Get Schooled

History

Get Schooled was founded in 2009, with 501(c)(3) status granted in 2010, by the Gates Foundation and Viacom, also with involvement from Viacom's subsidiary Paramount Pictures. It began as a five year initiative to "generate greater awareness and engagement in addressing the nation’s education crisis and to offer practical resources and support to students." The nonprofit released a documentary titled Get Schooled: You Have the Right, featuring Barack Obama, LeBron James, and Kelly Clarkson.{{cite web |last1=Diaz |first1=Ann-Christine |title=Students to Get Schooled with Viacom and The Gates Foundation |url=http://adage.com/article/creativity-news/students-schooled-viacom-gates-foundation/138872/ |website=AdvertisingAge|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170810210419/http://adage.com/article/creativity-news/students-schooled-viacom-gates-foundation/138872/ |archive-date=10 August 2017 |access-date=26 January 2025}} Part of the initiative included consultation between the Gates Foundation and Viacom networks to influence programming to include storylines based around education on existing shows or create new shows centered on education. The money provided by the foundation was used to "indirectly subsidize Viacom's programming".

Taco Bell partnered with Get Schooled in 2013 to launch Graduate for Más, a program to help students graduate from high school. In 2016, DJ Khaled was named the national spokesperson of Get Schooled, using Khaled's social media presence to promote multiple programs.

The Gates Foundation provided a $250,000 grant to Get Schooled in 2019.

In 2020, UK cyber security company TurgenSec reported a data breach of Get Schooled's website, leaving a database of 930,000 email addresses of children and students "open and accessible". The database also included names, ages, gender, and school and graduation details. Get Schooled disputed the size of the breach, claiming that only 250,000 accounts were exposed and about 75,000 of those accounts were linked to active email addresses.

References

References

1. "About Get Schooled".
2. "Get Schooled Initiative Launches - Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation".
3. "Messages With a Mission, Embedded in TV Shows".
4. "I went to a Taco Bell-sponsored high school graduation at the TRL studio".
5. "DJ Khaled Named National Spokesperson for Get Schooled, Will Offer His ‘Keys To Success’".
6. "DJ Khaled is going to be the college tour guide you've always wanted".
7. "The Get Schooled Foundation".
8. "US student data left unsecured by Get Schooled".