Chevron makes significant gift to benefit students across Kern County

Chevron has deep philanthropic roots in Kern County. The company has contributed to individual school districts, as well as institutions of higher education, throughout the community for many years. Chevron's latest gift of $275,000 will benefit local educational programs that serve Kern County school districts. The majority of the funding will support the Kern Integrated Data System (KiDS), with a portion also benefiting other initiatives run by KCSOS including career education programming, "Do the Math," Camp KEEP, the California Living Museum (CALM), and other STEM-related projects throughout Kern County.

KiDS is an integral part of the Kern Education Pledge, a collaboration between Kern County's 46 public school districts, charter schools and partners in higher education that is dedicated to enabling the success of all students. At the end of 2022, Kern Integrated Data System (KiDS) had onboarded 45 school districts representing 96 percent of classroom-based Kern County students, giving educators access to real-time local data to inform classroom instruction and flag problem areas so intervention can be quickly deployed. Chevron's funding will allow KiDS to continue its reach throughout the county.

"Chevron is proud to continue our partnership with the Kern County Superintendent of Schools, and we remain committed to helping expand pathways to success for Kern County students," said Megan Lopez, Chevron Public Affairs Representative. "The Kern Integrated Data System is a critical tool that enables educators to monitor the progress of students throughout Kern County to help guide them to bright futures. Thank you to Dr. Mary Barlow and Kern County educators for your continued dedication to developing our community's future workforce."

Through KiDS, educators have access to large data sets and a myriad of real-time reports that can be disaggregated to inform current instructional practices, implement targeted instructional strategies, provide warning signals where student interventions might be needed, illuminate bright spots that might be investigated and replicated, and activate professional development needs for teachers, administrators, and other instructional support staff across Kern County.

"KiDS serves as the engine that informs educational actions in our cradle-to-career initiative and will accelerate improved outcomes for all students regardless of the zip code they reside in," said Kern County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mary Barlow. "Chevron has been our longstanding partner and we can't thank them enough for their ongoing and gracious support."

More information about KiDS can be found at http://www.kernkids.org.