Pflugerville ISD pledges every graduate will leave with employment, enlistment or enrollment under new "3 E's" promise

Dr. Shepherd told the joint Pflugerville ISD and City of Pflugerville meeting that the district is launching a "3 E's" promise — employment, enlistment and enrollment — that he described as the district's guarantee that each graduate will have a clear post‑graduation pathway.

Shepherd said the diploma is "the floor, not the ceiling," and framed the 3 E's as a shift from traditional measures that stop at graduation. "Our goal is by 2029, 100 percent of all of our graduates will graduate with not just their diploma, but a diploma and one of the 3 E's," he said.

Why it matters: Shepherd said the state accountability system does not currently measure long‑term launch success, so PfISD will build its own accountability and data systems. He told trustees the district will track industry‑based certifications, collect post‑graduation survey data and develop earlier checkpoints—"predictive gateways" such as access to high‑quality pre‑K and mastery of early literacy—to identify students' likely pathways and provide targeted supports.

Implementation details and questions: Shepherd said the district has joined the System of Great Schools and will use strategic planning and partnerships with postsecondary institutions to help meet the promise. He acknowledged gaps in current tracking: "What we don't currently have is, are they actually being employed?" he said, adding that the district will need to build systems to capture employment and enrollment information and rely in part on student and parent self‑reporting.

Board members and attendees pressed for specifics on measurement and inclusion. One trustee asked how the district will track students who drop out; Shepherd said the district already works with programs (including a Graduation Alliance partner) to re‑engage students and will build systems to aggregate post‑graduation data. Community members and trustees emphasized the role of counselors and early exposure, with several saying middle school is a key time to identify pathways.

Inclusion and community support: A participant urged the district to ensure the promise covers students with disabilities — noting more than 14 percent of the student population receives special education services — and called for expanded pathways and long‑term supports. Trustees and city representatives encouraged community mentoring and partnerships, and several speakers highlighted existing mentoring programs at the high schools and elementary schools as models to expand.

Next steps: Shepherd said the district will spend the coming years building the accountability framework and tightening metrics as data systems mature. Trustees heard the presentation and asked staff to continue engagement with community and city partners as the district develops the implementation plan.