Connecting Underserved Students to Academic Achievement Through Social Emotional Learning and Teacher Development

Students in underserved communities repeatedly demonstrate their potential to perform at high levels in the classroom; however, they also continue to face an elevated risk of slipping through the cracks in the educational system, often beginning in the crucial middle school years. Factors such as lack of economic and educational enrichment opportunities, family educational background and teacher attrition can hinder students from persisting to high school graduation and beyond.

For more than 40 years, Breakthrough Collaborative has worked to address this issue as a national leader in education equity. Active in 24 cities across the country, the organization connects 10,000 secondary school students with 1,100 college-aged Teaching Fellows each year to cultivate mutually beneficial learning communities and prepare participants for real-world success. Its 40,000 alumni consist of successful educators and leaders across several private and public sector industries. In fact, after participating in Breakthrough, three out of every four Teaching Fellows, 76% of whom are people of color, enter the education profession.