Education

United We Learn

Overview

Educational Opportunity means equitable access to high quality early learning, reduced barriers to grade-level reading, and supporting college and career readiness, while incorporating family engagement that connects to Financial Security and Community Resiliency.

Why is Early Learning So Critical?

Children that have access to a high-quality early learning experience are significantly more likely to enter kindergarten ready.  A student that is kindergarten ready is more likely to be reading on grade level by third grade and students that are reading on grade level have a greater likelihood of on time graduation.  Ensuring that our youth not only have academic supports but also college and career guidance is essential for building a strong workforce and community. Knowing how important each stage of child development is, United Way Suncoast (UWS) supports youth from birth through young adulthood through our community investments, collaborative conversations, and referrals and supports.

Click on a County below to access our interactive map to learn more about our investments and programs.

Some data that supports our approach:

90% of brain development happens in the first five years of life
When a young child enters kindergarten ready for school, there is an 82% chance that child will master basic skills by age 11, compared with a 32% chance for children who are not school-ready.
 A child that does not read on grade-level by the end of 3rd grade is four times more likely to drop out of school.
Students who drop out of high school today become the struggling workers of tomorrow, those who move from low-paying job to low-paying job, are constantly struggling to support their families.
Increasing the national high school graduation rate to 90% would create over 65,000 new jobs, boosting the economy by as much as $10.9 billion.

We invest in and implement programs within the attendance zones of selected Title I Elementary schools, focusing on households classified as Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed (ALICE). Our efforts are centered on preparing children to enter kindergarten ready to learn, providing necessary support for school-age children, and reducing barriers faced by families.

We form partnerships and implement intentional strategies to address achievement gaps in students before they enter kindergarten. By tackling the factors that hinder children’s success and investing in both proven and innovative strategies, we can close these critical gaps early, preventing them from affecting children throughout their academic journey.

We adopted a results-first approach, setting clear targets and designing plans to achieve them. Our efforts are guided by these principles:

People: We address inequities and their impacts on individuals.

Place: We focus on the attendance zones of schools in need.

Policy: We engage in public policy advocacy, partnering with governments and sectors.

Practice: We collaborate with partners to assess changes, address gaps, and remove barriers.

UWS has committed $8,453,000 to support 43 programs focused on Education across our five-county region from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2025. Click here to learn more about our investments.

To learn more about our educational opportunity efforts please reach out to Nicole Brown at nbrown@uwsuncoast.org  