There's lots of excitement on the TAF Academy front. We're only three weeks away from opening our first public school! On July 24th we had a chance to meet the families and faculty at a BBQ on the school campus.
We have all been so busy over the past three years developing this model, building the partnership with Federal Way, hiring staff, etc. that it felt like we were just working on a concept. Seeing all those families at the BBQ was actually the first time I felt like it was real. It's still hard to believe. Every once in a while I have to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming.
Last week I was reading an article in the Washington CEO journal. In light of the fact that one of our learning labs was burglarized recently, here's what stuck out for me:
"Studies show that people without a high-school diploma or a general education degree are more likely than others to land in prison or on welfare. The state budget for corrections more than doubled between 1991 and 2001, outpacing all other expenditures except for health care. The average cost per prisoner is $27,170 per year. That same money could cover a year's worth of education at the UW for two medical students."
Articles like this make me wonder why our state, with all its resources, cannot manage to create the best education system in the nation. Would we rather build jails? Would we rather increase our welfare rolls? I would bet that we could reduce our state healthcare costs if people had a better education. What are we waiting for?
Well, we at TAF can't wait any longer! TAF Academy is just the beginning of broadening the impact of our work. TAF is going to do everything in its power to ensure that thousands of kids - particularly underserved children of color - receive a quality education, go to college, and have great careers so that they can contribute to society and become leaders for our country.
I bet you're not willing to wait any longer either, so join us!
