River Region United Way works to end America’s education crisis

Education is the cornerstone of individual and community success. But with more than 1.2 million children dropping out each year, America faces an education crisis. The cost? More than $312 billion in lost wages, taxes and productivity over their lifetimes.¹ These trends are reversible, but only when communities and public, private and nonprofit sectors work together.

Our Goal

In 2008, United Way Worldwide launched a 10-year initiative to cut the number of high school dropouts in half by 2018. It’s an ambitious goal, but by utilizing our core strengths — a national network, committed partners and public engagement capacity — we can achieve it.

Our Strategy

We can’t focus on high school alone. High school dropouts are 12 years in the making, usually starting early childhood education behind schedule. United Way's model focuses on supportive communities, effective schools and strong families — strategies and approaches rooted in research. Tackling the education challenge requires reframing education on a birth to 21 continuum.

How You Can Help

To reach our goal, we need your help. The strategies proven to work are those that connect communities to their schools: parent involvement; literacy volunteers in the classroom; mentors for disadvantaged students; business leaders engaged in early childhood advocacy.

Research shows preschool-age years are critical for cognitive and social development, laying a foundation for success in college, work and life.  To effectively reduce the high school dropout rate, we must begin by improving access to quality and affordable child care and early childhood education.

Funding for child care, Head Start, and Early Head Start is at immediate risk for deep budget cuts.  With your help, we can show a broad base of national, state, and local support for investments in early childhood.

 
CONTACT CONGRESS TODAY IN SUPPORT OF EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS

Jamalia's Story about Education

 ¹Figure according to Communities in Schools, one of America’s leading drop-out prevention partnerships.