The Power of US Foundation is a grassroots organization focused on growing support for transforming America’s K-12 public schools from their traditional teacher-centered model to a new student-centered model that customizes education for every child and in parallel with that effort, to improve educational and digital equity across all demographics.
The Power Of US Foundation, connects teachers, parents, educational communities, business leaders, and government representatives across K-12 who share our goal to create transformation in education with powerful information and collaborative ideas.
To achieve this goal of transformation we are engaged in a number of related programs.
- Website – We are building a website that will serve as the central clearinghouse for a wide range of research and communications activities.
- Blogs – establishing communities of interest and providing a virtual place for exchanging ideas and organizing activities.
- Research – Collecting, cataloging and posting links to relevant research, publications, and reports.
- Communications – providing a means for people to be kept informed of events and information in which they have expressed an interest.
- Relationships – There is a wide assortment of interest groups that are working separately on specific components of the larger problems of educational quality and digital equity. Our plan is to work with them, identify those areas of common interest and assist them in sharing resources where appropriate.
- Resources –
- We gather examples of what powerful ideas are needed to transform schools, and then educate communities as to what they can do by example.
- We are building relationships with a broad spectrum of individuals and organizations that have developed or are developing student-centered educational resources in all disciplines across the curriculum. We will then provide annotated links to these resources so they gain greater use and impact. One of these relationships will ensure that all of the resources are integrated into the Discovery Learning System curriculum.
- Digital Equity – We see the pursuit of digital equity, social justice and an ability to use the new technologies as a new civil rights issue. Because simply having access to technology does not fix the problem, we are working to fuse the digital and educational equity issues into a single effort.
- Conferences and workshops – We provide informational presentations and chair panel discussions at major educational, technical, and digital equity events and conferences.
- Program planning – We initiate and participate in grassroots initiatives to promote change. We participate in formal and informal conferences, forums, and initiatives to gather ideas, information, and innovation. For those people on the digital dark side of the road or those without proper connectivity, we provide examples, ideas, and information about funding sources.
Most school teachers work largely in isolation from their peers, and many interact with their colleagues only for a few moments each day. In contrast, most other professionals collaborate, exchange information, and develop new skills on a daily basis. Teachers in disadvantaged communities are often in the classroom where the bell and the loudspeaker or PA system may be the most significant technology they see/hear all day. In many schools the cellphone is forbidden and the Internet, even if accessible, is not a given 24/7 opportunity. We provide new models and examples of teacher communications and collaboration.
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The way public education is funded through local property tax assessment results in enormous resource inequities among and between communities. Providing for equality of educational opportunity at racially isolated, disadvantaged, distant, and rural schools continues to be an important area of concern for educational policy makers. Quality teachers are essential to promoting equal opportunity and for broadening engagement .There are examples of excellence that are shared, shown and talked about that escape even the schools that are connected. Our programs will give these exemplary programs wider visibility for emulation and adoption. We are working to provide support for the under-resourced schools and districts to write grants, be involved in the conferences, or to conquer the other factors of their digital divide. We participate at many levels to provide examples of grassroots initiatives, toolkits and professionals to start the conversation, and to create transformational educational landscapes.
Support – We donate most of the intellectual energy required for pursuing our goals. Living in Washington DC allows us to be involved and influential in a number of important programs, but we rely upon outside support for covering the cost of travel and participation in the many relevant conferences and events.
Bonnie Bracey Sutton, Executive Director.
The Power of Us 