Education

Quality education is essential to a skilled and competitive workforce. Access to education, coupled with reliable, quality childcare is key for improving economic opportunities for all Americans.
Our education system is failing many students as shown by data that reveals two-thirds of our fourth and eighth graders are unable to read or do math at their grade level. And the United States ranks below 21 other countries in reading and math proficiency. Recognizing the importance of childcare as a key component of the education system is crucial to addressing the current challenges and ensuring that every child has the support they need to thrive.
Opinion
U.S. Chamber Foundation Senior Director Aaron Merchen argues that employers are increasingly recognizing that child care support is vital to not only help businesses survive but also to help communities thrive.

Future of Data in K-12 Education Initiative Can Help Inform a Critical Impasse
The U.S. Chamber Foundation has launched a multi-year initiative with the support of a working group of preeminent leaders in education to develop policy recommendations focused on all students, especially those who have been historically underserved by the K-12 system.
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Parents Need Child Care, and More Are Finding It At Work
As the child care crisis rages on, more companies are trying to help their workers with children with on-site child care.
Case Study
Child Care Answers is working to increase access to high-quality childcare for families, providers, the community, and employers in Indiana.
Programs
Latest Content
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation released new research that examines the impact of data-driven accountability in education policy over the last 20 years and sets the stage for concrete recommendations for the federal role in education. The report is the result of a collective effort with the nation’s leading education experts to create the most comprehensive analysis of the landmark education policies of the past two decades, from No Child Left Behind (NCLB) to Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), as part of the U.S. Chamber Foundation’s Future of Data in K-12 Education initiative.
At this very moment, women across the United States are sitting on million-dollar ideas, like a product that fills a niche or a service that solves a unique challenge. And increasingly, women are turning those ideas into entrepreneurship opportunities. Women accounted for 49% of business startups in 2021, a 28% jump from two years earlier.
I realize that it can be difficult for companies based in big cities to understand the realities of everyday life in small-town America. But the stark truth is that compared with their suburban and urban counterparts, the 1.1 million rural families with young children face a multitude of challenges that impact their childcare outlook.
Looking back on 2022 fills me with pride and a sense of awe at all the team has accomplished in 12 short months. The Center for Education and Workforce at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation continues to conceive of and lead long-term systems change in education and workforce—the underpinnings of American competitiveness and prosperity.
Right now, maybe more than any other time in modern history, working parents are devoting significant amounts of time, energy, and resources into balancing their roles at home and in the workplace. Parents must consider various factors in determining the level and type of childcare solutions that best meet their needs.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation today announced the launch of a nationwide Future of Data in K-12 Education Design Challenge, to develop innovative ideas on how to improve public school assessments and accountability in the United States. The Design Challenge is the next phase in a multi-year initiative, the Future of Data in K-12 Education, launched earlier this year.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation announced the recipients of its 23rd Annual Citizens Awards – eight companies that have shown exceptional leadership in harnessing innovation and creativity to solve our most pressing issues. From developing a STEM program to support the future aerospace workforce, to reducing waste and emissions across the supply chain, to delivering critical relief items to Ukrainian refugees, these companies illustrate how strong businesses are the foundation of strong communities.