We know that potential is equally distributed across lines of race and class, but opportunity is not. Today in America, children growing up in low-income communities lack access to a broad spectrum of resources and opportunities and attend schools that are not equipped to meet their extra needs. This disproportionately impacts children of color who are two times more likely to be born into poverty, who bear an additional burden of low expectations, and who now constitute nearly half of all children in American public schools. Our public education system, which has remained largely unchanged for 100 years, is not designed to give students agency to overcome the barriers they face to lead and shape the dynamic, global world into which they will graduate. 

To continue expanding educational outcomes for Hartford’s students and providing a consistent source of top teaching talent and leadership for the city, the Gawlicki Family Foundation has generously supported Teach For America with a $25,000 grant. This charitable contribution enables Teach For America to build a diverse, powerful, and talented network of leaders to drive meaningful change at every level, beginning with classroom results in Hartford. In collaboration with students, families, and supporters, we are continuing to improve the immediate and longstanding academic and economic outcomes of Connecticut’s students.