United States Program

Education Strategy

We focus on improving education so that all young people have the opportunity to reach their full potential. We are working to ensure that a high school education results in college-readiness and that a postsecondary education results in a degree or certificate with value in the workplace.


Effective Teaching Teachers matter most when it comes to student achievement. Read more about the role of effective teaching in preparing students for college success. Fact Sheets Intensive Partnerships for Effective Teaching Measures of Effective Teaching Research & Reports Identifying Effective Teachers Using Performance on the Job The Widget Effect: Our National Failure to Acknowledge and Act on Differences in Teacher Effectiveness Best Practices for Teacher Effectiveness Related Articles "Gates Foundation Focuses on Teacher Quality" (Associated Press) "Multi-City Study Eyes Best Gauges of Good Teaching" (Education Week) "Hillsborough School Board Accepts $100M Gates Grant" (Tampa Tribune) "Memphis City Schools to Sign Pact for $90 Million from Gates Foundation" (Memphis Commercial Appeal) "Gates Foundation Awards $40 Million to City Schools" (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)	Common Core State Standards Governors and state education commissioners are developing a common core of state standards in English-language arts and mathematics for grades K-12. These standards are research and evidence-based, internationally benchmarked, and aligned with college and work expectations. College and Career Readiness Standards for Reading, Writing, and Speaking and Listening (PDF, 3.14MB, 49 pages) Evidence for Individual Reading, Writing, and Speaking and Listening Standards (PDF, 1.25MB, 57 pages) Evidence for Mathematics Standards (PDF, 484KB, 10 pages) College and Career Readiness Standards for Mathematics (PDF, 892KB, 23 pages) Benchmarking for Success: Ensuring U.S. Students Receive a World-Class Education (PDF, 2.8MB, 52 pages) More information is available at the Common Core State Standards web site.	Postsecondary Success Strategy In an era when workers can be located anywhere on the globe, a college degree or training beyond high school is required for the best-paying jobs. Read more about how the foundation is trying to increase college graduation rates among low-income students. Background and Fact Sheets Financial Aid (PDF, 98KB, 4 pages) Technology (PDF, 46KB, 3 pages) Improving Postsecondary Success (PDF, 69KB, 6 pages) Postsecondary Success Fact Sheet (PDF, 776KB, 2 pages) Recent Reports Re-imagining Community Colleges in the 21st Century: A Student-Centered Approach to Higher Education (PDF, 622KB, 64 pages) Strong Students, Strong Workers: Models for Student Success through Workforce Development and Community College Partnerships (PDF, 2.38MB, 48 pages) Training Tomorrow's Workforce: Community College and Apprenticeship as Collaborative Routes to Rewarding Careers (PDF, 442KB, 48 pages) With Their Whole Lives Ahead of Them: Myths and Realities About Why So Many Students Fail to Finish College (PDF, 1.4 MB, 52 pages)

Strategy Overviews College-Readiness for High School Students Read more about how we plan to help a greater number of students graduate high school ready to complete college. Executive Summary (PDF, 699KB, 2 pages) Complete College-Ready Education Plan (PDF, 2.42MB, 8 pages) Postsecondary Education Success Plan Find out more about our work to increase the number of students with a college degree or certificate. Executive Summary (PDF, 248KB, 2 pages) Complete Postsecondary Education Success Plan (PDF, 3.7MB, 12 pages) Special Initiatives Opportunities for Reducing Inequity (PDF, 677KB, 52 pages)	Reports on What We're Learning This School Works for Me: Guides for America's Leaders, School Administrators, and Data Analysts Diplomas and Dropouts: Which Colleges Actually Graduate Their Students (and Which Don't) (PDF, 264KB, 80 pages) Reflections on the Foundation’s Education Investments 2000-2008 The College-Ready Education Plan: Basing Action on Evidence Formative Evaluation of the Student Achievement Initiative "Learning Year" (PDF, 257KB, 52 pages) College-Ready Students, Student-Ready Colleges (PDF, 3.36MB, 52 pages)	Speeches Read remarks from the foundation's leadership on our education strategy. Bill Gates A Forum on Education in America William Gates, Sr. A Forum on Education in America Hilary Pennington A Forum on Education in America State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO) Higher Education Policy Conference Vicki Phillips At the Council of Great City Schools "America's Competitiveness Through High School Reform"

Press Releases

Announcement on Intensive Partnerships for Effective Teaching

AFT Congratulates Recipients of Gates Foundation Grants

Hillsborough County Public Schools

Fact Sheet

Press Release

Memphis City Schools

Fact Sheet

Press Release

Pittsburgh Public Schools

Fact Sheet

Press Release

The College-Ready Promise, Los Angeles

Fact Sheet

Press Release

Commentary

An Effective Teacher in Every Classroom

Vicki Phillips, Nov 19, 2009

Nothing is as important to a student’s success in school as an effective teacher. That’s why I am so excited about today’s commitment of $335 million to support our vision of putting an effective teacher in every classroom in America.

Turn On, Tune In, But Don't Drop Out

Hilary Pennington, Oct 9, 2009

Success can no longer be defined as just getting a young person into a community college or university. It must now be measured by getting those students through college with a degree or credential.

More Is Not Better

Vicki Phillips, Sept 30, 2009

Common standards could become the foundation for higher achievement for all students—a beacon that leads us through the more threatening storm of unmet potential and unfulfilled dreams.

Getting People to College Is the First Step but the Pay-Off Comes with Completion

Hilary Pennington, June 30, 2009

We have not designed a system to serve the needs of today's college students. The reality is that our perception of the typical college coed only accounts for about 25 percent of all students today.