Over the past twelve years, the Steans Family Foundation has supported neighborhood and school-specific initiatives that have touched a wide range of public schools in North Lawndale. Going forward, we remain committed to broad efforts to recruit, develop and support teachers and leaders across the community; to efforts that increase the social supports available to students and families and enhanced counseling; to programs that increase college access for North Lawndale students; and to networking opportunities for educators.

With almost ten new schools having opened in the neighborhood, the Foundation is taking a special interest in ensuring that these schools get off to good starts. Accordingly, we have a particular focus on supporting charters and other new schools.

Results we seek in this priority area include:

• Children and youth achieving at or above grade level
• Children and youth with special needs achieving academic success at the highest level of independence
• Youth completing high school
• Youth attending and completing post-secondary education or other postsecondary options