Adopted by The Dayton Foundation as a leadership initiative in 2012, Learn to Earn Dayton’s cradle-to-career focus is putting Greater Dayton’s children on the path to be ready to learn when they enter kindergarten and ready to earn when they complete their post-secondary studies. To support this noble effort, the Foundation has awarded discretionary grants totaling more than $1.2 million to Learn to Earn Dayton, which also is a Dayton Foundation supporting organization.
Founded by Dr. Tom Lasley, II, former dean of the University of Dayton School of Education and Allied Professions, Learn to Earn Dayton's "big goal" is that 60 percent of working-age adults in Montgomery County will have a recognized post-secondary credential; achieving this goal would mean 58,000 more adults in Montgomery County have the needed credentials to compete for in-demand jobs and family-sustaining incomes.
To reach this big goal, we must build a community where every student thrives. With a data-driven focus on educational outcomes and a commitment to coalition-building, Learn to Earn Dayton pilots programs and drives policies to positively affect academic outcomes at six critical benchmarks: Kindergarten Readiness, Third Grade Reading, Eighth Grade Math, High School Graduation, Postsecondary Enrollment, and Postsecondary Completion. Advancing cradle-to-career outcomes require strategies that support students from their classrooms to out-of-school time programs and at home in their neighborhoods; Learn to Earn Dayton has launched or supported initiatives to address place-based, full-family needs.
Learn to Earn Dayton's approach, recognized nationally by StriveTogether with the Systems Transformation designation, combines proven best practices, local insights, and the power of collaboration. Families, educators, leaders, and organizations are invited to join in ensuring every Dayton student has the opportunity to reach their full potential. Together, we can build a stronger, more prosperous future for Greater Dayton.