In 2013, the Walton Family Foundation was inducted in the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools Hall of Fame. This video was produced in conjunction with that honor.

Bobby White graduated from Frayser High School in Memphis in 1990. Last fall, he came back — not just as an alumnus, but as the school’s leader — and he’s on a mission to transform the school. The school is part of a special district in Tennessee called the Achievement School District, which is working to dramatically improve the bottom 5% of the state’s schools.

Darren Woodruff is the board chair of the DC Public Charter School Board (DCPCSB) — the organization responsible for approving new charter schools, monitoring existing charter schools, and closing schools that are not meeting students’ needs. Setting high standards and holding schools accountable for results are “critically important” to the board and to the city’s students.

In 2015, the Walton Family Foundation supported 100 new charter school startups with more than $20 million in grants. We plan to give $1 billion over five years to improve K-12 outcomes for all students by broadening access to high-quality educational choices.

Valerie Sanchez aims to be the first college grad in her family

Hosted by Bricolage Academy, the New Orleans Mini Maker Faire is a celebration of the maker community in New Orleans and the surrounding region.

Alice Walton and Jim Walton explain the Walton family's latest initiative to meet growing demand for high-quality public school options.

The foundation's K-12 education program director on the need for disruption and innovation in education, how the foundation is looking to support entrepreneurs and looking beyond the school building to promote a wider culture of school choice.

On September 23, nearly 4,000 students from across New Orleans gathered to talk openly about the scourge of youth violence — and to come together to press for an excellent education and a better life. The Rally for Excellence was organized by InspireNOLA and was sponsored by the Walton Family Foundation.

The Walton Family Foundation’s involvement in efforts to improve K-12 education spans nearly three decades. We look to brave leaders including the individuals featured in this series to find solutions that improve education for all students. Through Innovations in Education, a video series with Carrie Walton Penner that explores first-hand groundbreaking work taking place across the country, we will introduce you to some of these leaders.

As part of the Innovations in Education series, we visited Oakland Charter Academy and met with principal David Camarena, Evelia Villa of Amethod Public Schools, and Susanna Loeb of Stanford University about the achievement gap.

Carrie Walton Penner of the Walton Family Foundation speaks with Erika McConduit-Diggs and her family to discuss New Orleans’ open enrollment system, OneApp. Erika, as the head of the Urban League in New Orleans is a champion of OneApp because it helped to create access and educational equity.

Walton Family Foundation Board Chair Carrie Walton Penner visits with Papa Dia and members of the African Leadership Group, a Denver-metro organization with a statewide agenda.

In this Innovations in Education video, Character Lab founder Angela Duckworth talks with Walton Family Foundation board chair Carrie Walton Penner about her research and the impact she hopes that it has.

The Learning Center is a new special education program created by KIPP DC to serve students with a range of special needs — from autism to emotional disturbance. Carrie Walton Penner talks with school leaders Michael Cordell and Nicole Abera about how to equip schools to serve special education students well with services designed to meet their needs.

EdNavigator is a startup nonprofit that works with employers to offer education advice to their employees. Walton Family Foundation Board Chair Carrie Walton Penner spoke with Gary Briggs, the lead New Orleans navigator for EdNavigator; Kay Everage, who manages New Orleans employer relationships for EdNavigator and is a parent; Kanitra Reed, who is a housekeeper at the International House and a parent; and Sean Cummings, the owner of the International House.

Maya Martin, founder and executive director of Parents Amplifying Voices in Education (PAVE), explains how parents, when united for a common cause, can make their voices heard to improve education in their communities.

Washington Leadership Academy is distinguishing itself as a hub for computer science and as one of the few institutions in the country to offer virtual reality studies.