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Our Vision
Every student—regardless of race, ZIP code, socioeconomic status or home language—deserves an education that prepares them for academic, career and life success.
Literacy is foundational to this success. Strong reading and writing skills open doors to lifelong learning, achievement and understanding of the world. That's why we invest in expanding access to a quality K-8 literacy education, particularly for Black and Latino students from low-income communities, including multilingual learners.
Teachers are at the heart of our mission. We support organizations that aim to build and develop a skilled, diverse educator workforce with the resources, training and support they deserve to provide excellent literacy instruction.
Together with our partners, we strive to make strong literacy instruction a cornerstone of every student’s education and a building block to a life of social and economic opportunity.
Our Focus on Literacy
Effective literacy instruction is based on evidence of how students learn. It fosters strong reading, writing, speaking and listening by:
- Emphasizing foundational reading skills and building knowledge, vocabulary and comprehension.
- Ensuring access to grade-level texts and tasks that help students understand and communicate ideas.
- Offering an engaging and affirming classroom experience that values all students’ strengths and multilingual learners’ home languages.
the opportunity
Effective K-8 literacy instruction changes students’ lives. When students enter high school as proficient, confident and eager readers and writers, they are more likely to progress in school, advance economically, and help their families and communities thrive.
Despite some improvement in reading achievement over the past decades, fewer than half of U.S. students read at grade level.
There is growing recognition that effective literacy instruction must engage students in meaningful and affirming work appropriate for their grade level. However, such instruction is not yet the norm, particularly for Black and Latino students from low-income communities and multilingual learners.
The good news is that efforts are underway to significantly expand student access to quality literacy instruction. We see that:
- When teachers build their knowledge and skills and have access to quality instructional materials, they can better support and inspire their students to become strong readers and writers.
- When schools recruit and retain a diverse educator workforce that reflects the students, families and communities they serve, it positively affects learning outcomes, particularly for students of color.
- When school systems establish a vision of excellent literacy instruction, the whole community can work toward that vision.
- When policymakers, educators, families and school communities demand effective education policies backed by research, students and educators benefit and achieve more.
By investing in organizations, school systems and states dedicated to expanding access to effective literacy instruction, we aim to help every student receive the high-quality education they deserve.
Our Focus Areas
We fund four core areas that aim to ensure Black and Latino students from low-income communities, including multilingual learners, have access to a grade-level, engaging, affirming and meaningful K-8 literacy education.
High-Quality Teaching
We invest in efforts to help educators provide effective literacy instruction supported by high-quality instructional materials and professional learning.
School System Partnerships
We invest in select school systems working to significantly improve K-8 literacy instruction for Black and Latino students.
Black and Latino Educators
We support efforts to recruit and retain Black and Latino educators to improve education outcomes for students of color.
Sharing Lessons Learned
We support organizations that advocate for effective education policies and contribute research to inform policymakers, educators and the public on approaches to strengthening literacy instruction.
Our Grantees
We are proud to support organizations and initiatives shaping an equitable and inclusive education system. Meet some of our grantees.
View more grantees in our Education Grantmaking portfolio
Empowering Educators to Increase Equity
UnboundEd partners with teachers, principals and system leaders to catalyze and sustain progress toward grade-level, engaging, affirming and meaningful (GLEAM) instruction.
Educating and Developing Leaders of Color
Amid a shortage of diversity in education leadership, Surge Institute trains and supports leaders of color to positively transform the lives of students, families and communities.
Improving Learning Outcomes for English Learners
By improving the supply of high-quality instructional materials, English Learners Success Forum (ELSF) works to address the linguistic and cultural needs of English Learners.
Advancing Equity-Driven Teacher Leadership
Teach Plus elevates the voices of teachers in education policymaking to inspire change from the classroom to the statehouse.
Fostering a Pipeline of Latino Educators
To help secure educational equity for Latino students, Latinos for Education develops, places and connects Latino leaders in the education sector.
Strengthening Literacy Education in Richmond
Richmond Public Schools (RPS) sets a vision and creates a plan with families and educators so all students can become strong readers and writers.
