Statement from NewSchools Venture Fund on the President’s Proposed FY17 Education Budget
Stacey Childress, CEO of NewSchools Venture Fund, issued the following statement in response to the proposed FY17 U.S. education budget: The new budget proposal increases spending levels in many key areas that support innovation, equity in education and strong schools for students who have been traditionally underserved. While additional funds will surely not solve all […]
Dissatisfied Yet Optimistic: Moving Faster Toward New School Models (FINAL)
American young people deserve a better model of schooling. Creating it requires us to rethink the way we design and operate schools. Including updates from their draft version in May 2014, this paper by Stacey Childress, Aylon Samouha, Diane Tavenner, and Jeff Wetzler, lays out a vision for the future of school, a theory of change for getting there, and an invitation to collaborate.
News Release – NewSchools Venture Fund Announces NewSchools Ignite, Accelerating EdTech Development To Address Specific Gaps in K-12 Education
NewSchools Venture Fund, a nonprofit venture philanthropy firm, today announced the launch of NewSchools Ignite, a uniquely focused education technology accelerator that will support entrepreneurs tackling the most pressing gaps in K-12 education technology. NewSchools Ignite will catalyze product growth in specific areas deemed crucial to teachers and students and where innovation is noticeably lagging. NewSchools Ignite’s first initiative, the Science Learning Challenge, is now open to companies and nonprofits building technologies that support students’ development of science and engineering skills. NewSchools Ignite will distribute up to $1.5 million in grants to up to 15 challenge winners building digital tools that enhance science learning. Individual grants will range from $50,000-$150,000, depending on product stage.
Growing the Nation’s Best Charter Sector
In 2011, NewSchools Venture Fund launched its four-year, $12 million Boston Charter School Replication Fund. Led by Jim Peyser, the Boston Fund has helped double the size of the nation’s highest-performing charter sector: by 2020, the Boston charter sector will serve nearly 11,000 students and one in four middle schoolers. Meanwhile, we have focused on […]
Boston Charter School Replication Fund (2011-2015)
In July 2011, NewSchools launched a four-year, $12 million fund that focused on adding new, high-quality charter school seats in Boston. The Boston Fund took important steps toward ensuring that all children in Boston have the opportunity to attend a quality school. By helping establish high-performing school ventures and by developing a supportive ecosystem, the […]
Equity Reports: Transparent Data to Spark Change
Despite major changes in DC’s education reform landscape, the black-white achievement gap remains the largest in the country. According to the 2013 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the gap between white students’ proficiency levels and black students’ has widened since 2007 to 55 points, representing years of difference in academic achievement. A similar gap […]
Educate78 Launches in Oakland
I am excited to introduce Educate78, an Oakland-based not-for-profit spin off from NewSchools Venture Fund. We chose the name “Educate78” because the city of Oakland is 78 square miles, and our mission is to ensure that every student, in every neighborhood of Oakland, has access to world-class public schools. We will do this through informed […]
A New Way to Measure How Well We Are Supporting Students
When the teachers of the year from across the country were asked in a Scholastic/Council of Great City Schools poll released recently what the biggest barriers are to their students’ academic success, it was no surprise that family stress and poverty topped the list. Students who experience physical or emotional abuse, caregiver substance abuse or mental […]
News Release – National Alliance Inducts Three New Honorees into Charter School Hall of Fame
WASHINGTON, DC – The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools announced today it will induct three charter school advocates into its Hall of Fame at the 15th National Charter School Conference in New Orleans on June 22 – Senator Mary Landrieu, Dr. Deborah McGriff and Nelson Smith. The National Alliance’s Hall of Fame inductees are recognized […]
Celebrating STEM Standouts in Boston: The Akamai Scholars Program
Tuesday was a special day in Boston. NewSchools, in partnership with Akamai, held its annual Akamai Scholars Program to honor top 8th grade STEM scholars in high-quality charter school networks citywide. The 12 students represent six growing charter networks in Boston that have been supported by NewSchools: Brooke Charter Schools, Excel Academy Charter Schools, KIPP […]