The Education Program’s mission is to increase student achievement in the Pittsburgh region by helping schools and community-based organizations improve instruction and learning. This requires accountable, consistent leadership; effective educators; engaging learning activities; a rigorous and relevant curriculum; high expectations for student success; and parent-community involvement.

To support such efforts, the Endowments’ education staff uses two related approaches. One involves working within mainstream public education to provide training that will help improve school leadership, quality of instruction in reading, math, science, the arts and educational opportunities for urban youth. Included in this is providing technology to increase students’ interest in learning and engaging parents and community organizations as partners in education. Moreover, this approach supports the notion that youth can become education reformers in their own right, framing their formal learning and personal interests to align more fully with community needs and priorities.

The other strategy, external to public education systems, creates opportunities for families, especially those with low incomes, to choose schools that work best for their children. This market-based approach is designed to expand school choice and introduce competition to public school systems as a way to improve quality. The expectation is that school choice will take hold in several area districts as they provide high-quality options for the families they serve.