The Hunt Institute receives $250,000 from The W.K. Kellogg Foundation to Support National Early Childhood Education Efforts

DURHAM N.C.—The Hunt Institute has received a $250,000 grant from The W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) to support ways in which we can close achievement gaps in early childhood education by addressing inequities, building knowledge of key stakeholders, and championing bipartisan policy solutions.

This support is the first grant the Hunt Institute has received from The W.K. Kellogg Foundation of Battle Creek, Mich.

Developing and Nurturing a Bipartisan Viewpoint on Early Childhood Solutions
At the Hunt Institute, we believe that ensuring educational equity — in access, quality, and outcomes — is the most important issue facing states today. We also believe that strong leadership at the state level is the most effective way to create the change in education that our families and children not only desire, but fundamentally deserve.

That is why the Institute works to ensure state policymakers have a keen understanding of the full education continuum, an astute political instinct, and a playbook of transformative state- and local-level efforts that are exemplars of what public education can and should look like for every child.

[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“With the support of The W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Hunt Institute looks forward to fostering bipartisan dialogue on early childhood,” said Dr. Javaid Siddiqi, President & CEO of the Hunt Institute. “We are excited to build on our previous work and to help state leaders develop a policy framework that supports all learners from before birth through adulthood.”[/perfectpullquote]

As a growing body of research continues to substantiate, investments made early—beginning prenatally and continuing into elementary school—produce returns across the K-12 system and improve a number of life outcomes. Without a high-quality early foundation, education in the United States will continue to lag behind our competitors and inequities will continue to persist. The Hunt Institute recognizes, therefore, that a serious commitment to equity requires building a system of support for children and families starting with prenatal care. The Institute is committed to building a bipartisan agreement on the importance of addressing early childhood and the political will to support a set of research-based policy solutions that could find bipartisan support in states across the U.S.

[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“The current class of political leaders across the country have an incredible opportunity to ensure children and families thrive by focusing on early learning and development before school entry,” shared Hunt Institute Board Member and former Vermont Governor Jim Douglas. “Through their work with state legislatures, Hunt-Kean Leadership Fellows, and governors, the Hunt Institute is well-poised to equip these leaders with the information and tools needed to build strong systems of early learning.”[/perfectpullquote]

The Hunt Institute is a recognized leader in the movement to transform American public education. The Institute works at the intersection of education policy and politics where we empower state leaders to drive sustainable reform and become audacious champions for public education. Marshaling expertise from a nationwide partner network, the Institute connects leaders with the best strategies to develop and implement policies and programs that improve public education. We are unapologetic about the importance of equity—in educational access, quality, and opportunity—and it is at the core of the work we do.

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The W.K. Kellogg Foundation: The W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF), founded in 1930 as an independent, private foundation by breakfast cereal pioneer, Will Keith Kellogg, is among the largest philanthropic foundations in the United States. Guided by the belief that all children should have an equal opportunity to thrive, WKKF works with communities to create conditions for vulnerable children so they can realize their full potential in school, work, and life.

The Kellogg Foundation is based in Battle Creek, Michigan, and works throughout the United States and internationally, as well as with sovereign tribes. Special emphasis is paid to priority places where there are high concentrations of poverty and where children face significant barriers to success. WKKF priority places in the U.S. are in Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, and New Orleans; and internationally, are in Mexico and Haiti. For more information, visit www.wkkf.org.

The Hunt Institute: Established in 2001 and an affiliate of the Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy, The Hunt Institute is a recognized leader in the movement to transform public education. Marshaling expertise from a nationwide partner network since it was established in 2001, The Institute brings together people and resources that help build and nurture visionary leadership and mobilize strategic action for greater educational outcomes and student success. 
To learn more, visit hunt-institute.org.