Data reveals progress is being made toward the community’s goal of a 90% graduation rate by the year 2020. Beginning in 2006 the Anchorage graduation rate was just 59%. Today it’s grown to almost 73%. But additional attention and effort is still needed.
Community support around the goal has also increased. In 2011, just 40.6% of Anchorage residents believed our graduation rate was the responsibility of the whole community. Since then, an additional 15% of Anchorage residents believe everyone is accountable to help achieve the goal.
United Way of Anchorage’s (UWA) 2013 Annual Education Action Report focuses on a collaborative approach which plans for the full 18 years it takes to raise a graduate, from cradle to career. It pays careful attention to our youth’s consistent progress, academics and social and emotional development. It also contains information on:
• How we are measuring progress
• Milestones needed for success
• Highlights of our collaborative efforts
• Who drops out and why
• What we plan to do next
• What parents, businesses, and individuals can do
“The point of tracking data is to drive action,” said Michele Brown, UWA President. “We verify that our actions lead to results. We use what we’ve learned from the data to build on our past work, scaling up our efforts where we know it’s working, or to readjust efforts that are not proving results.”
The 2013 Annual Education Action Report shares the pathway for our youth to succeed, the winning strategies making a difference, and measures progress along the way. More importantly, the report is possible because parents, educators, service providers, and concerned citizens made the commitment to band together and commit our investment dollars, talent and heart to meet the unique needs of each student so that all succeed.
The 2013 Education Action Report is the latest data report in the series of Community Assessment Projects undertaken by UWA and its partners. We have been keeping our finger on the pulse of Anchorage since 2006 by collecting data on key measures within UWA’s goals of improving education, income and health.
To view the entire report, log on to: http://www.liveunitedanchorage.org/_uploads/90by2020ReportFinallWeb.pdf
United Way of Anchorage is the leader in mobilizing the resources of individuals, companies, government and labor to achieve positive and lasting change in the lives of the people in our community.
We believe the key to creating lasting change - in people’s lives and in our community - is getting to the source of problems. It’s change that doesn’t come easily or by accident. It’s change that requires clear goals. Leads to true partnerships, with differences and special interests set aside so as to make real progress. Involves actions that are deliberate and data driven.
Our goal is to be strategic, collaborative and efficient. We aim to produce tangible results that advance the common good.
It takes everyone in the community – big businesses, small businesses, elected officials, nonprofits, academia, the faith community, the labor movement, the media, parents and neighbors working together to create a brighter future. We call it living united and we invite you to be a part of it.
