GRANTS: CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP

In Philadelphia, where 82 percent of public school students are economically disadvantaged, too many students leave school without the skills and core competencies necessary for continued education and gainful employment. The achievement gap is starkly apparent in public elementary and middle schools, where more than 80 percent of 4th and 8th graders were performing below grade level in 2011. As the most important instrument of social mobility and economic opportunity, our schools must do a better job of preparing low-income students for later success.

The Foundation seeks to increase the number of children from low-income families performing on par with national academic success norms. Our commitment to closing the achievement gap spans early childhood through secondary education, with a primary focus on expanding models with demonstrated excellence in student achievement.

Follow the links below to view program guidelines for each strategy:

• Increase the number of low-income children in high-quality early care and education.
• Invest in the development of a workforce that provides high-quality care.

• Increase the number of low-income students who receive a high-quality education.
• Increase the number of talented and skilled teachers, principals, and other school leaders.

In each of these grant categories, we are also interested in opportunities to support initiatives that are transformational to an organization’s future or projects that advance innovations in education.