Education

Together, we can erase obstacles for kids.

Education forms the foundation for a student’s entire life. It opens doors, broadens horizons and enables children to thrive.

United Way Quad Cities creates, leads and invests in initiatives that strengthen early education, enrich out-of-school time and provide strong pathways to success after high school.

Working collectively with community leaders, volunteers, partners and supporters like you, we helped more than 33,000 students lay the groundwork for ongoing educational success.

Read United volunteering with a student.
Two smiling kid girls in a school.

Education is the key to how most people move out of poverty.

We’ve teamed up with community leaders to help our youth reach their full potential in life. Education, along with income and health, is one of the building blocks of opportunity.

In line with our Rise United 2030 community goals, we are driving transformative change in education by focusing on youth literacy — a key indicator of a child’s future success.

Challenge
1 %
only
of Quad Cities third-graders are reading proficiently

(Quad Cities Educational Data Exchange – 2023)

Our Goal
1 %
of third-grade students reading on grade-level by third grade by 2030
Double
0 X
the achievement rate for Black & Hispanic students to close the racial gap

You may also be interested in our Income Goals and our Health Goals.

Education programs & initiatives.

Change the story for our next generation.

When kids fall behind in school, they get frustrated and check out before they drop out. We create, partner and invest in a range of programs that set students up to achieve now and in the future. Education is the best investment we can make to eradicate poverty, empower students to develop their full potential and build a strong talent and workforce pipeline.

family-of-four-standing-in-front-of-a-car

Funded Partners

United Way Quad Cities works with funded partner organizations making a difference in education every day.

Education impact at a glance.

Woman holding child and smiling outside.
0 %

of children whose parents participated in kindergarten readiness programming started school with the necessary skills.

Young girl student holding a pile of books.
0 %

of students who participated in our reading programming have improved their literacy skills.

Student-sitting-at-a-desk-in-a-classroom
1200

students discovered a career path aligned with their interests after participating in funded career exploration programs.

$10 per month can spark a lifelong love of reading that can propel a student to reach their full potential.

When you invest $10 a month through United Way Quad Cities, you can give a grade school student books to develop literacy skills and ignite a passion for reading they’ll carry with them for life.

$10 per month can spark a lifelong love of reading that can propel a student to reach their full potential.

When you invest $10 a month through United Way Quad Cities, you can give a grade school student books to develop literacy skills and ignite a passion for reading they’ll carry with them for life.

Education News

Moline elementary school partnership builds student trust and empowerment. When a 10-year-old boy is more excited about something at school than his upcoming birthday, you know…
The day second-grader “George” didn’t show up for school, Tamera Dixon made a phone call. As family support liaison at Madison Elementary School in Davenport, it’s…
Picture this: Quad Cities schools, United Way, students, teachers, parents and the community as whole locked arm in arm, with the goal to ensure all students achieve…