Creating Pathways to Educational and Economic Opportunity

The Urban and Higher Education Program’s goals are centered on creating pathways to educational and economic opportunity by generating systemic change across a K-16 continuum, with particular emphasis on secondary and higher education. We work to enable many more students, including historically underserved populations, to achieve academic success. Our grantees help all students perform with the high levels of creative, scientific, and technical knowledge and skill needed to compete in a global economy and exercise leadership. 

Grant-making in this program concentrates on three main areas. By supporting a push for common core standards and next generation assessments, we counter low expectations for schools and students. By investing in innovation in human capital preparation and management, we address development of talent. Lastly, through new designs for innovation in classrooms, schools, colleges and systems in K-16, we look to strengthen student engagement, motivation, effort, and persistence. In addition, the program integrates these three areas through efforts to improve policy, and thus create stronger conditions and platforms for accountability, innovation, and systemic reform.

These following key levers of change are central to the Corporation’s Urban and Higher Education Program:   

Standards and Assessments 

Innovation in Teaching and Human Capital Management 

New Designs: Innovation in Classroom, School, College and System Design 

Improving Policy: Creating Better Conditions and Platforms for Accountability, Innovation, and Systemic Reform