Well, it was quite a year. The COVID-19 pandemic is still impacting seemingly every aspect of our society, and the education sector is no exception. Everywhere – from classrooms and schools to districts and state departments of education to advocacy organizations and philanthropy – continued to devote immense time, effort, and resources to addressing the impact of the pandemic on student learning and emotional well-being.
At America Succeeds, we did our best to remain agile and support our network of partners. 2021 was also the first year of implementation of our new strategic plan, and we’re proud of the direction and progress we’ve made. We grew our network, welcoming partners in Texas and Massachusetts. We’re excited to broaden the reach of business-led education advocacy, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. And we launched two new initiatives that will shape our work for the foreseeable future.
We developed a policy agenda focused on expanding opportunities for all students.”
With our Equity in Education initiative, we developed a policy agenda focused on expanding opportunities for all students, particularly students of color and those underserved by our current system, increasing diversity in the teaching profession, and making funding systems fairer and more responsive to student needs. We were proud to learn from and partner with impressive organizations from around the country leading advocacy in these policy areas, and we’re excited to continue working with them to engage business in the fight to advance equity.
We also launched our Durable Skills initiative, developed using field-leading research on the skills employers are seeking in future employees. Whether someone is just entering the job market, moving up the ladder, leading the company, or changing career paths entirely, competency in durable skills will likely be what they rely on most to succeed. We found durable skills in demand in every sector, in every state. With the support of some of the country’s top companies, we began to engage business and education leaders in discussions about what it would take to ensure every graduate is equipped with durable skills.
With our growing network and two new initiatives, America Succeeds is well-positioned coming out of 2021. I can’t wait for the year ahead!
Tim Taylor, Co-Founder and President
