Education Initiatives

Public Policy

Focus:  Particularly at the state level, we aim to create a seamless P-16 (preschool through college) system, improve teacher quality, and raise standards and accountability.

What we’re doing:  Joining with other foundations to advocate for critical policy changes at the state level.

Ohio Grantmakers Forum, an association of Ohio philanthropic foundations, combined a $75,000 grant from the Cleveland Foundation with money from other groups to produce an independent, comprehensive review of the state of Ohio education.  Among its findings: More than two-thirds of new jobs require some post-secondary education or training, but only 25 percent of Ohio residents have four-year degrees. Read the report.

The next phase of the project will focus on engaging government officials, grantmakers, and the community on educational reform in Ohio. The foundation recently granted an additional $90,000 toward this effort.

Innovation

Focus: The Cleveland Foundation supports development of new schools, 21^st-century curricula, and a performance-based culture and administrative structure in schools.

What we’re doing: Creating centers of excellence based on best practices, locally and nationally.

The foundation allocated $300,000 to assist with the planning and design of six new “Opportunity Schools” within the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Those schools include four single-gender K-8 academies; the Ginn Academy for high school boys; and a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) school.

Increase Public Awareness

Focus: Challenge students, parents, teachers, administrators, city leaders, and politicians to rethink the way in which we educate our children and prepare our work force.

What we’re doing: Forging partnerships with other foundations, public institutions, and private firms.

The Cleveland Foundation approved a $4 million grant for the Fund for Our Economic Future, a regional collaboration of more than 85 entities including community foundations, corporate giving programs, and individual donors. Work force preparation and educational excellence are among key issues in the  Fund’s Advance Northeast Ohio initiative .