For more than 25 years, the Yass’ have dedicated their time, their intellect and their resources to creating excellent schools for parents to have meaningful choices. But when the Covid crisis revealed and magnified the vast inequities that surround a majority of our students, they pivoted to a more impactful way to spend their resources to speed up the pace of improving student lives.

“We have recognized the incredible heroism of healthcare and front line workers who went above and beyond during COVID,” Janine said to Jeff during the crisis, “but look at all the heroes in education who served the underserved with in-person or quality virtual education students despite the challenges. We should recognize them, too,” she said. Read Janine and Jeff’s op-ed, Education Freedom is the Right Thing to Do.

Thus it was that Janine’s passion for education opportunity for all students sparked the creation of the Yass Prize and the STOP Awards Initiative. They were so inspired by the effort, by the providers and educators and innovators that the inaugural competition uncovered, that she committed to creating the Yass Foundation for Education to redirect all of their education philanthropy, to expand the number of providers working to provide a truly STOP-enabled education for students. Moving from reform to transform, Janine’s vision is fueling a new renaissance in education, based on the premise that every parent deserves the ability to provide their students with individualized, 21st century education opportunities offered in supportive environments alongside their peers. Read her Forbes article, “Why This Philanthropist Decided To Make A Significant Change In Giving Philosophy” about Janine’s philosophy and what drives she and Jeff to invest in innovative education providers.