Strong Start to Finish – Core Principles

This month, we reflect on the foundation’s bold new $200 billion commitment through 2045—a call to deepen impact and push the boundaries of what’s possible. The Pathways team is zeroing in on the high-stakes transition from high school to postsecondary life, focusing on integrated strategies like high-quality advising, dual enrollment, CTE, and FAFSA completion. Stay tuned as we continue to explore what strong, student-centered pathways look like in practice and spotlight the innovations shaping the future.

Our founder and chair, Bill Gates, recently shared a big announcement: Over the next two decades, we will double our giving. This month, the Postsecondary Success newsletter explores the role we play in delivering on that ambitious goal, and what our collective efforts could help achieve for students in the next 20 years.

The foundation’s new director of Education Pathways, Cheryl Hyman, takes the pen in this month’s newsletter, sharing about her background and the values and motivation she brings to this work. In other news, two new reports on dual enrollment shed light on essential aspects of quality as seen in cities across the U.S. of quality and unpack how Indiana integrated new dual enrollment classes into their early college programs while maintaining AP class options. Plus, a new commission kicks off their work to better define and connect experiences that put students on strong, coherent pathways.