The post In the News: Ģ����Ƶ’s Reimagining the Educator Work Recognized by Education Week appeared first on The Ģ����Ƶ.

Today, we are proud to announce our . Through the collective generosity of our Ģ����Ƶ community, we awarded $310,000 in scholarships to 37 remarkable scholars.

Below are three of this year’s recipients:

Andy Salvatierra, Carson Scholar
Ģ����Ƶ Judy Ivie Burton Technology Academy High School, Class of 2026
Yale University, Class of 2030
Intended Field of Study: Chemical Engineering & Economics

Angel Lopez, Leaders of Change Scholar
Ģ����Ƶ Collins Family College-Ready High School, Class of 2026
California State University, Dominguez Hills, Class of 2030
Intended Field of Study: Business Management & Economics

Karina Jaimes, College Care Package Scholar
Ģ����Ƶ Margaret M. Bloomfield Technology Academy High School, Class of 2026
University of California, San Diego, Class of 2030
Intended Field of Study: Pharmacological Chemistry

What inspires me most about these scholars is both their excellence and perspective. They each carry a deep awareness of the world around them, a commitment to something beyond themselves, and a belief that their experiences are not limitations, but catalysts for impact.

Behind them is a community of nearly 300 supporters, volunteers, and partners who show up and invest in what’s possible. We are especially grateful to the Ģ����Ƶ Foundation’s Scholar Success Board for championing the Gayle Miller Leaders of Change Scholarships, the Johnny Carson Foundation, and to all our partners whose belief in our scholars continues to expand access and opportunity.

Thank you for believing in their brilliance.

The post Their words say it best appeared first on The Ģ����Ƶ.

Recently, Education Resource Strategies (ERS) highlighted Ģ����Ƶ College-Ready Public Schools’ work through a national case study, recognizing the network’s efforts to redesign the teacher experience in service of stronger student outcomes.

In 2023, Ģ����Ƶ launched Reimagining the Ģ����Ƶ Educator, grounded in a simple but powerful idea: when teachers are given the time, space, and support to do their best work, student outcomes follow.

Through this initiative, Ģ����Ƶ restructured school schedules to expand teacher planning time, strengthen collaboration, and deepen professional learning, creating the conditions for both teachers and scholars to thrive.

The case study spotlights how this model was piloted across three schools, demonstrating meaningful gains in student learning alongside increased teacher satisfaction and retention.

Explore the full case study to see how intentional design can transform both the teacher experience and student outcomes.

The post Ģ����Ƶ Featured in National Case Study on Educator Innovation appeared first on The Ģ����Ƶ.

At Ģ����Ƶ, we often say that brilliance reveals itself over time. This year’s statewide academic results affirm that truth. 

The longer scholars are with Ģ����Ƶ, the better they perform. An outcome that points to steady growth and an upward trajectory, shaped by years of investment in scholars and educators alike.

See this story come to life in this short video:

Here’s what the data shows:

• The majority of Ģ����Ƶ scholars enter our schools performing well below grade level. Over time, they make remarkable academic gains year over year.
• By 11th grade, Ģ����Ƶ scholars significantly outperform local and statewide averages in English Language Arts. 
• In math, Ģ����Ƶ scholars outperform local peers and perform on par with statewide peers, including their more affluent peers.

Behind every percentage point gained on state tests is a scholar with a dream to be a first-generation college graduate, a future engineer, a teacher, a leader. It’s a story of consistency—educators committed to scholar success, families believing in our model, and supporters investing in what matters most. And while these results are meaningful, they represent just one milestone on the journey to college success and beyond.

As we look ahead, we invite you to help carry this momentum forward and share what Ģ����Ƶ scholars are achieving.

Thank you for being part of this shared work. Together, we are proving what’s possible in public education.

The post An Upward Trajectory appeared first on The Ģ����Ƶ.

Today, we join millions around the world in a movement centered on generosity and community. At Ģ����Ƶ, this day is about something far more personal. 

Take a moment to step inside our alumni’s shoes and see how you have helped shape the futures they’re living today:

Every scholar who walks into an Ģ����Ƶ school carries a story uniquely their own. Our community is right there beside them, helping them realize they are capable of far more than they imagined. And in those moments of uncertainty, or when they get a glimpse of possibility, we are by their side saying, Your brilliance matters. And we’re here with you.

​​​​​​This Giving Tuesday, we invite you to help create more moments where that brilliance comes fully into view. Your support:

• ensures brilliant young people across Los Angeles have access to a high-quality public education
• affirms and equips scholars to excel
• opens doors to new possibilities through college and career pathways 

When you give today, you’re investing in the unfolding story of a young person charting their future with purpose. 

Thank you for helping illuminate the path that guides them forward.

The post Brilliance in full view. appeared first on The Ģ����Ƶ.

Last week, we hosted our 12th annual Leaders of Change event, where nearly 150 community supporters from across Los Angeles came together to celebrate the brilliance of Ģ����Ƶ scholars and alumni.

The evening was a powerful reflection of why Leaders of Change exists—to honor the journeys of Ģ����Ƶ graduates who are shaping careers, uplifting their communities, and redefining what’s possible for the next generation. Through the generosity of our sponsors and guests, we raised more than $185,000 for the Ģ����Ƶ Gayle Miller Leaders of Change Scholarship Fund, lighting the way for Ģ����Ƶ seniors who will head to college next fall.

Watch the video below to hear directly from alumni who have come full circle since receiving an Ģ����Ƶ scholarship:

Alumni like Alison and Edwin remind us that the power of community is not just something we say at Ģ����Ƶ; it’s something we live.

As we near the season of giving and reflection, we invite you to join us in extending that legacy. Every gift, no matter the size, helps fuel an Ģ����Ƶ scholar’s next step toward college and a bright future.

Thank you for believing in the promise of our scholars. Together, we are illuminating the light ahead for generations to come.

The post One scholarship can change everything. appeared first on The Ģ����Ƶ.

View Interactive Version |

The post 2025 Annual Report appeared first on The Ģ����Ƶ.

A new school year is here, and our hallways are once again alive with the promise and brilliance of our 12,000 scholars. More than 20 years after our founding, Ģ����Ƶ‘s mission remains the same: every young person, no matter their zip code or circumstance, deserves the excellence, opportunity, and belief needed to thrive.

That brilliance is underscored today in the release of the rankings. Every Ģ����Ƶ school placed in the top 25% of all public high schools nationwide, with 12 in the top 10%. Special congratulations to Ģ����Ƶ Ted K. Tajima High School and Ģ����Ƶ Marc & Eva Stern Math and Science School in the top 3%!

See the full list below:

Today’s world presents no shortage of challenges for our scholars, and for many, uncertainty feels like the only constant. In times like these, Ģ����Ƶ schools are more than places of learning. They are beacons of aspiration, hope, and possibility, steady lights guiding our scholars toward the futures they deserve.

At Ģ����Ƶ, we see our scholars as they truly are—leaders, innovators, and change-makers. And year after year, they rise, they shine, and they prove what is possible in college, career, and life. 

As we step into this school year, we invite you to join us in this momentum:

•  with your network.
•  and help guide their journey.
•  through a gift that fuels excellence, innovation, and transformation.

Together, we can make this school year one of brilliance, for every scholar, in every classroom, every day.

The post Today’s News: A National Spotlight on Our Scholars appeared first on The Ģ����Ƶ.

Our commitment is simple: every Ģ����Ƶ school is a safe place to be.

Thank you to and for shining a light on how Ģ����Ƶ is prioritizing scholar safety and standing alongside families, especially as many navigate uncertainty this school year. Together, we remain committed to creating campuses that are caring, calm, and focused on learning, so every scholar can pursue the future they deserve.

About the Ģ����Ƶ Foundation
The Ģ����Ƶ is a hub of engaged, enthusiastic philanthropists and advocates that are helping propel Ģ����Ƶ into the top echelons of public schools systems in California and Ģ����Ƶ scholars to college completion. We bring together diverse leaders and communities to transform the public education landscape in Los Angeles to one that puts equity, justice and achievement at its center.

We raise resources and visibility for the Ģ����Ƶ network of schools, advocate for policies that improve quality public education for historically underserved youth, and build partnerships to strengthen Ģ����Ƶ schools and the communities that Ģ����Ƶ serves. We believe in the unlimited potential of our scholars and work to shine a bright light on what is possible for all public schools.

The post A Safe Place to Be appeared first on The Ģ����Ƶ.

Honoring the Life and Legacy of Ambassador Frank Baxter

A Beloved Founder, Fearless Leader, and Lifelong Champion for Scholars

July 23, 2025

It is with heavy hearts and immense gratitude that we remember Ambassador Frank Baxter, one of Ģ����Ƶ College-Ready Public Schools’ most beloved and visionary founders, whose recent passing leaves a profound void in our community and in public education across Los Angeles.

From the earliest days as one of Ģ����Ƶ’s trailblazing founders to his continued involvement on the Ģ����Ƶ Foundation Board, Frank brought an unshakable belief in what was possible.

He blended passion and intellect with overflowing humility, making everyone he encountered feel valued. A man of action and imagination, he carried a twinkle of mischief in his eye and a fearless commitment to making life better for others. He had an extraordinary ability to work across lines of difference and to form authentic connections spanning race, class, and politics. In every sense of the word, he was an ambassador—of hope, of possibility, and of what it means to live a life of service. 

Frank’s impact on the Ģ����Ƶ community is profound and singular.

“Many individuals contributed to the success of the Ģ����Ƶ over the years, but I can tell you, as a matter of fact, that there would not have been an Ģ����Ƶ if not for Frank Baxter,” said friend and Ģ����Ƶ Co-Founder Virgil Roberts. 

Frank recruited many of our early board members, made sure our founding staff was paid, and introduced everyone he knew to the Ģ����Ƶ, inviting them to join him in realizing Ģ����Ƶ’s mission of creating consistently excellent world-class public schools across Los Angeles.

He was also the driving force behind bold initiatives like blended learning and ensuring every scholar had a laptop long before the digital divide became a national conversation. He visited schools regularly, and knew staff and scholars by name, honoring their stories, hopes, and dreams. In the trenches to the very end, he ran the LA Marathon alongside Ģ����Ƶ scholars on his 80th birthday and continued attending board meetings as recently as this year. 

As Ģ����Ƶ Foundation Board Co-Chair Brett Brewer shared, “Frank was the most optimistic person I’ve ever worked with. He refused to accept subpar outcomes for students across California and was willing to leverage everything, from new technologies to political relationships, to improve them. His legacy to me was that we have to do better by these kids. And we can!”

Frank’s unrelenting passion for ensuring all young people, especially marginalized students, had access to quality public education stemmed, in part, from his own experience. Raised in a low-income household, he worked in the fields picking lettuce as a teen to support his family. The oldest of six and the first to go to college, he proudly graduated from UC Berkeley and credited his mother, who had to drop out of high school to work, with instilling the value of education in her children. That experience fueled his advocacy over four decades and positioned Ģ����Ƶ at the center of his life’s work.

Frank’s distinguished career included serving as CEO and Chairman of Jefferies & Company investment bank, as well as serving on numerous nonprofit boards that strengthen cultural and civic life. In 2006, he was appointed U.S. Ambassador to Uruguay and has been recognized by dozens of nonprofits and dignitaries across the nation.

But it was here, in Los Angeles classrooms, in conversations with families, and in the faces of thousands of scholars, that his most enduring legacy lives on.

Frank was a force—an innovator with a fierce commitment to equity. He brought a sense of urgency to our work, constantly challenging us to think bigger and act bolder on behalf of our scholars. As a fellow UC Berkeley alum and the first in my family to attend college, I feel profound gratitude for Frank’s vision and foresight. He believed in the potential of young people like me, and in doing so, helped transform the lives of an entire generation.

He often closed meetings with, “Thank you for your service.” Today, we echo those words back to him.

Whether you had the privilege of knowing him or simply benefited from the impact of his leadership, we invite you to join us in honoring his legacy by continuing the work he loved.

May we carry his torch forward with the same courage, conviction, and compassion that defined his life.

Thank you, our dearest Frank. For everything.

---

Memorial Gifts and Service Information

The Baxter Family has privately shared memorial service information and asked that, in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the Ģ����Ƶ Foundation and the ALS Foundation to honor Frank’s memory. To donate to the Ģ����Ƶ Foundation, please click here. The family will be notified of your generosity.  

The post Honoring the Life and Legacy of Ambassador Frank Baxter appeared first on The Ģ����Ƶ.