Approach

Transforming Systems

Preparing our students to be a vital part of the 21st  century workforce and to lead in a 21st century democracy requires bold change.

Group of people

What’s At Stake

Slow economic growth. Stagnant or declining populations. High crime. Increasing inequality. A strong public education system that prepares all children to thrive is essential to attracting and retaining jobs and families, and to decreasing inequality and expanding opportunity. Transformational change is needed and will take time, but we must begin now and move urgently. The vitality of our community and life prospects of tens of thousands of children depend on it.

Stewards of the Future

Effective public education systems are vital to a thriving workforce and democracy now more than ever. However, our schools and systems were not designed to prepare children for today’s demands or tomorrow’s world. We know system level change at this scale is only possible with additional support and resources. It requires a clear vision and plan, meaningful financial and human resources dedicated to this work over the long term, coordination locally across systems and silos, and connection to best practice nationally and globally. The role of The Opportunity Trust is to do just that: to build a research-backed plan for transformation of our public education systems and to support districts and schools to transform how they operate so that more children are prepared for the jobs of today and tomorrow.

We do this by:

  • Learning from research and fast-improving public education systems nationwide and listening to students, parents, teachers and leaders in our systems locally to develop and evolve a long-term plan for change.
  • Raising strategic philanthropy from local and national donors committed to a thriving St. Louis and to educational excellence and equity.
  • Investing in what is already working, in new projects essential to accelerating change, and in creating conditions for continuous improvement within and around schools.
  • Coordinating across schools and districts and their partners and connecting local educators to best-in-class resources nationally.
  • Supporting research, evaluation, transparency, and accountability to community.

44%

18%

5%

of all children enrolled in St. Louis County public schools can do math at grade level

of black children enrolled in St. Louis County public schools can do math at grade level

of black 8th graders in Saint Louis Public Schools are able to do math at grade level

Every year, The Opportunity Trust does a full analysis of available education data looking at trends over time with a particular focus on racial equity.

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Our Strategic Overview

Building a 21st Century Public School System

See Our Strategies for Creating World-Class Schools

Four Key Investment Areas

The Opportunity Trust invests in educators and school systems eager to build the capacity required to make significant and measurable change.

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