Turnaround for Children

Turnaround for Children
Name	Turnaround for Children
Type	Nonprofit organization
Founded	2000
Headquarters	New York City, New York, United States
Focus	School-based mental health and trauma-informed supports
Leader title	CEO
Leader name	Mary M. Brown

Turnaround for Children is a nonprofit organization that supports school communities with strategies to address childhood adversity and trauma, promoting academic engagement and social-emotional development. The organization works with public schools, charter networks, and community partners to integrate neuroscience-informed practices, professional development, and student-centered supports. Its approach connects research, practice, and policy to strengthen school climate and student outcomes.

Overview

Turnaround for Children partners with urban and suburban school systems, including districts and networks such as the New York City Department of Education, Los Angeles Unified School District, and Chicago Public Schools. The organization draws on research from institutions like Harvard University, Yale University, Columbia University, Johns Hopkins University, and Stanford University to translate neuroscience and developmental science into classroom practices. Collaborations extend to philanthropic organizations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Ford Foundation, and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The organization engages educators, school leaders, social workers, and mental health professionals across settings including Teach For America-partnered schools, KIPP Public Charter Schools, and independent charter school networks.

History and Development

Founded in 2000 amid growing attention to childhood trauma and urban schooling challenges, the organization emerged alongside movements represented by entities like the National Association of Elementary School Principals, National Education Association, and American Federation of Teachers. Early influences included research from the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University and initiatives such as the No Child Left Behind Act debates. Over time, the organization expanded its model as districts like Boston Public Schools and Baltimore City Public Schools confronted chronic absenteeism and discipline disparities. Key developments coincided with national conversations involving figures and institutions such as Michelle Obama initiatives on youth, Arne Duncan leadership at the United States Department of Education, and philanthropic investments from the Gates Foundation and Carnegie Corporation.

Programs and Services

The organization provides school-based programming including professional development for teachers modeled on frameworks used by The Wallace Foundation grantees, coaching strategies similar to those employed by Relay Graduate School of Education, and data-driven practices echoing Education Trust priorities. Services include classroom-based interventions, integrated student supports, and systems redesign used by districts like Denver Public Schools and Philadelphia School District. It offers training in trauma-responsive pedagogy drawing on research from The National Child Traumatic Stress Network and workforce development aligned with School Mental Health Project approaches. Technical assistance has been provided to schools involved with initiatives such as Every Student Succeeds Act implementation and community partnerships with organizations like United Way and YMCA USA.

Organizational Structure and Funding

Governance includes a board of directors with leaders from philanthropic, academic, and corporate sectors similar to nonprofit boards at Brookings Institution-affiliated projects and advocacy groups like Save the Children USA. Leadership teams coordinate program, research, and operations functions informed by best practices from RAND Corporation studies and administrative recommendations from Education Week. Funding sources encompass foundation grants from entities like the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, corporate philanthropy akin to contributions from JPMorgan Chase, and public funding streams from municipal initiatives in cities such as New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago. The organization has engaged in evaluation partnerships with research centers such as MDRC, Mathematica Policy Research, and university-based labs at Teachers College, Columbia University.

Impact and Evaluation

Program evaluations reference outcome measures familiar from studies by What Works Clearinghouse and Institute of Education Sciences-funded research. Impact assessments examine attendance trends, discipline referrals, and academic indicators comparable to metrics used in reports from The RAND Corporation, Brookings Institution, and Urban Institute. External evaluations have paralleled designs used by Johns Hopkins School of Education research and Harvard Kennedy School policy analyses. Case studies document improvements in school climate similar to transformations reported in KIPP expansion evaluations and trauma-informed initiatives in districts like Seattle Public Schools. Ongoing research collaborations include partnerships with universities such as NYU Steinhardt, Rutgers University, and University of Pennsylvania.

Partnerships and Advocacy

The organization engages in advocacy and partnerships with national networks and policy organizations including Council of Chief State School Officers, National Governors Association, and Coalition for Community Schools. It collaborates with mental health and youth organizations like Child Mind Institute, National Alliance on Mental Illness, American Academy of Pediatrics, and SAMHSA. Through coalition work, the organization contributes to policy conversations alongside groups such as The Education Trust, Annie E. Casey Foundation, and The Wallace Foundation about resource allocation, equitable services, and trauma-responsive schooling. Strategic alliances with community organizations mirror partnerships formed by United Way Worldwide, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, and regional family services agencies.

Category:Non-profit organizations based in New York City