Our Blog
With the expiration of ESSER funds, out-of-school programs—key beneficiaries of federal stimulus dollars—may be at risk of disinvestment in schools nationwide. Emma Banay points to the irreplaceable role high-quality out-of-school-time programs play in children's holistic development, calling for school, district, and state leaders to prioritize these programs as more than a nice-to-have.
Play is a critical component of healthy cognitive and social-emotional development. However, young children’s opportunities for play are declining. Carly Roberts and Katelyn Fletcher outline the benefits of incorporating a research-based Playful Learning approach into the school day.
Teachers and students are increasingly experimenting with generative AI tools, both in and out of the classroom. But, rapid changes in technology and the speed of adoption are far outpacing the field’s understanding of impacts on teaching and learning. Meghan McCormick examines what we know about the impact of genAI on education, calling for rigorous, evidence-based evaluation of what’s being used in schools.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Anu Malipatil, Vice President, Education, shares her lessons learned with the philanthropic sector, inspired by a decade of experience leading Overdeck Family Foundation.