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School systems play a key role in strengthening literacy instruction.
Strengthening K-8 literacy across an urban school system requires a student-focused vision and a coherent, systemwide plan to implement it.
A comprehensive literacy vision aims to ensure students enter high school as proficient, confident readers and writers. It prioritizes proven methods to improve teaching, assesses student progress and supports multilingual students. Built in partnership with educators, families and communities, this vision brings together all stakeholders who care about ensuring students thrive.
We support efforts to help school systems build the vision and forge essential partnerships to significantly improve K-8 literacy results, particularly for Black and Latino students and multilingual learners.
What We Do
Improving literacy across a school system is an all-hands-on-deck effort.
We invest in select school systems and charter school networks dedicated to strengthening high-quality literacy instruction as well as the organizations that convene and support them. Because school system leaders are critical to setting the conditions for this work to succeed, we also invest in efforts that bring these leaders together to learn and collaborate.
Through our investments, we seek to understand and spread effective strategies that help school systems create and implement a coherent vision for advancing effective literacy instruction.
Our Approach
We aim to strengthen how urban school systems approach K-8 literacy instruction that is based on research about how young people learn to read, write and express themselves.
Investing in school systems
We invest in select school systems serving large numbers of Black and Latino students from low-income communities, including multilingual learners, to support them in improving student literacy. These school systems use high-quality instructional materials and provide teachers with comprehensive professional learning.
Supporting school system leaders
We support convenings and communities of practice so school system leaders can share insights, research, and strategies that promote effective teaching and increase student engagement.
Partnering with communities
We invest in organizations that amplify the perspectives of students’ families and communities and engage these groups in strengthening literacy initiatives.
Our Grantees
We invest in organizations and initiatives that work across school systems to improve literacy instruction and outcomes for students.
View more grantees in our Education Grantmaking portfolio
Creating Academically Excellent Schools
As a national network of tuition-free public schools, the KIPP Foundation equips students with the skills and confidence to pursue their chosen paths.
Advancing A Districtwide Literacy System
As an urban school district, Richmond Public Schools (RPS) works with its school community to help all students become strong readers and writers.
Cultivating a Collaborative Education Ecosystem
Through a coalition of partners across Texas, the Commit Partnership works to improve educational outcomes in Dallas County so that more young people can earn a living wage.