We believe all students deserve to graduate high school prepared for college, career, and life. Since 2000, the foundation has focused on ensuring greater opportunity for Americans through public education, investing nearly 4 billion dollars to improve high schools and provide college scholarships to over 16,000 students. This report shows that while our education investments show promising gains, significant work remains.
The report also details that:
- Our investments in 2,602 new and redesigned schools reached at least 781,000 students in 45 states and the District of Columbia. By funding the development and improvement of many quality schools across the country, we have expanded the options available to thousands of students who would not otherwise have had them.
- Results from evaluations of foundation-funded schools show that new, small schools can improve school climate, grade progression, and student attendance. Improved graduation rates do not always mean greater student achievement or college readiness.
- Working with research and advocacy partners, we have succeeded in raising awareness of the dropout problem and encouraged states to increase high school standards.
- Moving forward, we know that the current rate of progress in our schools is unacceptable. We believe that significantly improving student outcomes requires a focus on teaching and learning inside the classroom.
- In the coming years, we will build upon our past work while investing in promising new areas supported by rigorous evidence.
All Students Ready for College, Career and Life:
Reflections on the Foundation’s Education Investments 2000-2008 (10 pages, 518 KB, PDF)
Prepared By: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Date Published: September 2008
Related Reports and Documents:
Diplomas Count 2008. Editorial Projects in Education (2008).
Public High School Graduation and College-Readiness Rates: 1991–2002. Green and Winters (2005).
Evaluation of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s High School Grants Initiative. SRI International (2006).
Closing the Expectations Gap. Achieve, Inc. (2008).
The Silent Epidemic: Perspectives on High School Dropouts. Civic Enterprises (2006).
Identifying Effective Teachers Using Performance on the Job. Gordon, Kane, and Staiger (2006).