ABOUT
About
In August of 2021, the STOP Award to Transform Education was established to honor and advance the work of education providers who delivered a best-in-class experience during the Covid pandemic. It is now called the Yass Prize for Sustainable, Transformational, Outstanding and Permissionless education and celebrates the nation’s best education providers.
The launch of the award uncovered hundreds of inspirational and innovative nonprofits, entrepreneurs, community organizations and schools who were committed to providing a transformational education to under-resourced communities. In 2021, twenty of these education change makers were selected as semi-finalists and participated in a robust evaluation and pitch process. In 2022, sixty-four were given the opportunity to compete for the $1 million Yass Prize.
In December, 2021, we rewarded our inaugural class of semifinalists, finalists, and one Grand Prize winner. In December, 2022, the Yass Prize and STOP Awards Initiative will recognize 64 education providers with over $11 million. Alumni are also eligible for additional STOP Awards in the year following their recognition.
Why 
for education?
The Yass Prize is defined by 4 core principles that have the power to drive educational change for every child.
S
T
O
P
The work requires no permission — Permissionless — and is free to exist and thrive without dependence on regulatory bodies whose rules are often at odds with parent demands and student needs.
Our Story
In August 2021, the $1 million STOP Award to Transform Education was created to honor and advance the work of education providers that continued to perform for underserved families during Covid, and ensure they not only could continue but expand to serve more students and be a beacon for thousands more educators and innovators dedicated to education opportunity for all young people.
In just four short months, hundreds of inspirational education providers were uncovered. These outliers were doing everything from starting new schools in museums and churches to developing new models for learning with artificial intelligence. Twenty of the best providers were identified, and a robust evaluation and pitch process was held. In December 2021, in addition to the Grand Prize winner Discovery Center of Springfield, MO, the four finalists received contributions of $250,000 and the remaining semifinalists were surprised with $100,000 grants for their extraordinary work. They were and are the impetus for this new STOP Foundation 4 Education, which is owing to a couple whose inspiration, generosity and vision is unparalleled.
Meet Janine & Jeff
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.
Janine’s passion for education opportunity for all students sparked the creation of the STOP Award. They were so inspired by the effort, by the providers and educators and innovators that the inaugural competition uncovered, that she founded the STOP Foundation 4 Education, to expand the number of providers working to provide a STOP education for students. With a commitment to moving from reform to transform, Janine's hope is that the campaign to STOP 4 Education will drive a 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.
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.
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 continuing the work of the Yass Foundation for Education, to expand the number of providers working to provide a STOP-enabled education for students. With a commitment to moving from reform to transform, Janine’s hope is that the campaign to STOP for Education will drive a 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.
Our Partners
We’re proud to be powered by the Center for Education Reform (CER) whose mission is to expand educational opportunities that lead to improved outcomes for all Americans.
We’ve partnered with Forbes to amplify the Yass Prize efforts as well as our cohort organizations and Grand Prize Winners.
We’re proud to be supported by the Center for Education Reform (CER). CER is a non-profit advocacy group committed to influencing education policy.
