Education is Freedom Transforms Lives Through Education

Education is Freedom envisions a world where every young person has the opportunity to pursue a college education and a rewarding career. Since our formation in 2002, the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion have been the cornerstone of our work, assisting all students in identifying their post-secondary dreams and opportunities and subsequently navigating the systems that support their choices. Our team of 22 recent college graduates are highly skilled, passionate and committed to their craft of guiding and advising students through the college and career processes. We are in 20 Dallas I.S.D high Schools, 1 Dallas I.S.D middle Schools, 8 schools in Grand Prairie I.S.D. middle schools. 

Through comprehensive monthly principal reports, campus leadership is always aware of current accomplishments on their campuses. Our advisors are highly valued assets that never turn away any student or parent in the pursuit of educational excellence. The advisors are goal focused, never hesitating to do whatever is needed, however, or whenever duty calls. In fact, 50% of our advisors are bi-lingual, but all are willing to assist parents, families, and students that have difficulty understanding what is needed for student success. If students and parents are not comfortable coming to school campuses, we take our mobile unit, including access to needed technology resources, to their local communities.

Like you, we have skin in the game serving as both a partner and vendor to Dallas I.S.D. The District provides 65% of our funding and EIF seeks 35% from private donors. As a partner, we use our private funds to provide extra support including college campus visits, SAT / ACT preparation, mentoring, and curriculum workshops to 10-15 of the top students in each of the schools we serve. In the school year 2016-2017, our private contributions benefited 174 EIF scholars.

Our Goals

• Expect that all underserved students are capable of being prepared to enroll and succeed in college; reducing the dropout rate
• Provide a range of high-quality, college-planning tools for students and families
• Help students leverage private and public scholarship funds
• Provide intern experiences helping students to visualize their dreams
• Equip students with the necessary skills to successfully complete college

Education is Freedom (EIF) was founded in 2002 with the creation of a dynamic board of corporate leaders who envisioned a world where every young person could pursue a college education. As business leaders, government officials and entrepreneurs, EIF’s board was and is committed to creating an educated workforce that could build effective companies and strong communities in today’s knowledge-based economy. To accomplish this, EIF first offered renewable scholarships to first-time college students. This program quickly revealed that financial support alone was insufficient to ensure college success, especially for students with other profound social or economic barriers. In 2003 EIF launched a comprehensive, local, school-based program designed to improve the college-going orientation in the Dallas Independent School District (ISD).  In this time, EIF has helped over 100,000 students and their families complete the college process.  To further align with EIF s vision of developing a skilled and educated workforce, in 2008, EIF, along with the Mayor’s Office launched the Mayor’s Intern Fellows Program.  This eight-week internship program has offered over 500 high school students the opportunity to intern at some of the largest and most respected corporations and non-profit organizations in the City of Dallas.