May 2022

Dear John,

As part of celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week, CZI is putting a renewed focus on the importance of equipping teachers with resources and tools to support both students’ wellbeing and academic success. This starts with teacher wellbeing, which has never been more important. 

CZI is announcing an initial investment of more than $4 million in grants to organizations such as Teaching Well, Profound Ladies and Profound Gentlemen aimed at combating teacher burnout by supporting their well-being. Since the beginning of the pandemic, teachers have been asked to learn entirely new methods of teaching, attend to the trauma and stress that students are experiencing and at the same time, attend to themselves, their families and communities. Teachers were stressed out long before the pandemic hit and a recent poll by the National Education Association reported that more than half of teachers are thinking of leaving their roles sooner than they have planned. This is especially true for teachers of color, who have higher rates of attrition. For example, Black teachers have one of the highest rates of turnover, according to the Institute for Research and Labor Employment.

These grants will support a range of professional learning, mentoring, and wellness practices designed to foster connection and community for teachers, supporting teacher retention and strengthening the ability of teachers to support students’ academic achievement and well-being. Strong relationships are foundational for learning and well-being so we must continue to support teacher well-being and give educators the training and resources so that they can ensure that every student is seen and valued at school.

Sincerely,

Sandra Liu Huang

Head of Education

Join CZI at the following events:

• June 20-22 | NCSC22
• June 26-29 | ISTELive 22

Do you work in the R&D field in education? If so, AERDF, a CZI partner, wants to hear from you. Complete this short survey by May 13th to help co-develop a map of the education R&D field, supporting their work to tackle teaching and learning challenges that disproportionately affect Black, Latino, and students experiencing poverty of all races.

The Funder’s Collaborative for Youth Organizing announced the Youth Power Pledge, a campaign to mobilize resources to ensure young people have the tools to drive social change. CZI is one of several funders supporting the campaign, which aims to raise $35 million in new resources for the field of youth organizing.

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