MacKenzie Scott is a gift who keeps on giving.
The philanthropist and former wife of Amazon head Jeff Bezos is making more than good on her promise to give back.
The Institute for Educational Leadership recently announced a $6 million unrestricted gift from Scott and plans to use the donation to build its advocacy and disability inclusion work and leadership development.
Dr. Jarvis Sanford of Chicago notes that it’s a significant donation, but a mere fraction of what Scott has given to an array of social justice organizations and other good causes. The $6 million is part of a larger $3 billion gift from Scott that has been doled out to 465 nonprofits across the country. Scott has an estimated net worth of $49 billion.
Scott wrote in a recent post on Medium that her giving is focused on the needs of underrepresented people from a wide variety of groups. Scott’s gift is the largest private donation in IEL history, and the organization calls it critical for community care that is holistic and inclusive.
Schools Turn to ‘Habits of Highly Effective People’
Education Week reports that 5,000 schools across the country are working to reinforce skills in both adults and students through Leader in Me, a program based on the seminal book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” by Stephen Covey.
Leader in Me offers extensive training, especially through teacher and principal executive coaching that emphasizes the importance of culture, leadership, and academics in both public and private schools. Each grade level is covered in the training, which uses 38 lessons, each about 30 minutes long.
Lessons include educational leadership focused on teamwork, effective listening, and proper conflict resolution.
COVID Consequence: Spending Up in Early Childhood Education
Last year saw a dramatic increase in early childhood education spending following the COVID-19 pandemic and uncertainty regarding the availability of educational resources.
Sanford reports that such spending rose by over a half-billion dollars by late summer 2021 and is likely closer to $1 billion in the first half of 2022. Early education nonprofits say an unexpected consequence of the pandemic was the development of more alternative education approaches. New technology has helped caregivers find available childcare and resources throughout the pandemic and showcased new educational leadership initiatives and ideas, many fueled by an influx of investor dollars.
Teachers Fight Against Florida ‘Parental Rights’ bill
Teachers in Florida and around the country are speaking out against the state’s newly passed “Parental Rights in Education” bill, according to CBS News.
Among the most vocal are LGBTQ teachers worried about the impact of the legislation on those they teach.
The bill, also known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill by opponents, prohibits instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation for students in kindergarten up to third grade.
An open letter written by Willie Carver, Kentucky’s most recent Teacher of the Year, condemning the bill included signatures from teachers in all 50 states and U.S. territories Carver is also gay and said that he did not feel supported or protected when he was in school.
The bill’s sentiment isn’t unique to Florida. According to PEN America, there are about two dozen state legislatures across America introducing similar bills that prevent discussions of gender, race, sexuality, and racism in the classroom.
