National Literacy Trust’s Post

It’s that time of the year to meet with the stakeholders at the Elaine Education Foundation. We are a bridge to help children access and enjoy their right to education. During our stakeholders’ meeting, we meet the children in our scholarship program (62 of them now), their parents, representatives from their schools (over 30 schools), donors, community members, and our EEF team. The children also register for the next academic year and submit documents from their schools showing a breakdown of their fees. The children in our scholarship program were either out of school or on the verge of being out of school because of a lack of funds. We moved from having 52 children in our scholarship program for the 2022/2023 academic year to having 62 children for the 2023/2024 academic year. We plan to increase this number yearly as, according to UNESCO, about 250 million children are out of school now (read here: https://lnkd.in/gr_gubGq). The range of their fees was $22.50 - $226.71/year last academic year. With inflation, we anticipate an increase this year. I invite you to sponsor a child to attend school for the next academic year (https://lnkd.in/gSN3i2zh), repost to spread the word, and get involved by visiting our website (https://lnkd.in/gUFN5Ner). We can do this! 💃💃 It has been a joy to serve children, schools, parents, and communities in 5 cities and two countries through EEF. #Internationaldevelopment #nonprofit #Sdg4 #QualityEducation #Educationmatters #stakeholders #EEF #Impact

DC CHARITY SPOTLIGHT Teach For America D.C. Region Together with our community, they hope to ensure educational equity for all of our students so that they can work towards a brighter future for our region. Talent and potential are distributed equally across children, but opportunity is not. Today, 25 percent of D.C. children live in poverty—in a region that’s home to half of the top 10 wealthiest counties in the United States. With lifetime earnings closely linked to educational attainment, unequal access to an excellent education can give rise to entrenched poverty that lasts for generations. The path to an excellent education for every child starts with great teachers in classrooms and leaders working to create systemic change. Here at TFA D.C. Region, they work to develop leaders committed to ensuring all children reach their potential. Here, those disparities persist along lines of race and geography. Although they sit just a few miles apart, only 11 percent of schools in D.C.’s Ward 8, east of the Anacostia River, receive a 4- or 5-star rating on their school performance report cards compared to 100 percent of schools in affluent Ward 3. In Virginia, less than 40 percent of 4th graders test proficient in literacy, and black students score more than 10 percentage points behind their white peers on every standardized test. Today, more than 3,300 Teach for America alumni in our region help D.C. to be among the country's fastest-improving urban school districts. Join them—and us—as they reimagine what’s possible for our children. https://lnkd.in/grvm7b84 #dccharity #dcnonprofit #givedc #donatedc #volunteerdc #teachforamerica #teachforamericadc #education #teaching

Schott’s latest report, “Justice Is The Foundation,” unveils a stark trend: racial equity and racial justice grantmaking dropped significantly between 2018 and 2021, in the moment when the call for funding was greatest and most urgent. At Schott, we’re focused on what we and fellow grantmakers can do to turn the tide. Schott’s President and CEO, Dr. John H. Jackson, and Nicole Rodriguez Leach, Executive Director of Grantmakers for Education, have joined forces to address this issue and outline action items for funders in a new article for the Stanford Social Innovation Review. How Funders Can Take The Next Step: 💡Transform analysis. Use the dual lenses of racial equity and justice to critically examine grantmaking portfolios. 💡Transform grantmaking strategy. Increase the number of racial justice grants in your portfolio, and commit to longer-term grant cycles to better accommodate the true pace of systemic change. 💡Transform organizational practices. Hire staff with direct experience in racial equity and justice work and empower them to act. Convene informed community advisors as a pole of grassroots voice within the organization that you can rely on through changes in strategic plans, board and staff education, and self-evaluation. Want to see all the action steps? Check out the full Justice Is The Foundation report (link is in the comments below).

How well is education philanthropy funding racial justice? A new report from the Schott Foundation for Public Education shows that after the myriad funder press releases and pledges, both racial equity and racial justice grantmaking dropped significantly between 2018 and 2021. https://lnkd.in/etEZ3m9r John H. Jackson, president and CEO of the Schott Foundation, and Nicole Rodriguez Leach, executive director of Grantmakers for Education, break down the numbers and lay out how education funders can transform their practices to support racial equity: “Education funders know that in ways both large and small, the schoolhouse sits at the intersection of some of the most pressing issues of our day: housing, fair wages, access to mental and health care, environmental justice, voting rights, and more. The way we make grants today will have far-reaching effects across time and geography.” Read more about the data: https://lnkd.in/etEZ3m9r #racialequity #racialjustice #philanthropy #grantmaking #education

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Truly Valued emerged as a beacon of positive change, extending its benevolent reach to encompass 18 schools and community sites across Sarasota and Manatee Counties. In the transformative year of 2023, the spirit of sacrifice and appreciation permeated the air, marking a significant chapter in the community's collective journey. As of December 2023, I AM Academy conducted a survey across seven sites, with the target response rate of 80%. The findings are as follows: 54 out of 63 respondents (86%) identified two character-building, confidence-boosting, and self-esteem enhancing aspects they learned. 57 out of 63 respondents (90%) reported implementing positive changes in their lives, such as cultivating better friendships, enhancing their behavior, and focusing on improving their academic performance. 58 out of 63 respondents (92%) indicated an increased level of self-respect and situational awareness due to what they had learned. The remarkable achievements of Truly Valued in 2023 were made possible by the invaluable support and investment from individuals like you who believe in the potential of our youth and families. To discover more about Truly Valued's initiatives and to continue making a difference, we invite you to visit www.trulyvalued.org.

Shoutout Wieden Kennedy for using their resources/platform to speak truth into the world and bring awareness to such an important issue - censorship & an outright agenda to erase our history. It’s powerful to be on the frontlines of activist advertising. We need more reputable brands to engage in freedom fighting and civil leadership. To stand up for what is right. WK leading the way as always!! Epitome of a brand led by strong values and principles ✊🏼📈🔥#AdMagicClassOf2023 #AdMagicAlumni

In my role as an administrator, I worked on one of the most rewarding projects. I spearheaded the implementation of a summer reading program in an urban school district. The project began with research and outreach with the local community to understand their needs and concerns regarding literacy. We reviewed the data, visited sites in other cities, and collaborated with local leaders to gather input and build support for the initiative. After gaining community buy-in, we worked closely with the faith community and other partners to design a comprehensive summer literacy program tailored to the area's unique characteristics. This involved collaboration with the Children’s Defense Fund, establishing partnerships, and developing educational materials to raise awareness about the importance of literacy. Through strategic partnerships with local businesses and organizations, we were able to secure funding and resources to support the program's implementation. Over time, the program gained momentum, with increasing participation from students and families. We saw tangible improvements in attendance, discipline, and literacy skills. The success of the Childrens Defense Fund (CDF) Freedom Schools® program not only had a positive impact on the community but also fostered a sense of pride and empowerment among community members who played a role in its implementation. It served as a model for community engagement, inspiring similar initiatives in neighboring areas. Overall, the project was a testament to the power of collaboration, innovation, and grassroots mobilization in creating positive change at the local level. It reinforced my belief in the importance of proactive and inclusive approaches to addressing literacy. I know we left a legacy because the faith community continues to implement the CDF Freedom Schools® program today. What is your legacy? What project did you manage that made a positive impact in the community? #LiteracyMatters #CDFFreedomSchools #Education

Education for most children in the hard-to-reach areas has remained a challenge. They face numerous challenges, including a poor learning environment and, lack of trained teachers, and learning materials. We are looking for partners to help us reach children in the hard-to-reach areas. Do you have a project and would like to reach out to the most needy children, but you have constraints on how to do so? We are willing to go to the hardest-to-reach areas to serve the children so we can fulfill their human rights. There are several ways you can help us 1. Through resource mobilization 2. Through partnering with us in conducting community-based implementation. 3. Work with us in a consortium 4. Provide Capacity Development. 5. Connect us to potential funding opportunities. 6. Be a mentoring Organization