At a glance
- We work with early childhood and technical experts on high-impact assessment tools that measure the quality of learning environments and help educators personalize learning for children from diverse backgrounds.
- We support efforts to collect high-quality data that can be disaggregated to accurately inform early childhood policies and improve equity in early childhood education.
- We support pre-K professional development, mentoring, and coaching for teachers so they can provide a hands-on learning environment and connect learning to children’s real-world experiences.
Our strategy
Early learning experiences vary widely across the United States and are not equitable for all children and families, and inequities in access and quality have only been amplified in recent years. We believe that high-quality early learning can have major benefits for young children, including improved social-emotional skills and enduring educational and life outcomes.
We work with educators to create the early learning solutions they need to support all children—particularly especially Black and Latino children and children experiencing poverty—and help prepare them for success in school and in life. These solutions include enriched, culturally responsive instructional resources, effective assessment tools to measure and support progress for each child, and actionable data that support a culture of continuous improvement.
Visit our U.S. Program website
The foundation’s U.S. Program works to advance educational opportunity and economic mobility and strengthen communities across the U.S. Areas of focus include improving access to quality K-12 and postsecondary education for low-income students and students of color and making community grants across Washington State, where the Gates family has lived for generations.
Areas of focus
To help children make progress in pre-K, we must support educators in tailoring instruction to each individual child.
When educators, families, researchers, and policymakers have access to a powerful early learning knowledge base, they can better understand student experiences and support success for all.
We know that children are more engaged in learning when they see and hear themselves reflected in the classroom environment and instruction.
Why focus on early learning?
Nearly 2 million 4-year-olds attend public pre-K programs across the United States, and federal, state, and local leaders understand that critical learning and development happens in the early years. But early learning experiences vary widely, and not all children of that age even have access to publicly funded pre-K.
Educators need better data, tools, and curricula so they can set up more young learners for success. As our country emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic and the significant disruptions it has caused, finding solutions to these challenges is more urgent than ever.
Our partners
Related programs
The Washington State team works with partners to ensure equitable opportunities for children and families in Washington, where the Gates family has lived for generations.
The K-12 Education team supports educators and public schools in improving educational outcomes for Black and Latino students and students experiencing poverty.
The Economic Mobility and Opportunity team works to help the U.S. economic system better meet the needs of those experiencing poverty and significantly increase their opportunities to achieve economic success.