![Education](/images/cache/3f973703e09649927df0d325428324be64093a7c.jpg)
Education
Tackling the achievement gap in New Orleans
Our Impact
Since 2011, Propeller has incubated and accelerated 263 ventures through the Impact Accelerator and Social Venture Fund. Collectively, they have generated over $292 million in external financing and revenue and created 485+ full- and part-time jobs. Our businesses and nonprofits overall have an 84 percent survival rate, compared to the national average of 56 percent.
As a result of our work with ventures in the education focus area, Propeller has influenced the following outcomes:
- An increase of $25mm (2015) to $43mm (2019) in Medicaid dollars flowing to schools to pay for social workers and school psychologists
- Shifting the healthy school food RFP criteria and serving healthy school meals to 22,000+ public school children annually
- 15 charter school boards engaging in policy changes to further racial equity and inclusion at the board level
- 300+ schools streamlined professional support for teachers through a K-12 classroom observation and coaching platform
- 8,047 individuals and students using a career technical education matching portal resulting in 867 connections
Education Focus Area
Propeller works to narrow New Orleans’ achievement gap by addressing the factors that emerge to impact success throughout a young person’s educational career. Starting in early childcare, Propeller small businesses and nonprofits are supporting parents and caretakers and helping education providers streamline their administration and maximize funding. From K-12, entrepreneurs are working at the systems level to ensure student success, from improving student health with vision and hearing screenings, increasing Medicaid funding for behavioral health, and increasing the quality of healthy school lunches to partnering with RTA to ensure students have easy affordable transportation between school, home, and after-school enrichment programs. Propeller ventures also work with young adults who have left or completed high school to create pathways to postsecondary education and fulfilling careers.
Propeller’s Education Accelerator focuses on supporting entrepreneurs bringing equitable, culturally relevant practices and policies to local education systems and skill development opportunities. Propeller prioritizes solutions that specifically address the following issues in the education focus area:
- Access to quality early childhood education
- Development of equitable, culturally relevant practices, policies, and approaches in education systems across New Orleans
- Expanded pathways to vocational education and job skill development for New Orleanians
To date, Propeller has accelerated 55+ education-focused ventures by providing access to contacts, contracts, community, capital, mentors, and subject matter experts (financial modeling, graphic design, customer pipeline, marketing, fundraising, etc.). This support has resulted in notable success for these entrepreneurs. Below are some of our notable Alumni.
Propeller Ventures working in this Sector
![Small Royalty](/images/cache/64fdf2f510ab452ee7040a237ca21c8cf8a56f88.jpg)
Small Royalty
Dionne Phillips
Areas of focus: Education
![Monarch Learning Academy](/images/cache/27880d65e9f79d3c474b2203ad17f1d8d591a8b6.jpg)
Monarch Learning Academy
Kynisha Jackson
Areas of focus: Education
![Kingdom Culture](/images/cache/4254c33a1b5d9d044ae27616626978b14c5a0724.jpg)
Kingdom Culture
Kisha Brown
Areas of focus: Education
![Kid’s Kingdom Academy](/images/cache/5998d99a18c1f91124f12f1674eb0f23a6c795e0.jpg)
Kid’s Kingdom Academy
Lynette Rivers
Areas of focus: Education
![Community Connection Programs](/images/cache/e8414c85d244aac376d78d70b7ff1fbfd1ce3db5.jpg)
Community Connection Programs
Jewel Chavis
Areas of focus: Education
![Little Steps Learning Center](/images/cache/7a1992ecae1abea39e6455ad62df24fb82230a66.jpg)
Little Steps Learning Center
Lakisha Mcleod & Aronisha Mickell
Areas of focus: Education
![ALAS](/images/cache/3a79a751bc287b66d45619c64a1c4cc062ccc24e.png)
ALAS
Lisa María Rhodes & Yasmin Falcon Morales
Areas of focus: Education
![Be Loud Studios](/images/cache/c5882662729e13a3cce93271a42a1a4a2d1f0707.jpg)
Be Loud Studios
Alex Owens, Diana Turner
Areas of focus: Education
![Ngombo Cafe and Sanctuary](/images/cache/7e1379003dabc53f8c9a83e977449fd6c8da9eda.jpg)
Ngombo Cafe and Sanctuary
jackie sumell, Jerome Morgan, Christin Wagner, Robert Jones
Areas of focus: Education
![Reunion Shoe Company](/images/cache/36fae10773473e47cf1d3c3008e71103b2ded8bd.png)
Reunion Shoe Company
Dan Fowler
Areas of focus: Education
![Turning Tables](/images/cache/1945d939e1f03a4995085c13ad00bd38f7305050.jpg)
Turning Tables
Toure Folkes
Areas of focus: Education
![WhereWeGo](/images/cache/513d9bfe50a6502cab4fb260c3171c36167b7ded.jpg)
WhereWeGo
Leah Lykins and Ben Ifshin
Areas of focus: Education
![Electric Girls](/images/cache/a36e3a0b7608df1a1b92f977f5758529d9c2878b.jpg)
Electric Girls
Jillian Sandoval
Areas of focus: Education
![Cipher 360](/images/cache/d3d346003fa43ec0b2eef8859c747d3dbd824b5c.jpg)
Cipher 360
Kristyna Jones and Larry Irvin
Areas of focus: Education
![STEM Library Lab](/images/cache/4eafbe61d37d2438a29d6ea1eed35a6d96ba13fb.png)
STEM Library Lab
Todd Wackerman, Sarah Sievert
Areas of focus: Education
![Navigate NOLA](/images/cache/4a509696063abd33d7d53674b0558c961093af9d.png)
Navigate NOLA
Dr. Danielle K. Wright
Areas of focus: Education
![Legacy Leadership Academy for Girls](/images/cache/0d3ccc39fd771e6f5d7472a37b3ab4be00111c6c.png)
Legacy Leadership Academy for Girls
Ronicka Briscoe
Areas of focus: Education
![Early Partners](/images/cache/341e154e1640c3c632b834363b0b912e3a600fd9.png)
Early Partners
Kim Frusciante
Areas of focus: Education
![Excellent Readers](/images/cache/a3f6f4fd2c6ccfb2f9e2de748b4ec06f55ef746e.png)
Excellent Readers
Dwann Wagner
Areas of focus: Education
![ALAS](/images/cache/876c9939fa2e636aa38fd77113056eab5a202064.png)
ALAS
Lisa Maria Rhodes
Areas of focus: Education
![Beautify](/images/cache/fceda4d4a9ab0faec2e9627dbf1080eb93de9c62.jpg)
Beautify
Kiyann Clanton, Maya Sewell
Areas of focus: Education
![WhereWeGo](/images/cache/163f44abe0278f5a66146afc0ba54f7b45be8941.jpg)
WhereWeGo
Ben Ifshin, Leah Lykins
Areas of focus: Education
![KNOW Card Games](/images/cache/53ae6175a483e43f4b30f447894ce4cb39700cd8.jpg)
KNOW Card Games
Freddi W. Evans
Areas of focus: Education
![The New Orleans Council for Community & Justice](/images/cache/777562caaf0159864fb170c38d36774dbb915f24.jpg)
The New Orleans Council for Community & Justice
Jordan Bridges
Areas of focus: Education
![Irene Morgan Schools](/images/cache/4a203f6837ab92be229705944cd30d8e1678b724.png)
Irene Morgan Schools
Adrienne Wallace, Melanie Dukes, Malaika Hankins, Ella Every-Wortman
Areas of focus: Education
![Start the Adventure in Reading](/images/cache/f07aac0c43ccba71c8ba5cb6963f03258ebd5808.jpg)
Start the Adventure in Reading
Veronica Reed & Amanda Chittenden
Areas of focus: Education
![KID smART](/images/cache/ed293b89fc1d1db89f0737e0d3cb95050a3aac40.jpg)
KID smART
Elise Gallinot Goldman
Areas of focus: Education
![Crescent City Corps](/images/cache/fab290acbbe355cbd31549aaf03ae5f035f5e38d.jpg)
Crescent City Corps
Brent Godfrey
Areas of focus: Education
![Goshin-Kai Academy](/images/cache/3db62007fdb26f4c5813d470abcd5d10eaa85df8.jpg)
Goshin-Kai Academy
Andre Maximum
Areas of focus: Education
![Erosync](/images/cache/f277f3b96b7429f0a545937f125e4097c653ba23.jpg)
Erosync
Alfred Matthews III, Jared Bluford
Areas of focus: Education
![The Juror Project](/images/cache/217a07826e70076a400f9714807940381d8655ee.jpg)
The Juror Project
William Snowden
Areas of focus: Education
![STEM Library Lab](/images/cache/514419a8fc06dfd14984409aa3a28dfeb44036b1.jpg)
STEM Library Lab
Todd Wackerman, Sarah Sievert
Areas of focus: Education
![Wilcox Academy of Early Learning](/images/cache/a2500119b3379bc2dc73bc5abc246bd21d99df82.jpg)
Wilcox Academy of Early Learning
Rochelle Wilcox
Areas of focus: Education
![STEM NOLA](/images/cache/0bf88a5b6478d3dba909b1d31bcfc546f392ace3.jpg)
STEM NOLA
Dr. Calvin Mackie
Areas of focus: Education
![Kids of Excellence Child Development Center](/images/cache/78dc33fb2bd04e8bc75c8c3cdeafd6cb2fb1b7bf.jpg)
Kids of Excellence Child Development Center
Kristi Givens & Precious Acker
Areas of focus: Education
![Dancing Grounds](/images/cache/be5cadb186c60f0e52d499ee400e17e1a88b6330.jpg)
Dancing Grounds
Laura Stein & Jeremy Guyton
Areas of focus: Education
![College Beyond](/images/cache/0f1dd8229091962a59d55bd6ce28dc3b712c553c.jpg)
College Beyond
Paris Woods & Sarah Payne
Areas of focus: Education
![Whole Village Art Therapy](/images/cache/d4e4c27b4dfb98af90beb9c0296b5225872e9b31.jpg)
Whole Village Art Therapy
Holly Wherry
Areas of focus: Education
![TrainingGrounds](/images/cache/ce2b74eb8b234873f02497c61a34620d76d1efa2.jpg)
TrainingGrounds
Christine Neely & Melanie Richardson
Areas of focus: Education
![826 New Orleans](/images/cache/d335e6b5427162719da08f2da8c3fbab1c70670f.jpg)
826 New Orleans
Douglas Keller & Aubrey Edwards
Areas of focus: Education
![College Beyond](/images/cache/7f33a343912138650a0e26a50c8a1907686bb868.jpg)
College Beyond
Paris Woods & Sarah Payne
Areas of focus: Education
![Kids of Excellence Child Development Center](/images/cache/f7fadd28cbf228428d0e8fab711b98d5344d5cea.jpg)
Kids of Excellence Child Development Center
Kristi Givens & Precious Acker
Areas of focus: Education
![The Southern History Project](/images/cache/5c4e944c2ea683b2967b50f12c769dc409cb9612.jpg)
The Southern History Project
Sheila Sundar
Areas of focus: Education
![Electric Girls](/images/cache/0770a5f537e7d09ec99dc68c1bab0608d221519c.jpg)
Electric Girls
Flor Serna & Maya Ramos
Areas of focus: Education
![Youth Rebuilding New Orleans](/images/cache/6afda8c781792551640f0b51214b1835ca2a2536.jpg)
Youth Rebuilding New Orleans
William Stoudt
Areas of focus: Education
![XS Martial Arts Dojo & Save One Now Acquisition](/images/cache/00cad1226f1574837e95e8aeb34f22efe0c420d0.jpg)
XS Martial Arts Dojo & Save One Now Acquisition
Jason B. Horne & Monica F. Horne
Areas of focus: Education
![Whetstone Education](/images/cache/e1848be89aba89cbaa5f5163a6b6afb76c522879.png)
Whetstone Education
Libby Fischer
Areas of focus: Education
![TrueSchool](/images/cache/f40e92dcd0092818b8ab7a2db81bd1abc59ee956.jpg)
TrueSchool
Maggie Riddell & Gabrielle Alicino
Areas of focus: Education
![Royal Castle Child Development Center](/images/cache/dfd1bd0b8fcb62de1218614550148aae86d60fd3.jpg)
Royal Castle Child Development Center
Pearlie Harris & Tim Harris
Areas of focus: Education
![Operation Spark](/images/cache/9a7160ee330c26b646f730e42b733cde8d8065e3.jpg)
Operation Spark
John Fraboni & Max Gaudin
Areas of focus: Education
![YEP Design Works](/images/cache/15994ecdfa9a73119c2647f751d92baca68a8b5b.jpg)
YEP Design Works
Alberta Wright
Areas of focus: Education
![unCommon Construction](/images/cache/ab19c6c2dbb9535e624d8f8bfaa95422703b2df2.jpg)
unCommon Construction
Aaron Frumin
Areas of focus: Education
![RisingFoundations](/images/cache/1b12fe4cc279fde7fa10a124a2b61bb9e90ac7b7.jpg)
RisingFoundations
Kelly Orians & Calvin Duncan
Areas of focus: Education
![Upturn Arts](/images/cache/68c007d33f52ba3bfac381492d5d9582234d5cb1.jpg)
Upturn Arts
Dana Reed
Areas of focus: Education
![The Beautiful Foundation, Incorporated](/images/cache/b4ba6b91aa5d5190c916106de945968238616b57.jpg)
The Beautiful Foundation, Incorporated
Lauren Perry
Areas of focus: Education
![Adinkra NOLA](/images/cache/f1fa337f5b2687a4ca878346bd2188bd34159fcf.jpg)
Adinkra NOLA
Elizabeth Fletcher
Areas of focus: Education
![Coordinated Care for the Whole Child](/images/cache/6dde71b58885f98315b595bee1ef1b7f1e1dcefd.jpg)
Coordinated Care for the Whole Child
Connie Bellone
Areas of focus: Education, Health
![Brothers Empowered 2 Teach](/images/cache/51378d617a964def3a4839461a1138cd8f926664.jpg)
Brothers Empowered 2 Teach
Kristyna Jones and Larry Irvin
Areas of focus: Education
![Million Dollar Scholar](/images/cache/a1ca6c1038459cff3fc2e8734da68802645c1421.jpg)
Million Dollar Scholar
Ras Asan and Derrius Quarles
Areas of focus: Education
![Live Oak Wilderness Camp](/images/cache/8561f3576c7f04e3e1f78cca4e9dcddbbcced06e.jpg)
Live Oak Wilderness Camp
Jack Carey, Bene Webster, Caleb Dufresne, Iris Howorth, Jeremy Guyton, Lucy Scholz, Oskie Creech, and Team
Areas of focus: Education
![Center for Restorative Approaches](/images/cache/db6f6c314dba97bc5e95959c400acd2bfaa282f9.jpg)
Center for Restorative Approaches
Troi Bechet
Areas of focus: Education
![The Cookbook Project](/images/cache/c69d5794637d454c923230bc49473464f300bbf6.jpg)
The Cookbook Project
Adam Aronovitz and Alissa Bilfield
Areas of focus: Food, Education
![TrueSchool](/images/cache/996fe1c9db264b4b8216faeefb11b87e3849b17e.jpg)
TrueSchool
Amy Vreeland
Areas of focus: Education
![Broadmoor Arts & Wellness Center](/images/cache/347edb308d6ebfcb8fcf6f869b691a8c48d0332f.jpg)
Broadmoor Arts & Wellness Center
Emily Wolff
Areas of focus: Health, Education
![New Orleans Master Crafts Guild](/images/cache/df6fb1995fc62cebf4d1dff5c574a1497942f54c.jpg)
New Orleans Master Crafts Guild
Jonn Hankins
Areas of focus: Economic & Workforce Development, Education
![Good Citizen](/images/cache/fd21f97684ae06b92a837f90bf61b103d211e355.png)
Good Citizen
Nolan Marshall, Jr. & Nolan Marshall III
Areas of focus: Education
![Youth Rebuilding New Orleans](/images/cache/0355dbc6b16ded83a4338e53dfc3662150885a43.jpg)