Photo Courtesy of Bottom Line
Until we get equality in education, we won't have an equal society.
- Sonia Sotomayor,
Supreme Court Justice
Funding Guidelines
Education
Photo Courtesy of Bottom Line
The Education portfolio elevates the strongest New York City district and public charter schools, school networks, and community-based organizations to help create an education system where all children have access to excellent schools and services that support the academic and personal development required for success in college, career, and life.
Portfolio Goals
Within the Education portfolio, Tiger Foundation prioritizes funding for:
- Public schools and school networks, both district and charter, that prepare students for success in high school, in college, and in the workforce; that are actively growing to serve additional students; and/or are serving a distinct group of students who are underserved throughout the rest of the educational system.
- School-support models that add to the capacity of the public education system and its schools to help all students achieve success.
- Organizations that increase students’ access to and persistence through post-secondary pathways, including college and career, providing innovative and comprehensive supports to ensure student success.
- Programs and interventions that focus on early reading and literacy, with an emphasis on grade-level reading by 3rd grade, and a focus on high-impact tutoring and high-quality instructional materials and approaches.
Emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic, we have developed an additional focus on supporting teachers through the development of innovative approaches to classroom instruction and on increased access to mental health and social-emotional supports for students.
Measurable Outcomes
For schools and school networks:
- Strong academic performance as measured by relevant formal and informal assessments, including, but not limited to, NYS English Language Arts and Math exams and NYS Regents exams.
- School-wide performance as demonstrated by measures such as attendance rates, graduation rates, effective curriculum and high-quality instructional materials, well-utilized management systems focused on performance improvement, family engagement, student and staff/teacher retention, and demonstrated commitment to working with community partners.
For postsecondary success:
- Rates of students applying to college or other structured postsecondary opportunities, completing financial aid forms and securing aid, enrolling in college or other structured postsecondary programs, persisting year-to-year, and graduating.
- Organization-wide performance metrics such as stability of staff and leadership, commitment to continuous improvement, and deep, on-going partnerships with schools.
For early reading and literacy:
- Demonstrated adherence to high-quality instructional and operational practices to field effective programs in complex environments; evidence of improving instructional practices across NYC schools; student growth in areas including phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.