General Information

Sam Houston State University P-16 

What is P-16?

P-16 is a term used to describe the continuum of education experiences from pre-school (P) through the first years after high school either bachelor’s degree years (through “year 16”) or starting a career

What is a P-16 Council

A P-16 Council is an inclusive, broad-based community group of stakeholders who commit time and energy to make positive change in schools and non-school settings that serve children and youth that use data to understand difficulties that students are experiencing at the transition points along the P-16 continuum, a group that works together to remove barriers to learning and prepare students for success after high school.

Why do we need a P-16 council?

The SHSU P-16 Council was formed in response to the Closing the Gaps 2015 report issued by The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.  In order to compete in a global economy and to achieve parity with other competitive states, Texas must enroll 630,000 new students in college by 2015.  According to the U.S. Department of Education (2006), over 90% of new jobs that will be available to students in the 21st century require some postsecondary education.

How does the SHSU P-16 council work?

P-16 focuses on effectively reaching out to families with to create a college-going culture among all Texans. Our various initiatives are carried through various partnerships at the local and statewide level. In addition to our statewide coordination, the success of our efforts is contingent upon local buy-in, support and, ultimately, ownership.