HOUSTON-Mayor Sylvester Turner today announced the creation of the city council Economic Development Subcommittee on Education, which will focus on improving educational opportunities to support a flourishing workforce.
The Subcommittee on Education will uphold the Economic Development Committee’s mission to build prosperity through job creation and business and trade opportunities.
The subcommittee will enact policy, funding and public awareness initiatives to ensure all Houstonians are equipped for the workforce. It also will work with educational communities across the city to further develop the necessary skill sets for Houston’s industries.
Mayor Turner believes Houston is a city where all young people should be provided with the tools and resources they need to be successful. By creating opportunities for all, Houston will continue to be positioned as a global leader.
“We know there is a link between education and job force opportunities,” Mayor Turner said. “I want the subcommittee to increase public awareness about the connection between quality of life and economic circumstances. When a child is supported from an early age, they are better equipped to positively contribute to society.”
District H Council Member Karla Cisneros will serve as the subcommittee’s chairwoman.
“The stark reality is that many disadvantaged children who struggle through childhood grow up to be adults who struggle to compete in the job market. If children in our city grow up unprepared to succeed, they are less able to contribute to the economic wealth and financial stability of Houston,” Council Member Cisneros said. “It doesn’t have to be that way. The best way to address achievement gaps is to prevent them from occurring in the first place.”
Other subcommittee members include District K Council Member Martha Castex-Tatum (vice chair), District E Council Member Dave Martin, At-Large Position 2 Council Member David Robinson, At-Large Position 4 Council Member Amanda Edwards and District D Council Member Dwight Boykins.
The subcommittee will hold its first weekly public meeting at 2 p.m. Wednesday, August 8. at Houston City Hall.
Rice University’s Dr. Stephen L. Klineberg, founding-director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research and Professor of Sociology, is scheduled to speak.
