An Afton Partners Blog
The Context: Inequitable access to quality school facilities Throughout the country, most charter school organizations obtain permanent school facilities without a supporting tax base, government credit ratings, or full access to available properties. High-poverty communities and neighborhoods of color have less access to capital and networks of support. This can make the process of opening… Continued
The Context: Advocacy leads to legislation Like most states, Minnesota needed a strategy for providing high-quality early care and education to all families. They wanted a system that was equitable, affordable, and accessible to everyone. Coordinated advocacy led to bipartisan support for a law establishing The Great Start for All Minnesota Children Task Force. The… Continued
The Context: Low compensation creates challenges with educator recruitment and retention Nationwide, early care and education (ECE) staff are drastically under-compensated for the important work they do, with an average wage of about $14/hour. Low compensation means child care programs struggle to recruit and retain qualified staff. When providers reduce their capacity or close due… Continued
At a time when many external forces create added financial complexity, school board finance committees can be an invaluable resource for mission impact and long-term sustainability. At Afton Partners, we advise our charter school partners to follow the framework of the “5 Cs” when developing and evolving their organization’s financial governance. The “5 Cs”– Charge,… Continued
Afton updates tried-and-true methods to uncover meaningful insights In 2023, the Washington D.C. Office of the Deputy Mayor of Education (DME) sought to re-examine how schools in D.C. are funded and how the existing funding structures serve students. Over the past several years, D.C. has made great strides toward adequate and equitable funding, striving to… Continued
Earlier today, Illinois Governor Pritzker delivered his State of the State Address, highlighting Smart Start Illinois, which is a historic investment in the state’s early care and education (ECE) system. Smart Start launched last year and is already improving access to quality child care and other critical services for young children and their families, while… Continued
Afton had an impactful year in 2023! We are so grateful for the relationships we sustained and new ones formed. Every initiative we have supported has offered an opportunity to strengthen social systems with a focus on justice. We’ve expanded our skill sets to offer a comprehensive set of solutions to drive change in the… Continued
By Katie Morrison-Reed, Partner Over the past couple of years, whisperings of a potential wave of school consolidations turned into a regular chatter, and that chatter has since turned into announcements. Across the country, many school districts have seen continuous declining enrollment trends, with a steep loss during COVID that doesn’t show signs of fully… Continued
School districts across the country have experienced massive systemic changes over the past few years. However, much of this disruption has been masked by one-time pandemic relief funds in the national conversation – and in budgets. As those funds end, states and districts will need to tackle the resulting challenges head on. At Afton, we’ve… Continued