Low-income children stand to gain the most from high-quality preschool education, but they are also the least likely to receive it. AppleTree is dedicated to closing the achievement gap for DC’s most vulnerable children – before they enter kindergarten. Its instructional model, Every Child Ready, includes a fully developed curriculum, comprehensive training and professional development for teachers, and data-driven tools to monitor progress and tailor instruction to each child’s needs. Teachers, principals, and instructional coaches learn what to teach, how to teach, and how to tell if it’s working (and make improvements when it’s not). Nascent learning difficulties are addressed early, reducing the need for special education placement and helping at-risk children excel alongside their more advantaged peers. You can help 2,600 DC three- and four-year-olds (at AppleTree’s own schools and at partner schools using its model) get the great start they deserve.

Headquarters: DC-Ward 8

Where They Operate: DC-Ward 1; DC-Ward 6; DC-Ward 7; DC-Ward 8; Southwest Waterfront; Columbia Heights; East Capitol Hill; Douglas Knoll (SE); Parklands (SE)

Age Groups Served: Pre-K (3-4)

Population(s) Served: Low- to Moderate-Income Community Members; Men/Boys; Women/Girls; Students

Schools They Work In: AppleTree Early Learning PCS, ; Center City PCS; City Arts & Prep; Early Childhood Academy PCS,; E.L. Haynes PCS; Friendship PCS; RocketShip Rise


  • Number of children we prepare for success in school annually:   1200
  • Number of Tier 1 (Highest Rated) DC Public Charter Schools:   4

Awards & Recognition

2016: AppleTree Institute recognized as a "high-impact investment opportunity" by the University of Pennsylvania's Center for High Impact Philanthropy.

2010: AppleTree Institute won a five-year, $5 million grant from the US Department of Education's Investing in Innovation (i3) Fund competition and raised $1.5 million in private matching funds to support the project, the further development and evaluation of AppleTree's groundbreaking Every Child Ready preschool instructional model.

2009: The Foundation for the National Capital Region and the City Bridge Foundation selected AppleTree Early Learning Public Charter School as an example of a high quality preschool for 25 foundation leaders from around the country to tour.

May 2009: Featured in a New America Foundation forum report, entitled "Putting the 'Quality' into Quality Preschool: Lessons from Data Driven Early Interventions."

October 2008: Invited to participate in a presentation on "High Quality Preschool" before the New Schools Venture Fund Community of Practice in Philadelphia.

September 2008: Awarded a $4.3 million, 4-year federal Early Reading First grant by the US Department of Education and a $935,000 City Build Incentive grant by the DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education through competitive processes.

2008: Awarded first runner up in the nationwide "Better Government Competition" by the Pioneer Institute. The Philanthropy Roundtable selected AppleTree Institute as an example of a high quality preschool for 50 foundation leaders from around the country to tour.

Press

Budget (FY2014)

  • The current budget for AppleTree Institute for Education Innovation is: $3 million or higher
  • $1 million to $3 million
  • $500k to $1 million
  • Less than $500k

Catalogue charities range in size from $100,000 to $3 million. This graphic indicates the budget range of the organization featured here. If you see an organizational budget above the $3 million mark, that is because the featured charity has grown in size since it first appeared in the Catalogue. We proudly present on our website the work of these "growth" charities.

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