Commit at TribFest 2026: Three Conversations About Opportunity in Texas

Each year, The Texas Tribune Festival brings together leaders, policymakers, educators, journalists, advocates, and communities from across Texas and beyond to talk about some of the biggest questions shaping our state.

For Commit, those conversations matter.

Our work is rooted in Dallas County, but many of the challenges our partners are working to solve every day—improving student outcomes, creating stronger pathways into college and careers, and helping more young people reach a living wage—extend far beyond our region.

That is one reason Commit continues to participate in The Texas Tribune Festival, or TribFest. It gives us an opportunity not simply to talk about what is happening in Dallas County, but to learn alongside leaders from across Texas, bring different perspectives to the table, and explore what it takes to turn promising ideas into stronger systems for students and families.

And this year, we’ll have plenty to talk about.

‍Three days. Three conversations. One bigger question.‍

The 2026 Texas Tribune Festival takes place September 24–26 in Austin, with more than 250 speakers and 100 sessions examining education, the economy, technology, Texas politics, and other issues shaping the state's future.

Commit will be part of three conversations during this year’s Festival. On the surface, they cover different topics: economic mobility, state intervention in public education, and postsecondary advising.

The throughline for all three is an important question: How do we build systems that give more Texans a real opportunity to succeed?‍

It’s a question that sits at the center of Commit’s work, and one we believe is best answered collaboratively—with educators, students, employers, community organizations, policymakers, and public leaders all bringing their experiences and perspectives to the conversation.

Here’s where you can find Commit at #TribFest26:

‍Thursday, Sept. 24: Results for America Partner Program — Dallas’ Bold Plan to Cut Child Poverty in Half and Put 150,000 Residents on a Path to Prosperity ‍

10:30–11:30 a.m. | Voltron at STATION Austin in the Omni

Commit President of Dallas County Impact Miguel Solis will join Jennifer Blatz, CEO of StriveTogether; Liz Cedillo-Pereira, assistant city manager for the City of Dallas; and moderator Michele Jolin, CEO and co-founder of Results for America, for a conversation about the work underway in Dallas to expand economic opportunity.

At the center of that work is Opportunity 2040, Dallas County’s shared goal to dramatically increase the number of young adults earning a living wage.

The discussion will explore how nonprofit organizations, local government, education leaders, and other partners can organize around shared outcomes—and what Dallas’ experience can teach other communities working to improve education and economic mobility.

‍Friday, Sept. 25: State Oversight and Local Schools — What It Means for Students

4–5 p.m. | Bethell Hall at St. David’s Episcopal Church

On Friday, Miguel Solis joins a conversation about state accountability measures in public education: what they mean for students, families, educators, and local school boards.

He'll be joined by Houston ISD Trustee Maria Benzon and State Representative Harold Dutton of Houston, in a discussion moderated by Texas Tribune education reporter Sneha Dey.

State accountability systems raise real questions about governance, local decision-making, and student outcomes. This panel brings together multiple perspectives and experiences to work through those questions — including lessons from Dallas and other Texas communities

‍Saturday, Sept. 26: The Commit Partnership Partner Program — From Guidance to Outcomes: Scaling Effective Advising for Postsecondary Success

1–2 p.m. | Captain America at STATION Austin in the Omni

Commit will close out its TribFest programming Saturday with a conversation we’re hosting about one of the most consequential transitions in a student’s journey: what happens after high school.

Students can have talent, ambition, and a desire to continue their education and still encounter a maze of decisions about applications, financial aid, college, credentials, and careers. High-quality advising can help turn those decisions into clearer pathways.

This conversation will explore how districts, policymakers, and community partners are strengthening postsecondary advising—what effective models look like, what outcomes they can produce, and what it takes to bring those supports to more students.

Bridget Worley, Commit’s Chief State Impact Officer, will moderate the discussion with Susanna Russell, president and CEO of Education is Freedom; Jarrad Toussant, senior vice president of education and workforce at the Dallas Regional Chamber; and Helen Nguyen, a recent graduate and Breakthrough Central Texas alumna.

‍Why these conversations matter‍

No single panel or organization has all the answers to the challenges facing students and families across Texas.

That’s precisely why conversations like these matter.

Over the past several years, TribFest has given Commit and our partners an opportunity to bring lessons from Dallas County into broader statewide conversations. In 2025, for example, Commit participated in discussions about expanding high-quality career pathways and improving transfer between two- and four-year institutions — two challenges where collaboration across institutions and sectors is essential.

But sharing what we are learning is only part of the value.

TribFest also creates an opportunity to listen. To challenge assumptions. To hear what is working elsewhere. And to bring those ideas back to Dallas County as thousands of partners across our region continue working toward a shared goal: ensuring more young people have the opportunity to earn a living wage and thrive.

That exchange of ideas matters because education and economic mobility do not exist in isolation. Decisions about schools, higher education, workforce systems, government, employers, and communities intersect in the lives of the same students and families.

This week in Austin, we’re looking forward to exploring those intersections.

And after TribFest, we’ll bring the conversations back here.

In the next few days, we’ll take a deeper look at each of Commit’s three TribFest discussions, including the ideas raised, lessons shared, and what they could mean for our work in Dallas County and across Texas.

Until then, we hope to see you in Austin.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is The Texas Tribune Festival?

The Texas Tribune Festival, commonly called TribFest, is an annual event hosted by The Texas Tribune in Austin. The 2026 Festival brings together more than 250 speakers for more than 100 sessions covering topics including education, the economy, technology, government, media, and Texas politics.

When is the 2026 Texas Tribune Festival?

The 2026 Texas Tribune Festival takes place September 24–26, 2026, in downtown Austin, Texas.

Is the Commit Partnership participating in TribFest 2026?

Yes. Commit Partnership leaders are participating in three conversations during TribFest 2026. President Miguel Solis will participate in sessions on Opportunity 2040 and state intervention in public education, while Chief State Impact Officer Bridget Worley will moderate Commit Partnership’s partner program on postsecondary advising.

What is Commit Partnership's TribFest 2026 panel about?

Commit Partnership’s partner program, “From Guidance to Outcomes: Scaling Effective Advising for Postsecondary Success,” will explore how school districts, policymakers, and community partners can strengthen postsecondary advising and help more students successfully transition from high school into college and careers.

What is Opportunity 2040?

Opportunity 2040 is a shared regional effort focused on increasing economic mobility in Dallas County. It brings together partners across education, workforce, government, philanthropy, and the community around measurable outcomes designed to help more young people ultimately earn a living wage.

Why does Commit Partnership participate in The Texas Tribune Festival?

TribFest provides an opportunity for Commit and its partners to share lessons emerging from Dallas County, learn from leaders and communities across Texas, and contribute to statewide conversations about education, workforce development, economic mobility, and the systems that affect students and families.

Where can I find the full TribFest 2026 schedule?

The full schedule, including session descriptions, speakers, times, and locations, is available on The Texas Tribune Festival website: https://festival.texastribune.org/schedule

‍Editorial Series Note
‍This post is designed as the opening piece in a four-part TribFest series. The three follow-up posts can each focus on one discussion: Opportunity 2040 and collective action; school accountability, governance, and the state/local relationship; and effective postsecondary advising and how Texas can scale it.