Blog

September 14, 2020

Funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation furthers the work of CFT's Educate Texas

As we consider the complex issues and decisions that public and higher education leaders are facing to ensure a strong and safe school year, we have appreciated our long-standing collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to improve outcomes for Texas students, especially Black, Latino, and low-income students.

Since their initial commitment in 2004 to support our statewide public-private partnership, the Gates Foundation has been one of over 60 philanthropic entities that has committed to helping CFT’s Educate Texas identify innovative strategies and resources to benefit Texas students. Initial investments in Early College High School (ECHS) and Texas Science Technology Engineering and Math (T-STEM) campuses from the Gates Foundation have proved to be widely effective and both models have been adapted and are now funded by the state, with support from Educate Texas.

COVID-19 has created both uncertainty and opportunity in how our educators teach and our students learn. Through our deep dialogue with state and local partners, Educate Texas and the Gates Foundation have identified strategies that may enable teachers and students to succeed despite the challenges presented by the pandemic.

Examples of this collaborative relationship include:

• Supporting teachers and campuses with continuous improvement tools to improve 8th grade math outcomes
• Identifying digital content, professional development for teachers, and learning systems that enable districts to more effectively provide virtual and blended learning
• Committing to our work through RGV FOCUS in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV), one of the most at-risk regions of the state, to ensure alignment across education, community, and employee stakeholders.

As highlighted in a recent visit from members of the Gates Foundation leadership team to the RGV, the spirit of “contigo,” which means “with you,” captures the side-by-side collaboration between CFT, Educate Texas, and dedicated partners like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Read the Fall IMPACT magazine here