“Stepping Up: The Top K-12 Education Foundations in the Nation,” a new report conducted by Dewey and Associates (D&A), recently named 12 education foundations in Florida among the nation’s top 50, with the Pinellas Education Foundation earning its top ranking. Other Florida education foundations making the list are Hillsborough Education Foundation (6), The Foundation for Osceola Education (8), Foundation for Seminole County Public Schools (10), Brevard Schools Foundation (16), Polk Education Foundation (17), Foundation for Lee County Public Schools (27), Broward Education Foundation (28), Jacksonville Public Education Fund (34), Pasco Education Foundation (38), Futures Foundation for Volusia County Public Schools (46), and the Education Foundation of Palm Beach (50).
The report compares the foundations supporting nation’s largest 100 school districts and examines eight performance categories: revenues, revenues per student, assets, assets per student, grant and program expenses, grant and program expenses per student, investment income, and human capital/volunteers.
According to the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations, Florida’s K-12 local education foundations invest in students, teachers and classrooms to fund opportunities and support beyond what tax dollars provide. They serve 97% of our state’s 2.7 million students with a variety of initiatives to enhance education, help students, support teachers and drive innovation.
As education foundations seek resources for the school districts they serve, the “Stepping Up” report provides welcome visibility and recognition. Despite being communities’ “unsung heroes” at times, education foundations in Florida are doing a stellar job at building the infrastructure to serve the needs of our school districts.
Here is a list of the K-12 education foundations recognized in the report:
| Rank | K-12 Education Foundation (State) |
| 1. | Pinellas Education Foundation (FL) |
| 2. | Clark County Public Education Foundation (NV) |
| 3. | Omaha Schools Foundation (NE) |
| 4. | Denver Public Schools Foundation (CO) |
| 5. | Philadelphia Education Fund (PA) |
| 6. | Hillsborough Education Foundation (FL) |
| 7. | The Fund for Public Schools (NY) |
| 8. | The Foundation for Osceola Education (FL) |
| 9. | San Francisco Education Fund (CA) |
| 10. | Foundation for Seminole County Public Schools (FL) |
| 11. | The Boston Educational Development Foundation (MA) |
| 12. | Houston ISD Foundation (TX) |
| 13. | The Great Schools Partnership Charitable Trust (TN) |
| 14. | Douglas County Educational Foundation (CO) |
| 15. | Nashville Public Education Foundation (TN) |
| 16. | Brevard Schools Foundation (FL) |
| 17. | Polk Education Foundation (FL) |
| 18. | Alpine School District Foundation (UT) |
| 19. | New Visions for Public Schools (NY) |
| 20. | Children First Fund Chicago (IL) |
| 21. | San Antonio Education Partnership (TX) |
| 22. | Memphis City Schools Foundation (TN) |
| 23. | Cypress-Fairbanks Educational Foundation (TX) |
| 24. | Northside Education Foundation (TX) |
| 25. | The Detroit Public Schools Foundation (MI) |
| 26. | Lewisville Education Foundation (TX) |
| 27. | Foundation for Lee County Public Schools (FL) |
| 28. | Broward Education Foundation (FL) |
| 29. | Davis Education Foundation (UT) |
| 30. | Jefferson County Public Education Foundation (KY) |
| 31. | Granite Education Foundation (UT) |
| 32. | Montgomery County Public Schools Educational Foundation (MD) |
| 33. | Albuquerque Public Schools Foundation (NM) |
| 34. | Jacksonville Public Education Fund (FL) |
| 35. | Fund for Educational Excellence (MD) |
| 36. | Prince William County Public Schools Education Foundation (VA) |
| 37. | Fort Bend ISD Education Foundation (TX) |
| 38. | Pasco Education Foundation (FL) |
| 39. | Plano ISD Education Foundation (TX) |
| 40. | Los Angeles County Education Foundation (CA) |
| 41. | Long Beach Education Foundation (CA) |
| 42. | PENCIL Foundation (TN) |
| 43. | Jordan Education Foundation (UT) |
| 44. | Jeffco Schools Foundation (CO) |
| 44. | Educational Enrichment Foundation (AZ) |
| 45. | Milwaukee Public Schools Foundation (WI) |
| 46. | Futures Foundation for Volusia County Schools (FL) |
| 47. | Pasadena ISD Education Foundation (TX) |
| 48. | Public Schools of Hawaii Foundation (HI) |
| 49. | Loudoun Education Foundation (VA) |
| 50. | Education Foundation of Palm Beach (FL) |
For the full report, click here.