United Way Works to End America's Education Crisis
Education is the cornerstone of individual and community success. But with more than 1.2 million children dropping out each year, America faces an education crisis. The cost? More than $312 billion in lost wages, taxes and productivity over their lifetimes. These trends are reversible, but only when communities and public, private and nonprofit sectors work together. *
Our Goal
In 2008, United Way Worldwide launched a 10-year initiative to cut the number of high school dropouts in half by 2018. It’s an ambitious goal, but by utilizing our core strengths — a national network, committed partners and public engagement capacity — we can achieve it.
Our Strategy
We can’t focus on high school alone. High school dropouts are 12 years in the making, usually starting early childhood education behind schedule. United Way's model focuses on supportive communities, effective schools and strong families — strategies and approaches rooted in research. Tackling the education challenge requires reframing education on a birth to 21 continuum.
Education Initiative Programs
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Born Learning: Educating Parents
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Dolly Parton Imagination Library: Supporting Early Literacy
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Student Board: Students Address Local Issues
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Stuff the Bus: Supporting Local Classrooms
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Success by 6: Building Strong Foundations
How You Can Help
To reach our goal, we need your help. The strategies proven to work are those that connect communities to their schools: parent involvement; literacy volunteers in the classroom; mentors for disadvantaged students; and business leaders engaged in early childhood advocacy. Volunteer to help.
*Figure according to Communities in Schools, one of America’s leading drop-out prevention partnerships.
Please watch this inspiring TED TALK video as John Hunter puts all the problems of the world on a 4'x5' plywood board -- and lets his 4th-graders solve them. At TED2011, he explains how his World Peace Game engages schoolkids, and why the complex lessons it teaches -- spontaneous, and always surprising -- go further than classroom lectures can. An interesting look on education and life and the way we learn.
