STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION Presentation
October 9, 2012
SUBJECT: Partnerships with Philanthropic Organizations
PROPOSED BOARD ACTION
N/A
AUTHORITY FOR STATE BOARD ACTION
N/A
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
An overview of partnerships with philanthropic organizations in Florida will be presented for discussion. Presentations will be provided by David Biemesderfer, President and CEO of the Florida Philanthropic Network, and Mary Chance, President of the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations.
Supporting Documentation Included: Philanthropy & Public Education: Opportunities for Partnership presentation; Philanthropy & Public Education Partnering in the Sunshine State; and Consortium of Florida Education Foundations presentation
Facilitators/Presenters: Tanya Cooper, Director of State and Federal Initiatives; David Biemesderfer, President and CEO, Florida Philanthropic Network; and Mary Chance, President, Consortium of Florida Education Foundations
Philanthropy & Public Education: O t iti f P t hi Opportunities for Partnership
David Biemesderfer President & CEO Florida Philanthropic Networkp
Florida Board of Education October 9, 2012October 9, 2012
About Florida Philanthropic Network
o 86 Member Orgganizations
o Founded in 2001
o Committed to promoting philanthropy, fostering collaboration & advancing public policy
t
Education Funders Affinity Group
• Bank of America
• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
• Gulf Coast Community Foundation
• Helios Education Foundation
• The Chartrand Foundation
• Darden Restaurants, Inc. Foundation
• A.D. Henderson Foundation
• IBM
Jessie Ball duPont Fund • Dr. P. Phillips Foundation
• The Community Foundation in Jacksonville
• Jessie Ball duPont Fund
• John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
J h S h l hi F d i • Community Foundation for Palm
Beach and Martin Counties
• Community Foundation of
• Johnson Scholarship Foundation
• JPMorgan Chase
• Quantum Foundation • Community Foundation of Broward
• Community Foundation of Collier County
• Southwest Florida Community Foundation
• Wells Fargo • Conn Memorial Foundation
Wells Fargo
• Marie C. & Joseph C. Wilson Foundation
Florida Philanthropy in Perspective
FL State Budget - $69.1B
FL Individual Giving - $10 5B FL Individual Giving $10.5B
FL Foundation Giving - $1.4B
How Philanthropy Helps
� Expertise
� Connections
� Reputation & Convening Power
� Taking Risks
Connect With FPN
813.983.7399
www.ffpnettworkk.org
blog.fpnetwork.org
@flphilanthropy
facebook.com/flphilanthropy
1
Each year across Florida, scores of charitable grantmaking foundations research, evaluateand invest in innovative strategies to improve the quality of early childhood, primary andsecondary education.
Each year in Tallahassee, Florida's elected officials and policymakers wrestle with thechallenge of improving public education in the face of cultural shifts, political obstaclesand finite resources.
Yet these two groups — foundations and policymakers — are largely strangers to one another. Despite their common interests, philanthropy seldom reaches out to the bodypolitic, and most state-level policymakers know little about philanthropy's work in education, or about the ways philanthropy can be a resource for the public good.
P H I L A N T H R O P Y & P U B L I C E D U C A T I O N
Partnering in the Sunshine State
To begin to bridge this gap,Florida Philanthropic Network
has brought together a keygroup of philanthropic leaders
who are working in the field of public education.
Called the Education FundersAffinity Group, these
philanthropists are funding initiatives across the state
addressing a range of educational issues, from early childhood learning
to reducing dropouts andpreparing students for
post-secondary success.
These foundation leaders tackle the
challenges of improving education not
only with their checkbook, but with a
host of strategies intended to encourage
innovation, recognize and replicate best
practices, create strong collaborations to
support change and build networks with
resources inside and outside of Florida.
With this in mind, members of the
Education Funders Affinity Group are
eager to open up conversations with
Florida's elected and appointed leaders.
Their hope is that partnerships may
emerge that have the potential to
enhance the quality of public education
across the Sunshine State.
T H E C H A L L E N G E A N DT H E O P P O R T U N I T Y
In Florida, legislators and policymakers
confront the needs of 2.6 million school
children each year. The state’s leaders know
it is important for Florida to grow and
support a robust public education system.
High-quality public schools help attract
businesses. They grow a stronger workforce
for tomorrow, making the state more
competitive in an increasingly complex
global economy. And they nurture strong
citizens, who will be engaged in the civic
life of their communities and be more likely
to become self-supporting adults.
December 2010
Building Philanthropy to Build a Better Florida
P H I L AN T H R O P Y & P U B L I C E D U C A T I O N Partnering in the Sunshine State
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At the same time, an array of challenges make it difficult to
sustain that robust education system.
Financial resources are limited and the electorate appears
disinclined to accept higher taxes. Florida’s business model,
which relies on tourism and sales taxes for the bulk of its
revenue, results in highly volatile revenue streams.
The student population is increasingly diverse, presenting
the challenge of more non-English-speaking students, large
numbers of less prosperous students and students who have
not benefitted from strong early childhood education.
And Florida has a large and growing elderly population with
fewer personal ties to public education and less interest in the
financial and human investments required to sustain a strong
public school system.
Add to that the great diversity of Florida’s public school
systems — from large urban systems in Miami-Dade, Tampa
and Jacksonville, to small rural systems in places such as Gulf,
Dixie or Okeechobee counties. At both ends of the spectrum there
are unique challenges of culture, scale and resources.
In short, even those policymakers with the best of intentions
face a daunting path when it comes to creating and sustaining
a high-quality public education system in Florida.
But there is opportunity.
In Southwest Florida, in Northeast Florida and at other points
across the state, philanthropy is playing an integral role in
educational innovation at the local level. Foundations are leading
community initiatives, school superintendents are working with
philanthropic leaders and new partnerships are emerging that offer
great promise for students and for local schools.
Philanthropy can play a similar role at the state level — sharing
ideas, opening doors, building collaborations and providing resources.
F L O R I D A P H I L A N T H R O P I CN E T W O R K & T H E E D U C A T I O N
F U N D E R S A F F I N I T Y G R O U P
Florida Philanthropic Network is a statewide association ofgrantmakers working to build philanthropy to build a betterFlorida. FPN’s members are private independent, corporateand family foundations, community foundations, public charitygrantmakers and corporate giving programs — from Miami toJacksonville, Naples to Pensacola — who hold more than $6billion in assets (excluding members located outside Florida) andinvest more than $420 million annually to improve the qualityof life for our citizens. FPN's members share a commitment topromoting philanthropy, fostering collaboration andadvancing public policy by Floridians for Floridians.
Through the years, FPN members have expressed concern about the state of public education in Florida, notingthe state’s consistently low rankings on various measures andthe challenges of providing adequate public funding. In 2009,a group of FPN members created the informal EducationFunders Affinity Group, with the goal of building strongerpartnerships with government around education policy inFlorida.
FPN’s Education Funders Affinity Group Members include:
» AT&T
» Bank of America
» Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
» The Chartrand Foundation
» The Community Foundation in Jacksonville
» Community Foundation of Broward
» Conn Memorial Foundation
» Darden Restaurants Foundation
» The Dr. P. Phillips Foundation
» Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice
» Helios Education Foundation
» Jessie Ball duPont Fund
» John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
» Southwest Florida Community Foundation
» Wachovia, A Wells Fargo Company
F L O R I D A P H I L A N T H R O P I C N E T W O R K
1211 N. Westshore Blvd.Ste. 314
Tampa, Florida 33607813-983-7399
www.fpnetwork.org
Florida’s strong philanthropic community, in partnership with thoughtful state leaders,can leverage innovation in public educationfor the benefit of today’s students andtomorrow’s citizens.
P H I L AN T H R O P Y & P U B L I C E D U C A T I O N Partnering in the Sunshine State
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GRADUATION RATESFLORIDA RANKS IN BOTTOM 5
FLORIDA 63.6%MISSISSIPPI 63.5%GEORGIA 62.4%LOUISIANA 59.5%NEVADA 55.8%U.S. 73.2%
National Center for Education Statistics, Class of 2007
IMPROVING GRADUATION RATESFLORIDA RANKS IN TOP 5
TENNESSEE +13.2%NEW YORK +10.3%NEW HAMPSHIRE +9.8%ARIZONA +8.4%FLORIDA +7.8%U.S. +3.1%
Editorial Projects in EducationResearch Center, 1997-2007
B A D N E W S & G O O D N E W S
Florida’s education challenges are
well-documented. The state ranks
near the bottom in the percentage
of high school students who graduate
on time. Its students’ performance on
national standardized tests is weak.
And across the state, too many young
people are failing to complete high
school, leaving them poorly prepared
for work and career.
There are bright spots, however.
According to the Editorial Projects
in Education Research Center, Florida
ranks in the top 5 among states for
improvements to its graduation rate
between 1997 and 2007.
And while older students in Florida
still perform below the national
average on standardized tests,
elementary students perform above
the national average, according to the
National Center for Education
Statistics.
H I G H S C H O O L D R O P O U T S25 U.S. school districts produce one-fifth of all U.S. dropouts.
Seven of those districts are in Florida.
New York City 43,643 Orange County, FL 5,656
Los Angeles 42,174 Palm Beach County, FL 5,507
Clark County, NV 17,479 Prince George's County, MD 5,426
Chicago 16,731 Gwinnett County, GA 5,115
Miami-Dade County, FL 13,261 Dekalb County, GA 5,073
Philadelphia 9,324 San Bernardino City, CA 5,051
Houston 9,266 Baltimore 5,047
Broward County, FL 9,093 Duval County, FL 5,002
Detroit 8,754 San Diego 4,836
Dallas 8,054 Milwaukee 4,680
Charlotte-Mecklenburg, NC 6,386 Albuquerque 4,637
Hillsborough County, FL 5,773 Pinellas County, FL 4,280
Hawaii 5,731
Editorial Projects in Education Research Center, Class of 2007
F L O R I D A S T U D E N T S 'N A E P P E R F O R M A N C E
PERCENT PERFORMING AT OR ABOVE PROFICIENCY
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
GRADE 4 MATH GRADE 4 READING GRADE 8 MATH GRADE 8 READING
FL US
National Assessment of Educational Progress
40% 38%34% 32% 29% 33%
28% 29%
P H I L AN T H R O P Y & P U B L I C E D U C A T I O N Partnering in the Sunshine State
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H O W P H I L A N T H R O P YH E L P S
Philanthropy is not the “silver bullet”
for Florida’s education challenges. It can,
however, bring important assets to the table,
helping policymakers find points of
leverage that can significantly improve
public education.
Many people think of money as
philanthropy’s only asset. Yet sophisticated
charitable foundations bring much more
than money; they bring expertise, a wealth
of connections and their reputation as
neutral conveners and honest brokers. They
also can be more risk-tolerant than public
bodies, such as school boards and
administrators, and they can provide
important political neutrality.
E X P E R T I S E
The most effective charitable foundations
only award grants after considerable research
and study of the organization being funded
and the work the organization plans to
undertake. Through this research, foundations
develop a depth of knowledge that is difficult
for the layman to achieve. Foundations
look at best practices in the field, the
latest academic research and its current
applications, and how other communities,
states and nations are tackling similar
issues. Their independence and resources
enable them to take the time to thoroughly
study an issue, learn from failures as well as
successes, and develop perspectives
informed by experience rather than ideology.
C O N N E C T I O N S
Because foundations take such care
to research and understand the issues
that they fund, they make connections
with others who are doing — and funding
— similar work. Across the country, a
host of organizations have developed
expertise in issues from early childhood
learning to dropout prevention and
systemic education reform. Foundations
naturally connect with these groups
in the course of their research and
funding decisions.
When policymakers connect with
foundations, they open the door to a
broader set of networks and resources
that can help them address current
challenges.
R E P U T A T I O N & C O N V E N I N G P O W E R
Because of their independence, charitable
foundations often are seen as neutral parties
who can bring together those with differing
perspectives for constructive discussion and
consultation. This “convening” role is an
important asset that can help communities
and stakeholders break through obstacles
and move toward change.
This same independence, coupled
with subject matter expertise, positions
foundations to serve as thought leaders
in the community — advancing ideas
and concepts, or raising concerns and tough
questions, when similar actions by others
might be viewed with skepticism.
T A K I N G R I S K S
Charitable foundations frequently are
more risk-tolerant than public entities,
owing in part to their independence
and financial resources. Consequently,
they are in an ideal position to fund
innovation and test ideas.
Sometimes policymakers want to take
bold steps but the threat of backlash
from certain groups can be intimidating.
Philanthropy can help defuse some of that
backlash, by supporting unbiased research,
for example, or funding advocacy efforts.
C O N N E C T I N GC O M M U N I T I E S
W I T H R E S O U R C E S
The Jessie Ball duPont Fund in
Jacksonville learned of Nemours
BrightStart!, a program at
Jacksonville-based Nemours
children’s clinic that screens
pre-kindergarteners to detect early
signs of dyslexia, which is the leading
cause of reading failure in school.
BrightStart! provides special training
to those children at risk, who then
average a 128% gain in reading
readiness scores.
The Jessie Ball duPont Fund
introduced BrightStart! to educators in
Gulf County, Florida, a rural
Panhandle county, and is funding the
second year of screening and training
there.
P H I L AN T H R O P Y & P U B L I C E D U C A T I O N Partnering in the Sunshine State
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P H I L A N T H R O P Y ’ S
S T R E N G T H S
& L I M I T A T I O N S
Florida philanthropy is unquestionably
generous in its support of education.
According to the Foundation Center and
Florida Philanthropic Network, Florida’s
foundations invest $257 million a year
in education, supporting initiatives
from elementary through graduate and
professional education. Three out of
every five Florida foundations make
some investment in education, with 18% of
Florida foundation dollars going to
education, making education the second-
highest priority for Florida foundation
investment (behind human services).
Nonetheless, philanthropy’s investment
in education pales beside the cost of
education in Florida. The state’s budget for
K-12 education alone exceeds $18
billion. It has been said that philanthropy
could barely cover the budget for light
bulbs in Florida public schools.
So any partnership between the
government and philanthropy must
be strategic, taking advantage of
philanthropy’s unique ability to
leverage resources and create change.
E D U C A T I O NP H I L A N T H R O P Y
I N T H ES U N S H I N E
S T A T E
61%of Florida’s 4,100
charitable foundations
fund education.
$257millionis invested in education by
Florida’s foundations each year.
That support is divided among:
» ELEMENTARY & SECONDARY EDUCATION which receives 15%
» HIGHER EDUCATIONwhich receives 33%
» GRADUATE &PROFESSSIONALEDUCATIONwhich receives 20%
S H O U L D E R I N G T H E R I S K O N N E W I N I T I A T I V E S
In Hillsborough County, the Eckerd Family Foundation, which works with at-risk youth,
funded a high school guidance counselor to support all high school youth in foster care
in Hillsborough County.
Hundreds of foster care youth participated in educational planning with the
counselor, and graduation rates for the group increased so much that the school system
chose to continue funding the position.
Eckerd Family Foundation took the risk and tested the idea; the school system and
students benefitted.
Philanthropy is at its best
when it invests with great
precision, finding the sweet
spot, testing it, pushing it,
proving it. Then, the larger
community forces can
determine whether, and how,
to expand and grow what
philanthropy has planted.
P H I L AN T H R O P Y & P U B L I C E D U C A T I O N Partnering in the Sunshine State
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As members of FPN’s Education Funders
Affinity Group, we seek to be pivotal
partners with public policymakers
around issues affecting public education.
Ours is not a “special interest” group
in the traditional sense, but a neutral voice
that is informed by our own research and
study and by the experiences of the
organizations that we fund —
organizations that are working on the
ground throughout Florida to improve
educational opportunities for the young
people of our state. (To learn more about
what individual foundations are doing,
see Profiles in Education Philanthropy,
beginning on page 7).
As experienced funders, the members
of the Education Funders Group recognize:
– Though we come to the table with
a finite amount of financial resources,
those resources, when used strategically,
can be powerful levers of change.
– In addition to financial resources, we
bring to the table a wealth of knowledge,
expertise and experience.
– While we are closely connected to the
communities in which we work, it is
only through partnerships at the state
level that we can fully participate in
efforts to improve public education
in Florida.
This report is intended to provide an
introduction and build the foundation
for what we hope will be productive
collaborations between state policymakers
and education funders going forward.
We encourage you, as policymakers,
to join us in conversations, to call on
us for information and to use us as
sounding boards and community resources
as you wrestle with the challenges of
public education in the state.
Specifically, we encourage you to:
C onnec t w i th F lor idaPhi lanthr op ic Ne t work
FPN’s members represent a healthy
mix of private foundations, community
foundations, family foundations and
corporate grantmakers located across the
State of Florida. Each plays a significant
role in its respective community, and
for many of them, education funding
is a priority issue. FPN staff can help
you find the right connection to meet your
needs. For more information
on FPN, visit www.fpnetwork.org
or contact FPN at 813-983-7399.
To learn more about FPN's Education
Funders Affinity Group, contact Maggie
Osborn, Vice President of FPN, at
813-983-7397 or [email protected].
Lear n About the Work
Of F lor ida Foundat ions
Members of the Education Funders
Affinity Group are engaged in work
covering a range of issues relevant
to public education. These foundations can
provide a wealth of knowledge and
information on issues of concern to
you and your constituents. In addition,
each of these funders has strong
relationships with community-based
organizations that are doing work with
public school systems and students,
all of which have the potential to
inform your decision-making. You can
learn more about the education-related
work of Florida foundations on the
following pages.
Building a Partnership
P H I L AN T H R O P Y & P U B L I C E D U C A T I O N Partnering in the Sunshine State
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Profiles in Education PhilanthropyTo fully understand the potential that lies in partnership between philanthropy and public education systems, one need only study work now in progress in several Florida communities.
From Northeast Florida to Southwest Florida and elsewhere across the state, philanthropy is not only supporting, but providing community leadership in initiatives to strengthen public education.
P H I L AN T H R O P Y & P U B L I C E D U C A T I O N Partnering in the Sunshine State
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T H E C H A R T R A N D F O U N D A T I O N
C O M M U N I T Y :
Duval County (Jacksonville)
F O C U S :
Early learning and continuous
improvement of public education
S T R A T E G I E S :
Building community infrastructure,
encouraging innovation
H I G H L I G H T S :
Key supporter of new community resources
The Chartrand Foundation, a family
foundation based in Jacksonville,
focuses virtually all of its philanthropy
on education, either early childhood
learning or public education innovation
and change.
Founded by marketing executive
Gary Chartrand and his wife, Nancy,
the Foundation is operated by son Jeff
and daughter Meredith Chartrand Frisch.
All four members of the family have been
teachers at some point in their careers,
stimulating their collective interest in
educational opportunities for children,
particularly at-risk children.
The Chartrand Foundation approaches
education philanthropy at both the micro
and macro levels.
Through its Inspire.Create.Achieve
initiative, the Foundation invested
comparatively small grant dollars in
Duval County Public School classrooms
to provide resources that would enhance the
arts, sciences or civics. Jeff Chartrand said
his years in the classroom taught
him that rigor and accountability in public
schools are noble causes, but learning
must also be fun, compelling and tied in
to students’ everyday lives. Lessons from
this initiative led to The Foundation’s
current work in advocacy and policy
change.
At the same time, the Foundation has
supported larger efforts to build education
infrastructure and bring new resources to
Duval County.
The Foundation was a key supporter
of the successful effort to attract Teach
For America to Duval County. And Gary
Chartrand played a leadership role in
reinventing the local public education
fund, now called the Jacksonville Public
Education Fund.
The Foundation also has been a key
supporter of KIPP Jacksonville, the first
KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program)
school to open in Florida. KIPP is a network
of charter schools that emphasizes more
time on task and academic rigor for
low-income students.
The Chartrands see no conflict between
supporting charter schools and supporting
public education. Charter schools stimulate
innovation and create “living laboratories”
where alternative education approaches
can be demonstrated. This creates a
richer diversity of educational options
for students in the community and creates
the potential for learning in both the
charter and public school communities.
Going forward, the Foundation anticipates
an increasing focus on investments in
early childhood education and continuing
support of initiatives that address public
education policy.
P H I L AN T H R O P Y & P U B L I C E D U C A T I O N Partnering in the Sunshine State
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T H E C O M M U N I T Y F O U N D A T I O N
I N J A C K S O N V I L L E
C O M M U N I T Y :
Duval County (Jacksonville)
F O C U S :
Comprehensive public
education reform
S T R A T E G I E S :
Building community awareness,
building community infrastructure,
piloting programs targeting specific
issues (reducing dropout rates,
increasing graduation rates)
H I G H L I G H T S :
New community resources;
groundbreaking research;
partnership with school system;
pilot programs in place
The Community Foundation in Jacksonville
launched its Quality Education for All
initiative in 2005, with a 10-year
commitment and a goal of improving
the academic performance of public school
students in Duval County. It immediately
set about building community awareness
of the challenges confronting public
education by hosting the Forum on
Quality Education, an 18-month shared
learning session for more than 30
community leaders. The Duval County
School Superintendent, school board
chair and teachers union president all
participated, as did representatives from
government, business, the nonprofit
sector and philanthropy.
When the lack of community infrastructure
became apparent, the Foundation was
instrumental in attracting Teach For
America to Jacksonville, helping to raise
$5 million in 90 days. It also engaged
the Public Education Network to help
reconstitute the local education fund,
transforming it into an organization
with the expertise and capacity to drive
innovation in the community and the
school system.
The Foundation’s work attracted the
attention of the Pew Partnership for Civic
Change, which selected Jacksonville as one
of two national sites in which to launch
Learning To Finish, an initiative to increase
the number of students graduating from
high school on time. Under this banner,
the Foundation spearheaded a ground-
breaking longitudinal study of Duval
County students’ progress through middle
and high school that identified the scope of
the community’s dropout crisis, the
critical points where students were lost
and the warning signs that indicated
students were at risk of failure.
Armed with these data and expertise
from national organizations, the Foundation
worked with other community-based
organizations to build the Learning To
Finish Collaborative. In partnership with the
school system, the collaborative has two
pilot programs in place to identify
students at risk of failure as early as the 6th
grade, and to provide a coordinated system
of supports to help at-risk students stay on
track and graduate on time. Duval County
will seek to expand the Learning
To Finish work through its share of the
state’s Race To The Top funding.
In August 2010, Jacksonville was
ranked No. 5 in the nation by the Fordham
Institute in its study of “America’s Best
Cities for School Reform.” And the
Foundation was asked to present its work
on a panel before U.S. Secretary of
Education Arne Duncan.
P H I L AN T H R O P Y & P U B L I C E D U C A T I O N Partnering in the Sunshine State
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C O N N M E M O R I A LF O U N D A T I O N
C O M M U N I T Y :
Hillsborough County
F O C U S :
Early childhood education,
out-of-school time programs
S T R A T E G I E S :
Organizational capacity building,
community collaboration,
teacher education and scholarships
H I G H L I G H T S :
Collaborative engagement with
seven pre-schools serving
low-income, working families
For the Conn Memorial Foundation,
investing in education is part of its core work,
a reflection of its mission to lift
children and families out of poverty and
its belief that education and enrichment are the
proven ways to stop cycles of despair.
In its home county of Hillsborough,
Conn invests both in early childhood
education and in out-of-school time
enrichment programs. In both arenas,
however, Conn’s efforts go beyond merely
supporting specific programs or institutions.
Conn works with a network of seven
Hillsborough County pre-schools, each
serving a community of low-income,
working families. Conn provides funding
for a coach who helps staff with individual
and professional development. In addition,
Conn provides general operating support to
each school and dollars to support student
scholarships, which are awarded based
on a sliding scale.
In two of the seven schools, Conn funds
a staff family support staff person who
works with families to develop a family
plan and helps adults manage the sometimes
overwhelming demands of work, parenting
and everyday life.
Conn has leveraged its investment by
partnering with the Helios Education
Foundation, which has invested $600,000
to support literacy acquisition in each
of the seven pre-schools. This work
involves peer-to-peer training for staff,
focused on ways to integrate literacy and
language-acquisition curriculum into the early
childhood education environment.
Conn also invests substantial resources
in out-of-school time enrichment programs.
Though often overlooked in conversations
about education funding, programs that
work with students after or before the school
day are, in Conn’s view, a critical part of the
child’s education, whether they are focused
on tutoring or enrichment activities.
Conn helped the local YMCA establish a
Community Learning Center at Hillsborough’s
Sulphur Springs Elementary School. The
Community Learning Center is intended
to serve as a hub for programs that engage not
only students, but also their families and
school faculty.
Since the program began, Sulphur Springs
Elementary has improved from a grade of
“F” to “B,” school attendance has improved
dramatically, more than 170 students are
enrolled in the after-school program,
and more than 250 parents typically
attend evening and weekend activities
at the school.
P H I L AN T H R O P Y & P U B L I C E D U C A T I O N Partnering in the Sunshine State
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B I L L & M E L I N D AG A T E S F O U N D A T I O N
C O M M U N I T Y :
Hillsborough County
F O C U S :
Empowering effective teachers
S T R A T E G I E S :
Building partnerships with the schools
and union; building knowledge of
approaches to teacher evaluation;
selecting best practices; measuring
and assessing results
H I G H L I G H T S :
Using national experts to build
community understanding; connections with
experienced organizations;
thoughtful implementation over time
One of the goals of the Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation is to ensure consistent
access to effective teachers for all students,
particularly those most in need. In late
2009, after an intensive application process,
the Foundation chose to partner with
Hillsborough County Public Schools to
design and implement an improved teacher
performance management system that
would improve student performance.
Research shows that teachers impact
student learning more than any other
school-based factor, but most school
districts lack the systems, policies and
political will to act on this evidence,
according to Ky Vu, Gates’ lead program
officer for the Hillsborough work. As a
result, the burden of ineffective teaching
falls disproportionately on the shoulders
of high-needs students who rarely have
consistent access to highly effective teachers.
The work in Hillsborough seeks to
change that. In a multi-year, carefully
thought-out plan supported by Gates,
Hillsborough school leaders will work with
national experts to devise a new system
of teacher evaluation.
The new system fundamentally alters their
approach to recruiting, supporting, evaluating,
retaining, promoting, distributing and
rewarding effective teachers.
When implemented, the components of a
teacher’s evaluation will be the principal’s
written evaluation (30%); mentor and
peer evaluators’ written evaluations (30%);
and gains in student achievement (40%).
Hillsborough officials are training teachers
to be peer evaluators, and working with
the University of Wisconsin to develop
the methodology for determining student
achievement.
Similarly, principals will be evaluated
differently, based on school-wide academic
achievement and peer reviews, among
other factors. Vanderbilt University is
assisting with that work.
Hillsborough School Superintendent
MaryEllen Elia called the work with Gates
“a partnership,” a sentiment echoed by
Gates’ Vu.
“We’ve worked very hard to not just
give away the money and then step away
and hope things get done,” Vu said.
“We really embrace the role of ‘thought
partner’ and ‘critical friend’ to the district.”
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to
help all people lead healthy, productive lives.
In developing countries, it focuses on
improving people’s health and fighting
hunger and poverty. In the United States, it
seeks to ensure that all people have access to
the opportunities they need to succeed in
school and life.
P H I L AN T H R O P Y & P U B L I C E D U C A T I O N Partnering in the Sunshine State
12
G U L F C O A S T C O M M U N I T Y
F O U N D A T I O N O F V E N I C E
C O M M U N I T Y :
Sarasota County, Southwest Florida
F O C U S :
STEM (Science, Technology,
Engineering & Math) Education
S T R A T E G I E S :
Improving teacher preparation and
creating student learning opportunities
H I G H L I G H T S :
A partnership with eight schools in
Charlotte and Sarasota counties
The Gulf Coast Community Foundation
of Venice looks for opportunities to invest
in initiatives that have the potential to create
long-term, strategic change. Improving
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering
& Math) education is seen as an entry point
where philanthropy can impact not only
students and schools, but the economic
vitality of the community.
Students in the United States rank low
in science and math proficiency, compared
with their peers across the globe. And
students in Florida perform no better.
“STEM” initiatives involve more than
teaching science, technology, engineering
and math. At their best, STEM initiatives
use a true interdisciplinary approach,
seeing engineering as the application of
science and math to design systems and
processes to solve problems, and using
technology to give students a platform
to apply what they have learned.
In 2010, the Gulf Coast Community
Foundation committed $2.5 million to
a five-year STEM initiative involving
partnerships with eight public schools
in Sarasota and Charlotte counties.
The initiative has two primary goals:
– Accelerate teachers’ readiness to
meet the Next Generation math and
science standards.
– Enhance opportunities for students that
increase achievement and promote
readiness for STEM-related postsecondary
programs and careers.
For teachers, it will provide a jump-start
for learning the most recent state standards
and developing new lesson plans by funding
their participation in summer institutes.
School districts will develop plans for
ongoing teacher training and coaching.
For students, enhancement programs
will focus on average students, which
make up the largest number of students,
creating opportunity for maximum impact.
Beyond the classroom, the Foundation
will work to build understanding of the
importance of STEM education among
parents, businesses and community partners.
Ultimately, the impact of a strong STEM
initiative extends well beyond the local
school classroom. Students with strong
secondary STEM education perform better
in a post-secondary school environment and
enrich the workforce, which has the
potential to enhance the economic vitality of
a region.
“This isn’t just an education issue;
it’s an economic development and a
quality-of-life issue,” said Foundation
President Teri Hansen. “And it’s one
that we will address as a community.”
About Florida Philanthropic Network
Florida Philanthropic Network is a statewide association of grantmakers working to strengthen philanthropy through research, education and public policy.
FPN’s members are community, private, corporate and family foundations and corporate giving programs—from Miami to Jacksonville; Naples to Pensacola—who hold over $6.5 billion in assets and invest over $430 million annually to improve the quality of life for our citizens. Our members share a commitment to promoting philanthropy, fostering collaboration and advancing public policy by Florida, in Florida.
Our Mission for Florida 1. Foster cooperation and collaboration
among business, government and nonprofit organizations.
2. Advance sound public policy that includes nonprofit sector perspectives.
3. Promote and develop philanthropy in Florida.
Our Vision for Florida The vision of Florida Philanthropic Network is for Florida to be successful in modeling and facilitating cooperation and collaboration among all sectors—business, government and nonprofit—to promote the best interest of all Floridians.
What We Do
Florida Philanthropic Network connects Florida grantmakers to one another through educational programs, networking, regional convenings, online opportunities and more. We provide news, information and resources to the philanthropy community in Florida, advocate on behalf of philanthropy locally and nationally, and commission objective research on the nonprofit and philanthropy sector to disseminate across all sectors.
Why We Do It
Complex problems demand dynamic solutions. Florida Philanthropic Network believes that systemic change will occur through collaboration, cooperation, education, research and sound public policy. If we combine forces, we will build a unified voice for the nonprofit sector in Florida that will advance this theory of change to improve the quality of life for all Floridians.
1211 N. Westshore Blvd., Suite 314 Tampa, FL 33607 813-983-7399 p 813-527-9502 f [email protected] www.fpnetwork.org @flphilanthropy facebook.com/flphilanthropy
FPN Members Are Located Across
Florida—from Miami to Jacksonville; Naples to
Pensacola—and Share a Goal to Build
Philanthropy to Build a Better Florida
Our Members
The Able Trust, Tallahassee Allegany Franciscan Ministries, Inc., Palm Harbor, Miami, West Palm Beach
Assurant, Miami
Bank of America, Tampa & Florida Statewide
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida Foundation, Jacksonville
Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation, Winter Park
Cape Coral Community Foundation, Cape Coral
Casey Family Programs, Seattle, WA
Charlotte Community Foundation, Punta Gorda
The Chartrand Foundation, Jacksonville
Children’s Services Council of Broward County, Lauderhill
Community Foundation for Brevard, Melbourne
The Community Foundation for Ocala Marion County, Ocala
Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, West Palm Beach
The Community Foundation in Jacksonville, Jacksonville
Community Foundation of Broward, Ft. Lauderdale
Community Foundation of Central Florida, Orlando
Community Foundation of Collier County, Naples
Community Foundation of East Central Florida, DeLand
Community Foundation of the Florida Keys, Key West
The Community Foundation of Greater Winter Haven, Winter Haven
Community Foundation of North Central Florida, Gainesville
Community Foundation of North Florida, Tallahassee
Community Foundation of Northwest Florida, Pensacola
The Community Foundation of Sarasota County, Sarasota
Community Foundation of South Lake County, Clermont
Community Foundation of Tampa Bay, Tampa
Conn Memorial Foundation, Tampa
Wallace H. Coulter Foundation, Miami
CSX Corporation, Jacksonville
Darden Restaurants, Inc. Foundation, Orlando
The Frank E. Duckwall Foundation, Tampa
Jessie Ball duPont Fund, Jacksonville
Eckerd Family Foundation, Tampa
The Florida Bar Foundation, Orlando
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, WA
Lucy Gooding Charitable Foundation Trust, Jacksonville
Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Venice Merrill G. & Emita E. Hastings Foundation, Boynton Beach
Health Foundation of South Florida, Miami Helios Education Foundation, Tampa
A.D. Henderson Foundation, Ft. Lauderdale
IBM, Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Tampa, Orlando, Boca Raton, Miami
Indian River Community Foundation, Vero Beach
Jacksonville Jaguars Foundation, Jacksonville
JM Family Enterprises, Inc., Deerfield Beach
Johnson Scholarship Foundation, West Palm Beach
JPMorgan Chase, Florida Statewide
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Miami
Fanny Landwirth Foundation, Ponte Vedra Beach
Lightning Foundation, Tampa
A.L. Mailman Family Foundation, White Plains, NY, Ft. Lauderdale
Manatee Community Foundation, Bradenton
Martin County Community Foundation, Stuart
The Joy McCann Foundation, Tampa
The Miami Foundation, Miami
The Jim Moran Foundation, Deerfield Beach
Morris Family Foundation, Coconut Grove
The Mosaic Company, Lithia
The Curtis & Edith Munson Foundation, Washington, DC
Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation, North Palm Beach
Northern Trust, Atlanta, GA, Florida Statewide
Oakstone Foundation, Orlando
Palm Healthcare Foundation, West Palm Beach
Patriot National Insurance Group, Ft. Lauderdale
The Patterson Foundation, Sarasota
Peacock Foundation, Inc., Miami
The Dr. P. Phillips Foundation, Orlando
Pinellas Community Foundation, Clearwater
John E. and Aliese Price Foundation, Fort Myers
Publix Super Markets Charities, Lakeland
Quantum Foundation, West Palm Beach
Rayonier Foundation, Jacksonville
Paul E. and Klare N. Reinhold Foundation, Jacksonville
The William J. and Tina Rosenberg Foundation, Coral Gables
SHAPE, Students Changing the World, Aventura
Emily Balz Smith Foundation, Jacksonville
Southwest Florida Community Foundation, Fort Myers
Sweetbay Supermarket, Tampa
Triad Foundation, Inc., Ithaca, NY, Tampa
United Way of Miami-Dade, Miami
Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista
Wells Fargo, Jacksonville & Florida Statewide
Marie C. & Joseph C. Wilson Foundation, Rochester, NY, Ponte Vedra Beach
Winter Park Health Foundation, Winter Park
Women’s Fund of Miami-Dade, Coral Gables
State Board of Education State Board of Education Presentation
October 9, 2012
Who Are We?CFEF Represents 58 Local Education F d ti li d Foundations aligned with Florida’s county‐wide school districts
Total 2010‐11 Revenues:$47 Million
Total 2010‐11 Assets:$110.8 Million
Total Endowments:$25 Million
Wh ’ B d?Who’s on Board?
1, 100 Board Members
76% from Private Sector
Ex Officio School District Representatives
Why Are They Involved?• To Have a Direct, Local Impact through Private‐Sector Interest, Involvement & Investment
• For Personal Connection to Students Teachers Schools • For Personal Connection to Students, Teachers, Schools ‐‐Providing the ‘3 Rs’ (Rigor, Relevance & Relationships)
• To Know What is Happening in their Schoolsh l h f d f• They Believe in the Power of Education to Transform Lives
Wh t A Th F di ?What Are They Funding?
• Classroom & School Grants• Scholarships• Teacher/Staff Development & p
Recognition• Literacy Programs• Community Engagement/Advocacyy g g / y• STEM and Career/Technical
Education Initiatives• Mentoring, Tutoring & College/Careere to g, uto g & Co ege/Ca ee
Readiness• Teacher Resource Stores/Student
SuppliesSupplies• Student Recognition/ Events• Visual and Performing Arts
Where Does That Funding Come From?Come From?
Source Percentage
C t %Corporate 25%
Government 23%
Individual 20%
Foundations 15%
Other & In‐Kind 14%
Investments 3%Investments 3%
How We Are Leveraging How We Are Leveraging the $1 for $1 State Match?
School District Education Foundation Matching Grant
P Program Eligible Programmatic Areas:
• Increasing Graduation Rates• Support for Low Performing pp g
Students• STEM Education• Career/Technical Education• Literacy• Literacy• Teaching Quality
For 2011‐12:
52 Districts80 Projects Funded
S i C d it f Serving as Conduit for Private‐Sector Partnerships p
Where Can We Support FLDOE Top Priorities?
Thousands of refurbished computers to low i f ili d h
Digital Instruction/Technology Modernization
income families and teachers.
School grants for identified gaps in technology such as Smartboards “clickers” for classroomssuch as Smartboards, clickers for classrooms.
Business involvement in digital instruction for students in career academies & hands‐on students in career academies & hands on learning opportunities.
Teacher training on effective use of technology g gyin classroom.
Where Can We Support FLDOE Top Priorities?
• Ensure foundation leaders are informed about h i i & h
Common Core & PARCC Assessments
the transition & what to expect.
• Targeted teacher support – staff development & specific resources in implementation specific resources in implementation.
• Fund pilot projects & share results – What is replicable and scalable? replicable and scalable?
• Encourage member foundations to ask – How does this project support Common Core? p j pp
• Facilitate communication & understanding on key issues at the community level.
H C W E G How Can We Encourage Greater Dialogue & Progress?
• Making “Global/Local” Connections• Hosting “Education Works” Forums
g g
• Hosting Education Works Forums• Providing Input through ‘Voice’ Surveys