The Walton Family Foundation supports the parents, educators, leaders and innovators who are building better futures for their students and communities – so every child can reach their full potential.
Build UP in Birmingham, Alabama is an early college workforce development program that gives kids the opportunity to earn their high school diploma, an associate's degree and complete a paid apprenticeship to learn high-skilled, high-wage trades.
Jessica Tunney founded TLC Public Charter School to address a shortage of inclusive education options in Orange County. The school's mission is to demonstrate that not only is inclusion possible, but it is preferable for students with disabilities, students who do not have disabilities and students with diverse life experiences of all kinds.
Dr. Richard Glass created Boy’s Lab for boys of color on the South Side of Chicago, so they could have their values and identities affirmed in an academically rigorous environment. He believes “if you are invested in the lives of the students you serve, they'll achieve at higher levels.”
Meet some of the innovators who are changing education. These schools serve as powerful examples of what can be achieved for students when experience, vision and drive come together.
Washington Leadership Academy is distinguishing itself as a hub for computer science and as one of the few institutions in the country to offer virtual reality studies.
Maya Martin, founder and executive director of Parents Amplifying Voices in Education (PAVE), explains how parents, when united for a common cause, can make their voices heard to improve education in their communities.
We found that millennial parents are open to a wide range of methods to hold schools accountable for making sure students are learning properly. We were interested in who millennial parents believe should be held accountable when a school is not living up to that responsibility. We asked our focus groups, “What should happen if a school is consistently failing?”