A man and woman wearing purple shirts hold purple cards, exuding joy and unity in their colorful attire.

Austin Community College District (ACC) is setting a bold course toward its North Star Goal: a 70% completion rate by 2030. To make this vision a reality, ACC is harnessing insights from our students, employees, and community to address the most pressing barriers to success. With this feedback and deep data analysis, we developed a comprehensive Theory of Change focused on four core pillars: helping students start strong, encouraging full-time enrollment, supporting their basic needs, and fostering a sense of belonging and connection.

By creating a clear path for students and addressing both academic and personal challenges, we’re committed to loving every student to success — whether it’s a certificate, associate degree, bachelor’s degree, or transfer.

Theory of Change Pillars

ACC’s new Theory of Change aligns work across the college. Explore the four pillars to learn how ACC is tackling student success.

Start Strong

start strong

Start Strong

Students who start their college journey strong, are more likely to finish strong.

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Enroll Full time

Enroll Full Time

Getting our students on a path to attend college full-time is important to their success.

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Meet Basic Needs

Meet Basic Needs

When we help our students meet their basic needs, they can better focus on learning.

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Belonging and Connection

ACC Students display the Riverbat hand signal at the ACC Highland Campus

Belonging and Connection

Data shows that when our students feel a strong sense of connection and community, they excel.

Learn More.

Share Your Feedback

Improving student success at Austin Community College takes everyone. Your comments, questions, and ideas are important. Please submit your feedback using the form below. Comments to specific design teams can be sent through surveys found at the bottom of the individual design team webpages. View Design Teams.

General Comments

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Ongoing Feedback

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Planning Process

Led by a team of tri-chairs, including our Chancellor Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart, Provost Dr. Monique Umphrey, and Professor Dr. Samantha Croft, the Theory of Change initiative is grounded in a set of tenets, values, and guiding principles that serve as the foundation for our work ahead.

The College established four specialized leadership teams — composed of ACC subject-matter experts from across the college — to help ensure an inclusive, collaborative, and transparent process from design to implementation. Learn more about the unique mission of each team below.

  • Design Teams – Members of our Theory of Change design teams use research and best practices to develop recommended strategies under the four pillars of the Theory of Change. Meet the teams.
  • Development Teams – Members of the Development Teams ensure resource access between Design Teams and root college-wide supporting partners deeply within the ongoing work. Meet the teams.
  • Steering Committee – Members of the Steering Committees provide guidance to the Design Teams and help prioritize and organize the teams’ collective work. Meet the team.
  • Theory of Change Institute – Members of the Institute engage in monthly meetings, collaborative training sessions, and special events focused on innovation and problem-solving. The Institute explores topics such as effective teamwork, change management, organizational structures, and data storytelling. Meet the team. 
  • Chancellor’s Leadership Institute – Meet the team.
  • Chancellor’s Cabinet – Members of the Chancellor’s Cabinet review and approve strategies and assign the appropriate college departments and teams to budget, implement, and track progress for the selected Theory of Change strategies. Meet the team.

Learn about the process

News and Updates

You can follow news and updates about the Theory of Change work happening at ACC in our special newsfeed below.