Learn to Earn Dayton gets $3.6 million to further goals

Donerik Black, Learn to Earn's Manager of Place-Based Strategies, talks with students at a Dayton Public school about the student vision initiative. Courtesy of Learn to Earn

Donerik Black, Learn to Earn's Manager of Place-Based Strategies, talks with students at a Dayton Public school about the student vision initiative. Courtesy of Learn to Earn

Learn to Earn Dayton received a $3.6 million investment over four years from StriveTogether, a national organization with a similar mission to help kids succeed in school and life.

Learn to Earn said it will “be able to build additional partnerships to reach more young people” with the funds.

The investment will target early grade literacy, middle grade math competency and postsecondary enrollment across Montgomery County and the partnership with Preschool Promise on kindergarten readiness. The goal is to put at least 5,500 more young people in Montgomery County on a path to economic mobility by 2030.

More specific details of the plan will be released next year.

Learn to Earn Dayton is one of six community organizations across the nation to receive the four-year investment. Learn to Earn and StriveTogether have had a partnership since Learn to Earn’s inception, according to Learn to Earn CEO Stacy Schweikhart.

“This new investment will allow us to build momentum toward an investable plan that will provide an outline of the strategies and resources we need to put all Montgomery County students on the path to economic mobility,” Schweikhart said

Investors in StriveTogether include the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Gates Foundation. Partnerships include the Brookings Institution and the U.S. Department of Education.

Bridget Jancarz, vice president of network impact at StriveTogether, said Learn to Earn has a shared commitment to improving outcomes for kids in Montgomery County and a history of transforming systems here.

“By empowering local communities with data, policy and convening capacity, Learn to Earn Dayton is helping to create a sustainable impact to put more young people on a path to economic mobility,” Jancarz said.

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