The Opportunity Trust

Our Instructional Leadership Fellows traveled to Kansas City last week to visit and learn from Ewing Marion Kauffman School - an exceptional school that has leveraged powerful leadership practices, student and teacher accountability, and innovative school design to drive remarkable student achievement. Thank you to London Koehn and the Kauffman team for hosting and letting us take a peek behind the curtain at what makes your schools an exemplar of excellence for Missouri schools. Check out some pictures from our visit, and let us know which excellent schools our fellows should visit next! #ExcellentSchoolVisit #CharterSchools #ExcellenceInEducation #LearnTogether #KansasCity Ayanna Banks, MBA, MEd Allyson Anthony Jordyn Elston, MSC Rebecca Maldonado Solomon R.A. Knight, MPA, Ed.D. Tesha Weathersby Samantha March John Carlos Armstead, Sr

In the face of rising challenges in our education system, our Innovative Schools Fellowship offers a platform where you can be a part of the solution. Our flagship 2-year fellowship empowers entrepreneurs and education leaders alike to collaborate with communities to design and build schools that combine innovation with dependability, creating safe and supportive environments where all students thrive. St. Louis families demand high-quality school options for their children; as an Innovative School Fellow, you can make a tangible impact — proving that when innovative schools are designed with care and innovation, our community benefits. Sign up for our December 2nd information session where you can learn from program leaders and past fellows about how YOU can design the next groundbreaking school in St. Louis. Learn more and register for the in-person information session at our website, linked below: https://lnkd.in/gytzf6zc

We've loved working with The 74 Media to tell the story of St. Louis' schools. We couldn't be more excited to see their expansion into the Early Childhood Learning space - a topic that is near and dear to our work. As the STL Pre-K Cooperative works to expand access to high-quality Pre-k under the leadership of our Associate Partner Dr. Samantha March, we are excited to see that our friends at The 74 will be working to "expand awareness about the challenges and success in early learning," bringing this critical education sector to the forefront of the national narrative about improving our schools and outcomes. https://lnkd.in/gvD4F3pM #EarlyLearning #EarlyChildhoodEducation #STLPreKCoopertive #Transparency #Storytelling

Kudos to Show Me KC Schools, Navigate STL Schools Missouri Charter Public School Association, for lowering the barriers to accessing a quality education for families across St. Louis. By using SchoolAppSTL, parents can spend less time learning about and applying to schools and more time supporting their students and family in their academic journey! Check out this write-up in St. Louis Magazine about the SchoolAppSTL that seeks to revolutionize school choice for local families! #SchoolChoice #STLSchoolApp #SchoolAppSTL #RemovingBarriers #BuildCoalitions

It's been a busy fall at The Opportunity Trust. We: ?? Helped launch BELIEVE STL Academy, an innovative public charter with an emphasis on medical career pathways, ?? Kicked off the Emerson Early Literacy Challenge bringing together 4 traditional district and public charter schools eager to set the standard for literacy education across our region, ?? Awarded Charter School Program federal subgrants to 3 schools across the state looking to expand their unique offerings, ?? And so much more! Learn more in our recent newsletter and help us celebrate a fall of achievement that we are eager to build upon this school year: https://lnkd.in/gfwtQZSJ #CatalyzingChange #TOTCelebrates

We remain excited and encouraged by this study from the Progressive Policy Institute showing how cities that have expanded school choice since 2011 have also seen remarkable progress in terms of closing the achievement gap between low-income students and their peers. While this achievement gap persists, this study suggests that increased access to free, public education can help ensure all students receive the education they deserve. This is equity in action. #FreePublicOpenToAll #ARisingTide #Equity #SchoolChoice

The STL Pre-K Cooperative is hosting an information session tomorrow - Wednesday, November 6th - for early education providers looking to join the cooperative! Joining the network is an easy way to access professional development, a peer network, and grant opportunities that can help improve or expand your program. Register for the info session, or apply to join the STL Pre-K Cooperative at their website: https://lnkd.in/euP3JmXH #StLouis #Prek #ECE #EarlyLearning #STLPreKCooperative #StLouisSchools #JoinTheCooperative #RaiseTheBar Samantha March

Curious about leading the next generation of schools in St. Louis? Join us for an info session on the Innovative Schools Fellowship (ISF) on December 2, 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM at the Delmar Divine, 5501 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, MO. Learn how you can receive mentorship, full salary, and support to launch a school that makes a lasting impact on our community. RSVP today and reserve your spot! https://lnkd.in/gDvwUCWx #InnovativeSchools #InnovativeSchoolsFellowship #SchoolDesign #SchoolFounders #ISF #EducationInnovation #StLouisEducation #SchoolLeadership #STL #EducationEntrepreneurs

Tuesday, November 5th is election day. Voters across the country will cast their ballots; an important way to ensure their voice is heard in the political arena, and influence the people -- and policies -- that will shape our communities. Though the headlines tend to focus on federal elections, there is a lot more than just US President on the ballot. In fact, there are dozens of local and state offices up for grabs, the results of which can often have an even more immediate impact on our communities. For example, the next Governor will have the unique opportunity to appoint EACH member of the State Board of Education over the course of their upcoming term. Want to have a say in who leads our statewide education policy? There may be no better chance. Want to have a say in the host of other positions and issues that are on the ballot? Now's your time. For a thorough breakdown of Tuesday's ballot, check out this voter guide compiled by St. Louis Public Radio and to ensure your voice is heard, make sure you have a plan to vote! Millions of people will be voting on Tuesday... will you be one of them? https://lnkd.in/gsgr6Q-U #Vote #VotersGuide #STLVoterGuide #CivicEngagement #TOTVotes

Happy Halloween from The Opportunity Trust ??