Empowering students with learning differences: What we’ve learned in our first year of investing
By Erin Stark, Senior Associate Partner, Learning Differences, EDge As a sibling of a person with severe disabilities and special educator for 20 years, I know firsthand the power in fully seeing our youth and providing them with their fundamental right to a real education. Yes, this is about believing in our young people, but […]
Results from 2022 – What We Measured and Why it Mattered
By Frances Messano, Chief Executive Officer From the beginning, NewSchools has pioneered new ways of funding innovation in public education. Today, I’m as convinced as ever that venture philanthropy still has a powerful role to play in advancing education and that we must lead with equity, collaboration, and courage as our guiding principles. The urgency […]
Why We’re Leading with Optimism, Imagination, and Ambition in 2023
By Frances Messano, Chief Executive Officer It’s an exciting and challenging time to step into the CEO role at NewSchools. For the past eight years, I’ve been an executive leader in the organization and I’ve had the opportunity to design and implement new ways of funding and supporting education entrepreneurs. In 2023, we are celebrating […]
NewSchools Venture Fund Welcomes New Chief Executive Officer
Contact: Wendy-Ann Dixon-DuBois NewSchools Venture Fund wdixon-dubois@newschools.org NewSchools Venture Fund Welcomes New Chief Executive Officer (Oakland, CA, January 11, 2023) – NewSchools Venture Fund introduced Frances Messano as its new Chief Executive Officer today. In 2022, Messano was appointed as successor to outgoing CEO, Stacey Childress, who stepped down after an accomplished eight year tenure. […]
Rewriting the Rules: How to Make Teaching More Diverse, Rewarding, and Sustainable
By Mia Howard, Senior Partner, Innovative Schools Finding and keeping diverse and talented teachers is a growing challenge in many parts of the country. Years of disrupted schooling, political and cultural battles, and school shootings have taken a toll on educators. A study by the National Center for Education Statistics in March found that 44% […]
How Philanthropy Can Help Schools Deliver on the Promise of a Historic Investment
By Erin Harless, Senior Manager, Research and Learning, and Nour Abdelmonem, Senior Analyst, Learning Solutions The public education sector sits at a crossroads. On one hand, school districts have access to unprecedented resources — $190 billion through the Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund — to help students and educators recover from the pandemic. At the […]
NewSchools Launches a New Live, Interactive Series Lifting Up What Works In Education
This month Bright Spots, a new live, interactive series hosted by NewSchools debuted on LinkedIn. We’re excited to connect with more education innovators and stakeholders in real-time and lift up what’s working during this time of rebuilding and reinvention in education. This series features our NewSchools colleagues in conversation with the innovators we fund and […]
NewSchools Venture Fund and Walton Family Foundation announce 15 new grantees working to recruit, retain, and support teachers of color
OAKLAND, CA, March 24, 2022 — NewSchools Venture Fund today announced a new cohort of organizations receiving investments totaling $2.5 million to diversify the PreK-12 teaching profession. This is the second year that NewSchools made investments in organizations seeking to advance educator diversity, with financial support from Alice L. Walton and the Walton Family Foundation. […]
Council of Parents, Students, and Innovators Selects Grantees to Receive $1.5 Million Investment for Racial Equity
NewSchools’ Racial Equity Council has selected a group of innovators to receive $1.5 million in funding. These innovators are disrupting racial inequities and advancing the wellbeing and achievement of students in Black, Latino, and Indigenous communities. Whether it’s ensuring students have access to mental health services or culturally relevant curricula, the selected organizations — all […]
Announcing New Chief Executive Officer in January 2023
Contact Information: Wendy-Ann Dixon-DuBois Director of Communications wdixon-dubois@newschools.org For Immediate Release NewSchools Board of Directors Announces that Frances Messano will succeed Stacey Childress as the next Chief Executive Officer in January 2023 Oakland, Calif.—March 8, 2022—NewSchools Venture Fund today announced that Stacey Childress will step down as Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2023 and […]