We help children get ready for kindergarten and learn to read

Save the Children works in the United States and around the world to reach those children who are missing out most on learning.

We help children get ready for kindergarten and learn to read by third grade — a major indicator of future success. We’re especially focused on reaching vulnerable children in rural America where early learning resources are scarce. Globally, we ensure that no child’s learning stops because they are caught up in crisis.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, 258 million children were out of school, including 130 million girls. And even when children were at school, many were not learning. The world’s children deserve better.

Millions of children risk losing out on their education.
For the first time in human history, an entire generation of children globally have had their education disrupted. And yet, this emergency comes on top of an existing learning crisis. Even before the pandemic struck, millions of children were not going to school and not learning.

A boy sits in a field while working on school work while lifestock run behind him.
Hamza* has already had his access to education disrupted multiple times because of the conflict in Syria. Once his school closed due to COVID-19, he began trying to keep up learning at home.

Girls were 2X more likely than boys to never set foot in a classroom.
In the U.S., children living in poverty started school up to 18 months behind their peers.

2 in 5 children living in poverty in the U.S. had no access to preschool.
Some 500 million children have had no access to distance learning.
Almost 10 million children may never return to school following the COVID-19 lockdown.
Save the Children is a global leader in education.
• We have delivered quality education to over 273 million children in the last decade — more than any other global development organization.

• We helped reduce the number of out-of-school children by one-third since 2000, resulting in 180 million more children getting the education they deserve.

• In rural America, we help more children get ready for kindergarten than any other nonprofit organization.

• We are working to make sure kids can learn during this crisis, with more than 300K kids served since the start of the pandemic.

Learn more about our work to ensure every child has access to a quality education.
A 2-year old girl stands in front of a rusty tractor in the lawn of her home in West Virgina.
Poverty in America
Across the U.S., the poorest children tend to have the fewest learning materials at home. And millions, especially in rural areas, lack high-speed internet and the digital devices necessary for distance learning.

FIND OUT MORE

Girls work on school work in a classroom in Somalia.
Girl’s Education
We understand the importance of education for girl children. With your help, we can educate girls who may not otherwise have the chance to learn — changing the course of their lives, their children’s lives and the future of their communities.
LEARN MORE

Learn more about our education programs.
A 9-year-old schoolgirl in Uganda smiles brightly as she practices writing numbers on a chalkboard in her classroom thanks to a charity for children’s education. Photo credit: Jordan. J. Hay, 2012.
Global Education
READ MORE
The Global Education team works to find the best solutions to help children around the world learn and thrive.
A smiling pre-school student clutches a book to her chest at the Early Steps for School Success program (ESSS) in Barnwell, South Carolina: Photo credit: Susan Warner/Save the Children, October 2014.
U.S. Education
LEARN MORE
Working across rural America, our education experts help children get ready for kindergarten and achieve the critical reading and math mil