In their latest annual letter, Giving Pledge signatories Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan reflected on the education efforts of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) over the organization’s past eight years as well as those focused on technology development and other grantmaking.

According to a detailed report released in conjunction with the letter, CZI uses learning science tools to discern how children learn best and works with teachers at each stage of development, engages input from youth, and has reached more than 250,000 students in 46 states and the District of Columbia. In partnership with educators at Gradient Learning and researchers in the science of learning and human development, CZI has designed tools to help teachers connect with students and tailor learning experiences to individual student needs. In addition, CZI education-related grants have supported more than 420 organizations, reaching more than five million students, 6,500 educators of color, and 200 researchers of color. Key categories of grantmaking impact include elevating underutilized high-quality research and resources, shifting standards and measures of success, investing in educators, leveraging technology, and co-designing for impact with educators, students, and community.

The report includes reflections from Sandra Liu Huang, CZI head of education and vice president, product, as to how the grantmaker can better support educators, including focusing on the importance of technology in bringing research-based practices to life in the classroom, designing and building solutions alongside educators so that it addresses their needs, and bringing learning scientists and other experts together with technologists to solve shared problems. According to Huang, while previous CZI grantmaking focused on research to practice, or helping partners translate research to findings into classroom practices, current grants will take a research-to-product approach, or a focus on developing research-based tools that can accelerate progress.

“As this report has shown, progress toward a whole child approach to education is possible,” Huang wrote. “We are grateful for the insights and feedback from grantees, supporters, fellow funders, educators, and students over the past eight years. We will continue to stand in support of an education system that unlocks the full potential of every student, no matter who they are or where they live.”

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