Our Blog

Perspectives: Latest Debate on Pre-K Ignores the Impact of High-Quality Curricula and Aligned PD

Decades of research have demonstrated the positive impact of Pre-K, yet critics argue that much of this evidence is old and that the impacts of modern-day programs are smaller and unlikely to be sustained—ignoring the research we do have on what works to strengthen Pre-K quality. Meghan McCormick dives into the current body of evidence, urging states and districts to follow the research when investing in early childhood education.

Our Predictions for 2024

Last year, our leadership team sat down to reflect on what we’ve seen across the education and philanthropic landscape, in addition to what we’re learning from our peer funders and grantee partners. Here, we assess the accuracy of our predictions for last year, and build on that analysis with our predictions for 2024.

Perspectives: Education Success Starts With Family Involvement. Why Aren’t Donors Funding It?

Families’ involvement in their children’s learning is a vital component in academic achievement, but for a number of reasons, can often be a challenge for parents and caregivers. Stephanie Sharp and Ambika Kapur urge education funders to prioritize investing in evidence-based supports to help schools and families overcome barriers to engagement, improving outcomes for children.

Reflecting on the Foundation's 2023 CEP Results

The Foundation’s 2023 Center for Effective Philanthropy Grantee Perception Report showed improvements in key areas including thought leadership in the field, impact on grantees, and grant reporting processes, as well as some critical opportunities for growth. Here, we highlight notable takeaways and share how grantee feedback will inform 2024 plans.

Perspectives: The Potential of High-Impact Tutoring

It's clear that the status quo classroom instruction is failing to meet the needs of students. Pete Lavorini points to the continued potential of high-impact tutoring to support both students’ academic achievement and social-emotional needs at this critical time in education.

Beyond the Numbers: Stories of Impact from Our Grantees

Each day, our grantee partners touch the lives of countless educators, students, and families across the country. Here, we’re thrilled to share four stories that illustrate how our grantee partners create meaningful change in the communities they serve.

10 Lessons From 10 Years

Anu Malipatil, Vice President, Education, shares her lessons learned with the philanthropic sector, inspired by a decade of experience leading Overdeck Family Foundation.

Students work on computers with teacher support

When It Comes To Purchasing EdTech Solutions, Evidence-Based Decision-Making Is More Important Than Ever

In today’s K-12 education market, there is strong demand for technology-fueled solutions to close achievement gaps, but little to no guidance for educators on making decisions based on evidence of impact. Melanie Dukes and Lina Eroh outline the critical role philanthropy can play in strengthening evidence-based decision-making for edtech solutions, ultimately leading to better student outcomes.

Perspectives: Schools Must Know If Their Learning-Loss Programs Work — Before ESSER Funds End

Since the pandemic began, the federal government has provided nearly $190 billion in education funding to states and districts. As these rapid-relief dollars are set to expire, Anu Malipatil suggests that now is the time for schools and districts to assess whether the dollars have made a difference, and use that insight to inform what funding should be spent on going forward.

Perspectives: Building Nonprofit Capacity, Hand in Hand

As nonprofits turn to funders for support beyond grantmaking dollars, foundations can play a strategic, hands-on role in helping them become more cost-effective, sustainable, and scalable. Anu Malipatil and Lucy Brainard describe how capacity building and trust-based philanthropy can work in concert to build grantees’ organizational capacities and lead to long-term success.

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