Funders

Two philanthropic partners put their weight behind the Initiative. Their combined commitment of $28 million turned a promising idea into a statewide effort reaching thousands of students and hundreds of teachers.

Who funded the work

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Meyer Memorial Trust provided the resources that made the Initiative possible. One is among the largest foundations in the world; the other is among Oregon's largest and most established. Together they backed a bet on Oregon's capacity to redesign its own high schools.

What the funding supported

Grant funding was not limited to buildings or staff. It covered the full range of work the Initiative required:

• Conversions of large comprehensive high schools and the launch of new small schools
• Coaching for school and district leaders
• Professional learning communities and instructional coaching
• Equity training and leadership development
• Site visits between schools and across the network
• Data collection, analysis and reporting

Sustained over seven years, that investment helped Oregon earn a reputation as a state willing to rethink its high schools. The results it produced are documented on the Composite Results page.