The Region 5 Way

Region Five includes 13 elementary, middle, and high schools in the Austin-East and Fulton feeder patterns. Students in this region are often faced with unique challenges and obstacles to learning, and KCS has not historically articulated a clear vision of success for the schools in the region. As a result, schools in Region 5 continue to struggle to close persistent achievement gaps and students consistently perform significantly behind their peers. 

In the Fall of 2022, KCS enlisted the support of a third-party consultant, Kitamba, to facilitate the development of a comprehensive strategic plan to transform outcomes—and futures—for every student in Region 5. Beginning in December of 2022 and concluding in March of 2023, this strategic planning process consisted of concentrated community engagement, data analysis, and responsive research. Over the course of the strategic planning process, more than 250 stakeholders (including 130+ students) participated in one-on-one interviews and focus groups in English, Spanish, Kirundi, and Swahili.

The Region 5 Way is the comprehensive, five-year action plan that emerged from the strategic planning process. Designed for--and developed by--students, families, community partners, and educators in Region 5, the Region 5 Way establishes a set of ambitious and achievable ACTIONS, METRICS, and MILESTONES within each of the district’s four priority areas to ensure every student in the region has the opportunity to:

• Learn from elite educators;
• Enter first grade school-ready;
• Read and perform math on or above grade level;
• Graduate high school ready to pursue a high-wage, high-demand career of their choosing.