In Fort Worth, Texas, only 43% of third graders in public and charter schools met reading standards in 2024 — a number that’s even lower in under-resourced neighborhoods. The pressure of new curricula, reduced funding, teacher shortages, and the uncertainty of new laws about private school vouchers have only increased the challenges and parent frustration.
This past spring, 13 students in the John V. Roach Honors College at Texas Christian University (TCU) set out to better understand the city’s educational ecosystem. As part of the Design for Social Impact course, led by Associate Dean Stacy Landreth Grau, Ph.D., Roach Honors students created real solutions to improve literacy in Fort Worth.
Their work used cutting-edge approaches like human-centered design and systems thinking. Students examined the big picture to understand how all the parts of the city’s education system connect and the details of each child’s experience.
“Examining an issue from both the macro and micro levels gives a more complete and accurate picture,” shared Gianna Kingsbury, a junior education major.
Students also interviewed parents, teachers, nonprofit leaders, and philanthropists. They heard from experts like Brent Beasley, CEO of Fort Worth Education Partners, and Sarah Geer from the Rainwater Charitable Foundation.
Roach Honors students identified three crucial groups to focus on: elementary school students, their families, and school administrators. They created detailed “personas” representing these groups and brainstormed intervention ideas. During a special feedback session, held during their spring term final exam, local education experts — including school district leaders, teachers, and nonprofit founders — reviewed and critiqued the students’ proposals. This process of “test and refine” is a key part of human-centered design that helps make solutions more effective.
The response from experts was enthusiastic, and the students’ work will continue to shape new ideas over the summer and into the fall semester.
“We were all passionate about making a positive difference in literacy,” said Belle DeRosa, a junior marketing major.
Others, like Ava Valdes, a junior in sociology and economics, noted how the skills they gained — such as empathy, storyboarding, and prototyping — will serve them in any future career.
Fort Worth is one of America’s fastest-growing cities, and tackling illiteracy is essential for its future. TCU Roach Honors students are contributing new ideas and energy to help Fort Worth children become stronger readers.