Amarillo, Texas – Tom Luce, board chairman of the National Math and Science Initiative and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education, will kick off the Texas Convening II on Wednesday, October 1 in Amarillo by sharing his perspective of the state of postsecondary success in Texas. Texas Convening II brings together state and national education and workforce leaders, elected officials and funders to learn more about current policy and practice impacting postsecondary success and economic vitality throughout the state. The two-day event, which follows the very successful first Texas Convening in 2012, is hosted by Xcel Energy, the Amarillo Area Foundation and the No Limits No Excuses Amarillo Partners on Oct. 1 and 2. More than 50 distinguished speakers and panelists from throughout Texas and the nation will gather for this decision-maker’s convening event to network and increase the effectiveness of postsecondary success leading to living wage employment in Texas, according to Charlotte Rhodes, vice president of the Amarillo Area Foundation. The second day’s session will be anchored by a panel discussion of Texas House Bill 5 and will feature Texas legislators, including Senator Kel Seliger, who also is honorary chair of Texas Convening II; Senator Robert Duncan, Texas Tech University chancellor; Rep. Ken King of Canadian; and Rep. Four Price and Rep. John Smithee, both of Amarillo. Other distinguished professionals scheduled to speak include Damen Lopez, founder and president of No Excuses University, Dallas; Dr. Donna Beegle, president of Communication Across Barriers, Tigard, Oregon; Jeff Edmondson of Strive Together, Cincinnati, Ohio; Ryan Franklin of the Texas Education Agency, Austin; Marty Rowley, Texas State Board of Education member, Amarillo; and Chris Coxon, Communities Foundation of Texas, Dallas. ###