History

Bonnie Park and Ann Willig, doctoral students at Cornell University create the Mother-Infant program in Dallas, TX inspiring AVANCE founder, Dr. Gloria Rodriguez.

Dr. Gloria Rodriguez, a teacher and advocate for parent education, establishes AVANCE in San Antonio and begins offering the Parent-Child Education Program (PCEP) at the Mirasol Housing Project. Initially serving 35 families in a 500-unit public housing development, AVANCE has grown into a national leader in two-generation programming. 

During his trip to Texas, Price Charles, now King Charles III, King of the United Kingdom, stopped by San Antonio’s West side to visit the organization advocating for parent education, AVANCE. 

The New York Times and ABC World News present the widely acclaimed Parent-Child Education Program, and the First Lady, Barbara Bush visits AVANCE for the first time.  

AVANCE expands in Texas with the opening of a new chapter office, AVANCE-Houston. 

AVANCE receives one of the first Nationwide Even Start Programs grants to improve the academic achievement of young children and their parents in low-income families, especially in the area of reading. 

AVANCE opens the National Headquarters in San Antonio, TX and establishes the first National Board of Directors 

Oprah Winfrey invites AVANCE to be part of “Scared Silent,” a documentary about child abuse. 

Lisa Oglesby Rocha establishes AVANCE-Dallas (now AVANCE-North Texas) with five employees, three sites, and a budget of $300,000. AVANCE is featured in First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton’s book “It Takes a Village” in which she presents her vision for the children of America.

AVANCE opens a new chapter in the state capitol, AVANCE-Austin. 

In her book, “Helping Someone with Mental Illness,” First Lady Rosalynn Carter cites AVANCE in discussing the effectiveness of organizations in the promotion of mental well-being. 

AVANCE makes history by becoming the recipient of a $12.6 million grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to expand the core Parent-Child Education Program across the Nation. 

AVANCE receives the H-E-B Excellence in Education Award and the Simmons Luminary Award for Education Excellence for its innovative programming that serves as a model for improving education. 

AVANCE joins the Ascend Network at the Aspen Institute, a catalyst and convener for collaborators to elevate innovative two-generation approaches to educational success and economic mobility. 

AVANCE opens the first Parent-Family Community Engagement Center in Alamo, TX, serving the broader Rio Grande Valley Region. 

AVANCE Inc. refocuses and begins updating the core Parent-Child Education Program with assistance from The Harvard Center on the Developing Child, Frontiers of Innovation, Child Trends, and True Point consulting. 

AVANCE pilots a new program to support family child care providers to increase the quality of care for children in their homes: the Quality Child Care Matters Program.  With great success of the pilot in Hidalgo County, TX, the Texas Workforce Commission funds AVANCE to expand the Quality Child Care Matters program to Austin, TX.

In response to COVID-19, AVANCE adapts the Parent-Child Education Program for virtual delivery. AVANCE becomes an affiliate of UnidosUS. Office of Head Start awards AVANCE a grant expanding Head Start and Early Head Start in the Rio Grande Valley across Starr and Zapata Counties. 

With support of the Texas Workforce Commission, AVANCE launches a statewide business coaching program for family child care providers. In partnership with El Paso Community College and Workforce Borderplex, AVANCE pilots AVANCE to College, a program that utilizes the Parent-Child Education Program to provide parents direct access to postsecondary education.