Dalio Philanthropies Public Education Initiative in Connecticut

Barbara Dalio leads Dalio Philanthropies’ public education initiative. She is passionate about engaging with educators, community leaders, and young people to build meaningful relationships and collaborate on solutions to achieve positive youth outcomes and greater equity across Connecticut. Barbara believes in the intrinsic abilities of young people who are often overlooked and underserved and recognizes that solutions will come from young people themselves, as well as from educators, leaders, and communities. She regularly visits public schools and communities across Connecticut to listen and learn about needs and opportunities. Since 2015, Dalio Philanthropies has invested more than $95 million in public education in Connecticut. Dalio Philanthropies partners with a number of organizations that support public school educators, including AFT Connecticut, Fund For Teachers, and Lincoln Center Education. Every year, Dalio Philanthropies benefits hundreds of Connecticut teachers by giving them resources to pursue their ideas and professional passions. Such efforts have helped 2,244 educators in 505 schools across 139 school districts in Connecticut. Dalio Philanthropies seeks to make a positive difference for youth, families, and communities through a holistic whole child approach in partnership with public schools and non-profit organizations. Dalio Philanthropies works with Clifford W. Beers Guidance Clinic to provide mental health services for students and their families, and with the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence to help students succeed in their social, emotional, and academic development. Barbara continues to work with public school districts in her capacity as co-founder and Board Chair of the Connecticut RISE Network. RISE supports high school educators to improve student achievement. Through collaboration, RISE has increased Grade 9 on-track rates by nearly 10 percentage points over the last three years and more than 15 points for English learners and special education students – nearly tripling their likelihood of graduating from high school on-time. To learn more, please visit: www.ctrise.org. Barbara and her team lead the Connecticut Opportunity Project in partnership with COMPASS, Domus Kids, and Our Piece of the Pie. Today, 39,000 or 22 percent of high school-aged youth in Connecticut are disconnected from school or at-risk of not graduating. The Opportunity Project works with these youth-serving organizations so they can help more young people graduate and succeed in their lives. To learn more, please visit: www.ctopportunityproject.org and www.untappedpotentialct.org. Additionally, Dalio Philanthropies will invest $100 million over the next four years to help young people who are disengaged or disconnected from opportunity in Connecticut. Barbara and her team will continue to work to ensure that community voice and input shape their approach and help contribute to a long lasting impact.