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| Success for All Foundation | |
|---|---|
| Name | Success for All Foundation |
| Founded | 1986 |
| Founders | Robert Slavin; Nancy Madden |
| Headquarters | Baltimore, Maryland |
| Type | Nonprofit organization |
| Focus | Early literacy; whole-school reform; tutoring |
Success for All Foundation is an American nonprofit organization that developed a whole-school reform model emphasizing early literacy, cooperative learning, and frequent assessment. Founded by scholars and practitioners, the organization became associated with school reform debates involving curriculum design, reading instruction, and evidence-based interventions. Its model has been implemented in urban and rural districts across the United States and has been the subject of randomized trials, policy hearings, and debates among researchers and advocates.
The Foundation traces roots to research projects at Johns Hopkins University and collaborations among scholars from University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Georgetown University, and University of Pennsylvania. Early pilots occurred in partnership with local districts such as Baltimore City Public Schools and Cleveland Metropolitan School District, building on literacy initiatives linked to federal legislation including the Elementary and Secondary Education Act reauthorizations. Prominent figures in its development engaged with policymakers from U.S. Department of Education, testified before committees chaired by members of the United States House of Representatives education panels, and consulted with foundations such as the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Over time the Foundation expanded collaborations to include networks tied to Education Week, National Reading Panel, and researchers at institutions like Harvard Graduate School of Education, Stanford Graduate School of Education, and University of Michigan.
The Foundation’s flagship program integrates structured reading lessons, cooperative learning, and literacy coaching, drawing on pedagogical principles associated with scholars at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Florida State University, and Teachers College, Columbia University. Materials and professional development have been distributed alongside interventions used by districts such as Chicago Public Schools, Los Angeles Unified School District, and New York City Department of Education. Program components reference assessment tools developed in partnership with testing centers at Educational Testing Service and measurement researchers affiliated with University of California, Berkeley and Vanderbilt University. Supplemental modules have targeted content aligned with standards promulgated by organizations like the Common Core State Standards Initiative and instructional approaches discussed in publications from American Educational Research Association and National Council of Teachers of English.
The Foundation’s model has been evaluated in randomized controlled trials conducted with university partners including Johns Hopkins University School of Education, University of Virginia, and University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. Results have been published in journals such as American Educational Research Journal, Reading Research Quarterly, and Journal of Educational Psychology, and discoursed in reports from agencies like the Institute of Education Sciences and the What Works Clearinghouse. Meta-analyses by scholars at Brown University and Northwestern University have compared outcomes to alternative interventions evaluated in trials associated with National Science Foundation grants. Debates over effect sizes and fidelity of implementation have involved panels including members of National Academy of Education and commentators in outlets like The New York Times and The Washington Post.
Implementation has relied on partnerships with district offices such as Boston Public Schools, Philadelphia School District, and charter networks including KIPP and Uncommon Schools. Professional development and coaching were delivered in collaboration with organizations like Learning Forward and National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, and philanthropic partners including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and Edna McConnell Clark Foundation. International interest prompted exchanges with ministries in countries represented at forums hosted by UNESCO and discussions with researchers from University College London and University of Toronto.
The Foundation has been funded through a mix of private philanthropy, government grants from agencies such as the U.S. Department of Education and contracts with local education agencies including Oakland Unified School District and Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Governance structures included boards featuring education leaders from institutions like Council of Great City Schools and former officials from the Institute for Educational Leadership. Financial oversight and audits were conducted in contexts familiar to nonprofits supported by foundations like the Ford Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation.
Advocates have cited literacy gains in evaluations comparing cohorts in districts such as Pittsburgh Public Schools and Indianapolis Public Schools, and recognition in reviews by organizations like What Works Clearinghouse bolstered adoption decisions by districts including San Diego Unified School District and Seattle Public Schools. Critics — including researchers from University of California, Los Angeles, Teachers College, Columbia University, and policy analysts at Brookings Institution — have questioned scalability, cost per student, and comparisons with phonics-focused programs championed by scholars at University of Iowa and University of Arkansas. Debates have also involved teacher unions such as the National Education Association and American Federation of Teachers regarding professional autonomy and scripted curricula. Subsequent iterations sought to address concerns through revised materials, partnerships with assessment experts at Northwestern University and Michigan State University, and implementation studies involving district leaders from Cleveland Metropolitan School District and Denver Public Schools.
Category:Nonprofit organizations based in Baltimore