The Ginger & Barry Ackerley Foundation

First Place graduate attends signing of health care bill in DC

Standing next to President Obama when he signed the Affordable Health Care for America Act was 11-year old Marcelas Owens, a graduate of Seattle’s FIrst Place School. Marcelas’ mother died in 2007 when she lost her job and health care insurance. · Read More

Gates Foundation and Scholastic Inc. Release Landmark Report on Education

Primary Sources: America’s Teachers on America’s Schools presents the results of a national survey of 40,000 public school teachers. · Read More

Early learning bill clears senate

Sen. Claudia Kauffman sponsored a bill that could determine the direction of early learning programs in Washington. SB 6759 won unanimous Senate approval. A final report on the working plan outlined in the bill will be submitted in November 2010. · Read More

Washington state gets ready

Washington State Department of Early Learning, Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Thrive by Five Washington are collaborating to develop a comprehensive early learning system for all young children in the state. · Read More

State’s fourth-graders demonstrate importance of early learning

There’s a deeply troubling trend missing from our current discourse around education reform in our state: Too many children start behind and sadly stay behind in school. This lack of school readiness is an enormous loss of human potential and a high cost to taxpayers. · Read More

Gates cash will back new plan to help youngest kids thrive – $9 million program signals foundation’s move into early education

The Gates Foundation and Gov. Christine Gregoire will announce a plan today to pour more than $9 million into the education of Washington’s youngest children, signaling a move by the world’s biggest philanthropy deep into early education. · Read More