’s annual education convening, students and community leaders explored what’s working, what needs to change and how Houston can prepare more young people for the future.
Houston’s public schools are making progress. Nine of 10 regional indicators of student success are improving. Yet six years after high school, only 1 in 5 public school graduates earns a living wage.
That contrast between progress and the work ahead framed ConnectED 2026, Good Reason Houston’s annual education convening, which brought together nearly 900 educators, families, school system leaders, employers, philanthropists and policymakers Thursday at The Post Oak Hotel.
Under the theme Houston’s Future Is in Class Today, the gathering combined the energy of a high school pep rally with a serious message: The experiences and opportunities students have in public schools today will help shape their futures and Houston’s.
Preparing students for a future that’s already unfolding
From students sharing their dreams in the opening film to Kashmere High School senior Jordan Berry joining education and workforce leaders onstage, the voices of young Houstonians brought the day’s message into focus.
Their futures are unfolding in a world that’s changing quickly.
Futurist and keynote speaker Crystal Washington challenged attendees to consider how artificial intelligence, emerging technologies and evolving industries will reshape work and life. While the jobs of tomorrow may look different, students will still need strong foundations in reading, writing and math, along with the ability to think critically, communicate, adapt and keep learning.
“Students will need to think critically, solve unfamiliar problems, and adapt when things change, not just memorize the right answers,” Washington said. “It’s not about the right answer; it’s about what’s coming next.”
Preparing students for that future also means understanding what students and the adults supporting them need to succeed today.
“Preparing students for careers will take more than what happens in the classroom,” Washington said. “Online courses, hands-on work experiences, colleges, and families will play a role. Schools remain central, but connecting these opportunities will be a key to helping students turn their education into successful careers.”
A panel moderated by Good Reason Houston Chief Advancement Officer Kaneisha Lloyd explored those questions through the perspectives of Berry; Courtney Atkinson, an instructional coach with the Harris County Department of Education; Dr. Kregg Cuellar, superintendent of Spring ISD; and Juliet Stipeche, executive director of the Gulf Coast Workforce Board.
“Being curious, being creative, problem solving, resiliency: those are the types of [empowering] skills that are going to allow a student to be able to succeed in an economy and workforce that is going to be constantly evolving and changing,” Stipeche said.
Their discussion reinforced that helping students thrive takes strong schools, meaningful opportunities and a community working together to support their success.
“Student outputs do not change until adult behaviors change,” Cuellar said.
Progress worth celebrating. Work worth doing.
Houston already has examples of what’s possible when students have access to strong instruction, supportive educators and opportunities that prepare them for life after graduation.
Good Reason Houston’s 2026 Yearbook, unveiled at ConnectED, brings those stories together. Spanning the student journey from early childhood through postsecondary education, it highlights the students, educators, schools and partners driving progress across the region, the challenges that remain and the actions Houstonians can take to help more students succeed.
Inside the Yearbook, the Houston Region Public Education Snapshot tracks 10 milestones along the path to a living wage. Nine are moving in the right direction, including gains in early learning and high school readiness.
The ultimate goal remains ahead: doubling the rate of Houston-area public school graduates earning a living wage from 20% to 40% by 2040.
Good Reason Houston CEO Courtney Isaak Pichon also introduced Pathways to Possible: Houston’s Blueprint for Postsecondary Success, new research examining 10 Houston-area high schools whose graduates have stronger postsecondary outcomes than their regional peers. Based on interviews with more than 100 educators, the research offers insights into the practices helping students succeed and lessons other schools can learn from.
Together, the Yearbook and new research show the progress underway and the opportunities to build on what’s working.
Read more about the Pathways to Possible research here.
A shared assignment for Houston
The event also celebrated the people whose commitment makes progress possible, including Doug Foshee, Good Reason Houston’s founding board member and outgoing board chair. Foshee received the North Star Catalyst Award in recognition of his longstanding leadership and dedication to Houston students.
The day also invited more Houstonians to play a part. Throughout ConnectED, attendees answered a question about the skills and opportunities students need to thrive in the Houston of tomorrow. Their responses highlighted hands-on exposure to high-demand jobs in Houston, high-quality instruction that teaches students to think critically, and highly trained school leaders and educators.
As guests departed, they received a fitting Yearbook superlative: “Most Likely to Improve Houston Public Education.” The playful nod to the event’s school-day theme carried a serious reminder: Everyone has a role in helping more young people graduate prepared for good-paying jobs, real choices and lives they love.
The 2026 Yearbook includes homework for families, educators, employers, policymakers and other community members, offering ways each can contribute to student success.
Houston’s future is in class today. What happens next is up to all of us.
Thank you to our supporters
ConnectED 2026 was made possible by partners who believe in Houston students and invest in their futures.
Regional Champions
Doug and Sarah Foshee
Doug and Sarah Foshee have long championed a Houston where more young people can access an excellent education and pursue family-sustaining careers. As a founding Good Reason Houston board member and longtime board chair, Doug helped guide the organization’s efforts to identify, strengthen and expand promising approaches to public education.
Chevron
One of Good Reason Houston’s longest-standing corporate partners and a foundational partner of Houston Loves Teachers, Chevron made the inaugural Teacher Leadership Cohort possible. The cohort helped 20 educators build leadership skills and design solutions for their schools.
Boston Consulting Group
Boston Consulting Group brings analytical rigor and strategic insight to questions shaping Houston’s education and economic future, including through its role in the Houston Economic Mobility Coalition.
Systems Builder
Bobby and Phoebe Tudor
District Accelerator
Kinder Foundation · H-E-B
Neighborhood Partners
Alexandra and Jeffrey Butt · Equitable Advisors · ExxonMobil · Greater Houston Partnership · Jill and Dunham Jewett · Andrea Young
Classroom Advocates
Adeeb Barqawi · Kristin Blomquist · Communities In Schools · EMERGE · Bob Harvey · Houston City College · Houston Texans Foundation · Isaak Pichon Family · Jamail & Smith Construction · Chanler Langham · Memorial Hermann Foundation · Neuhaus · OneGoal · Region 4 ESC · Denise Smith · Sebastien Solar · Kim Sterling · Susman Godfrey · Teach For America Houston · TNTP
Thank you to Crystal Washington, our panelists, Spring ISD’s Spring High School Band and everyone who helped make ConnectED 2026 possible.
