What We Do

Our Mission

We solve problems through collaboration and resource connections to build on mission-based programs of the Environmental Charter Schools, and we develop, sustain, and champion excellence in teaching and learning grounded in the philosophy and practices of progressive education.

Our Vision

All Pittsburgh youth realize their inherent value and deep impact on their local community and the planet, regardless of economic status, ethnicity, race, nation of origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, cognitive or physical ability, and activate their agency and to change the world.

All Pittsburgh educators realize their full potential develop continual renewal, through life-wide learning experiences, and find joy and enthusiasm for their work with students.

Our Values

• We put people and planet first.

• We are committed to building environmental literacy and modeling systems thinking in all of our work.

• We are committed to anti-racism work in our organization, in our schools and in our community.

• We are flexible and responsive to the changing needs of children in our community.

• We are inclusive and welcoming to all who want to engage in our work.

• We value integrity, collective impact, and entrepreneurship of our people.

The Environmental Charter School Foundation (ECS Foundation) goes beyond supporting endeavors to make schools better. Our work focuses on initiatives that pilot, iterate, refine, deconstruct, revitalize, and completely reimagine the way "school" lives and breathes. ECS Foundation supports visionary work to create and support the progressive education movement in the city of Pittsburgh.

How do we do it?

The ECS Foundation supports visionary work to create and support the progressive education movement in the city of Pittsburgh by:

• Supporting a set of high-performing, eclectic schools through programmatic investment and mission-aligned initiatives

• Providing services to support healthy, sustainable and green schools throughout the region

• Developing educator transformation initiatives through innovative professional development across schools and districts, authentic experiences, and reflection

• Promoting constructive, thoughtful dialogue around learning, education models, and 21st-century needs with parents/guardians, community stakeholders, political and thought leaders

• Philanthropically supporting school budgets to enhance student growth and local economic development

• Growing the birth to workforce pipeline of services for children in the city of Pittsburgh, with partnerships, program development, and opportunity connections (early childhood programs, community building programs, workforce development experiences, etc).