Education

OVER 86% OF DALLAS COUNTY GRADUATES DON'T HAVE THE EDUCATION

NEEDED TO START COLLEGE

Not providing low-income children with access to the same quality education afforded other children

is oppression of the poor.

Every child should have access to an education that prepares her for the future. Currently only 14% of Dallas County students do, and that number drops drastically in our lowest-income schools. The good news: we have everything we need to change this. Unite and our partners have determined that the resources of the Church are best applied in the context of long-term, empowering relationships with children (mentoring and tutoring), parents (holistic care including parent enrichment), and school staff. We are mobilizing churches and individuals in two main ways.

How can we ensure that every child has access to a quality education?

LEARN

Check out our Reading Material.
Watch for training & other upcoming events
Consider attending a Poverty Simulation to better understand the obstacles, decisions, and consequences facing low-income families every day.
Stay informed and use your vote to advocate for your taxes to go toward education.

PRAY

Access Prayer Guides for Education & other needs.

SERVE

Build Capacity of effective, existing organizations.

The most effective way to help is through a nonprofit that is mentoring, tutoring, or working with teachers or parents in a school.
Volunteers are needed to work directly with children and families but also to build capacity of these organizations with administrative, professional services, and other help.
Check volunteer opportunities HERE.

School Partnerships: Make sure at least one church or organization is caring for every public Title I school in Greater Dallas. The goal of church-school partnerships is to develop and cultivate lasting relationships between local churches and schools. It is a caring relationship with a school for the purposes of providing extra support so that the school can succeed academically. Each relationship is unique based on the needs of the school, the capacity of the church(es), etc.

Support a school by helping your church and others partner with them.
Consider one of the 20 at-risk schools DISD has asked us to help find church partners for.
Check out the monthly Learning Community Unite offers for representatives of churches that are serving schools.
Do you know the statistics of your local school(s)? Click HERE to find out now.

Church School Partnership Guide

UNITE

Reading Matters: A full-blown citywide effort to increase the number of volunteers serving with organizations proven to improve literacy. It will include videos featuring pastors and city leaders, a companion Bible study, and a pastor’s toolkit—all directing Christians and others to the above volunteer postings.

Right now in Dallas County, only 15% of high school graduates are getting the kind of education we want for them. Reading at grade level all the way along is crucial.

Click HERE to go to the Reading Matters campaign for volunteer information and opportunities.

Connect with leaders coordinating efforts around specific needs or communities.
Watch for the map of nonprofit and church-based programs addressing these issues. (2017 release)

School Partners: Maps & Data

210 schools have at least one church partner.
50 also have a nonprofit partner proven to help improve literacy.
An additional 25 schools have a proven literacy partner but no church.
400 low-income schools in Greater Dallas have no known church or proven nonprofit partner.

Click HERE to view the map online.

HERE for low-income schools with a church partner.
HERE for low-income schools with no-known partner.
HERE for all traditional, public schools.