The Communities Foundation of Texas (CFT) has made a substantial commitment to education by allocating over $10 million to various initiatives aimed at enhancing educational outcomes and supporting students across Texas. This investment underscores the foundation’s belief in education as a cornerstone for building thriving communities.
The funds will be distributed among several organizations and programs, each addressing critical aspects of the educational landscape. The recipients include Communities in Schools of the Dallas RegionFor Oak CliffThe Dallas FoundationTexas 2036CFT’s Educate Texas and United to Learn.
Addressing Chronic Absenteeism
One of the primary focuses of this investment is tackling the issue of chronic absenteeism defined as missing at least 10% of school days in a year. This problem has been on the rise, particularly in areas like South Dallas, South Oak Cliff, and Wilmer-Hutchins. To combat this, CFT has committed $2 million to a new Chronic Absenteeism Initiative.
The initiative will be spearheaded by For Oak Cliff through its “Go to School” campaign which employs strategies such as teacher home visits, parent workshops, and community celebrations to encourage regular school attendance. Additionally, For Oak Cliff received a $1 million grant to support this effort. Taylor Toynes, the founder of For Oak Cliff, emphasized the importance of the campaign in ensuring that students attend school regularly.
Byron Sanders, a Dallas ISD District 5 trustee, highlighted the role of financial hardships in contributing to attendance challenges. He noted that economic difficulties continue to impact many families, making it crucial to address these issues to improve student attendance.
Integrating Artificial Intelligence in Education
As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly prevalent in education, CFT is investing in initiatives to support its responsible use in classrooms. The AI + Education Collaborative part of Educate Texas, received a $3.7 million investment to help educators effectively adopt and implement AI tools.
Jason Green, senior director of AI Strategy and System Alignment at Educate Texas, pointed out that traditional lecture-based learning is not always the most effective method. He explained that AI can help address the learning crisis by promoting multimodal, creative, and hands-on learning experiences.
Supporting Career Pathways
CFT also invested $1.3 million in the Opportunity Youth Collaborative an initiative that connects underemployed and undereducated young adults with educational opportunities and career pathways. Kerri Briggs, executive director of Educate Texas, emphasized the importance of helping young adults access meaningful careers and earn a living wage.
Additional funding includes a $600,000 grant to Communities in Schools of the Dallas Region to address nonacademic barriers to student success. The Dallas Foundation’s Bright Futures Alliance received $500,000 to support early childhood development initiatives in Southern Dallas. Texas 2036 was awarded $500,000 for its Building a Stronger Future for Texas initiative, while United to Learn received $250,000 to support its Team Thrive model and Aspiring Teachers program focused on K-3 literacy intervention.
In addition to the grants, CFT awarded more than $2 million in scholarships to 415 local students to help cover tuition and other educational expenses. Robert Kent, chief philanthropy officer at CFT, stated that the foundation’s goal is to help students stay on track from early learning through college and career.
