Communities that possess thriving education systems often offer a high quality of life for their residents: less poverty, better health status, and better jobs.

Too many of our school systems and community institutions are severely under-resourced and are not adequately preparing students to meet the demands of the 21st Century. 

In the Mid South, we have a shortage of highly-qualified teachers and strong education systems leading to below national average scores on statewide reading and mathematics tests.

We believe that academic success opens the door to opportunity and can lead to a more fulfilling and successful life.  We also believe that all students—regardless of income or geography—should have access to high-quality education. 

The Focus of Our Education Work

The goal in our education work is to help students in the Mid South achieve academic success.   

We support efforts that strengthen education systems, by building the capacity of teachers and administrators to better serve student needs and advance learning.

We also focus on enrichment opportunities that provide effective and innovative ways to help students learn.

Our efforts to ensure student academic success are guided by two strategies:

Stronger Education Systems

We support intensive coaching for teachers to enhance their instructional skills in order to increase student achievement.   

We also provide training to administrators to strengthen education systems for the long term—sustaining high-quality instruction and increasing the rigor of the curriculum.

Student Enrichment

We support effective and innovative ways to help students learn and succeed academically.  Students access these learning methods and opportunities in the classroom, but also in after-school programs and various community institutions.

In Foundation for the Mid South partner schools, scores on statewide tests have increased—some by as much as 10% in reading and math.

Together, our efforts to support stronger education systems and opportunities to enrich student learning are helping students succeed academically.  Below are some examples of the results that have occurred in the region through our education work.  

• Strengthened education systems serving 11,000 children—most of whom participated in a free or reduced lunch program in some of the lowest-resource schools in the nation.
   
• Provided intensive training to over 600 teachers and 300 administrators in 40 public schools in the Mid South Delta.
   
• Supported new, innovative learning opportunities for over 6,000 students through summer and after school programs, as well as cultural centers and museums.