Schools for a New Society

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In 2000, Carnegie Corporation of New York created Schools for a New Society, an intitiative designed to help reinvent and reimagine the high school experience for American students. The idea was spurred on by a deep commitment to the idea that in order to succeed in the knowledge-based society of the 21st century, all students needed to have access to a high-quality education that would prepare them not only to go on to college but lay the groundwork for a life that would include the potential for economic success, full participation as a citizen of a vibrant democracy and the ability to enrich themselves with ongoing learning experiences.

At the heart of Schools for a New Society (SNS) is the concept of district reform, which encompasses the idea that in order to improve education for all students, entire school districts must reinvent the way they deliver education, and must involve the whole community in reform efforts, including school officials, teachers, parents and students as well as community stakeholders such as unions, college personnel, elected officials, business leaders, and leaders of community-based and youth development organizations.

After an extensive competitive process, seven cities--Boston, Chattanooga, Providence, Sacramento, San Diego, Worcester, and Houston--were chosen to be the pioneers of the SNS initiative, which has received $60 million in support from the Corporation along with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. We invite you to read about how the SNS story has developed so far.