United Way Works To Ensure All Southwest Oklahoman's Succeed in School and Life
Education is the cornerstone of individual and community success. But with more than 1.2 million children dropping out each year, America faces an education crisis. The cost? More than $312 billion in lost wages, taxes, and productivity over their lifetimes.1 These trends are reversible, but only when communities and public, private and nonprofit sectors work together.
Our Goal
In 2008, United Way worldwide launched a 10-year initiative to cut the number of high school dropouts in half by 2018. It’s an ambitious goal, but by utilizing our core strengths — a national network, committed partners and public engagement capacity — we can achieve it. Locally, great strides have been made by United Way and our partners to decrease high school dropout rates in Comanche County, OK. In 2015, Comanche County had 1.2% less high school dropouts than the state average.2
Local Goal
Ten years ago the United Way Board of Directors decided to fund a local Success By 6 chapter in Comanche County to help the unmet need for early childhood education. Through Success By 6 barriers that have kept children from being ready for school in the past are being eliminated through 8 active programs. The effectiveness of Success By 6 is shown by reviewing the 3rd grade reading scores (the first time Oklahoma students are tested for reading proficiency) that continually show marked improvement well above the state average.3
In 2015, United Way of Southwest Oklahoma and several community partners met together with Lawton Public Schools to build the idea of Career Pathways. Today, the Career Pathway's initiative is in all middle and high schools in the Lawton Public School System.
Our Strategy
We can’t focus on high school alone. High school dropouts are 12 years in the making, usually starting early childhood education behind schedule. United Way's model focuses on supportive communities, effective schools, and strong families — strategies and approaches rooted in research. Tackling the education challenge requires reframing education from birth to career.
2021 Education Programs funded by United Way of Southwest Oklahoma
Boy Scouts of America, Last Frontier Council- Comprehensive Youth Development Program
Girl Scouts of Western Oklahoma- Building Leaders in Southwest Oklahoma Program
Salvation Army- Boys and Girls Club
Success By 6
Teen Court- Delinquency Prevention Program
1Figure according to Communities in Schools, one of America’s leading drop-out prevention partnerships.
2 Kids Count Data
3 Kids Count Data