It’s no secret what’s happening in education right now. Unprecedented cuts to programs and funding have hit early learning hard. Since July 2025, Pennsylvania has been deeply affected. Child care providers across Pennsylvania were forced to take on more than $20 million in loans during the recent state and federal budget impasse just to keep their doors open. Even with these emergency measures, more than 80,000 infants and toddlers remained unserved.
Because Duolingo is headquartered here in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the challenges facing our local early learning ecosystem are challenges we feel directly. That’s why the past 18 months have been pivotal for Duolingo Social Impact, not only as a moment to fund but also to lead.
Since you last heard from us…
Early Learners First Program
In 2023, we launched Duolingo’s Early Learners First Program, a $1 million dollar annual investment in early childhood education that offers a diverse set of high-quality learning experiences. And we have since expanded its reach to new communities.
Its first major initiative, the Provider Program, was created to help stabilize the local Pittsburgh early learning ecosystem. We provide funding that fosters staff growth, retention, and embracing sustainable business practices. Our aim is to fortify these already exceptional programs, enabling them to expand their reach to more families.
We now support 15 local childcare programs (up from last year’s 8), and we’re on track to distribute $763,000 in scholarship funds to families outside of eligibility for existing publicly funded programs.
While statewide trends point to wage stagnation and declining provider numbers since 2019, Duolingo’s program data tells a different story, highlighting positive shifts in the early education scene.
Through the Provider Program, we’ve helped raise the average staff wage to nearly $17 per hour, added healthcare benefits and bonuses, and delivered 240 hours of professional development, resulting in a 40% increase in staffing capacity. This stability has enabled providers to maintain and increase enrollment, offering nearly 400 seats for children and impacting more than 100 educators in Pittsburgh’s East Liberty community alone.
Launching Duo’s Treehouse
Almost exactly one year ago, the Early Learner’s First Program launched its second major initiative. Duo’s Treehouse is a free, bilingual (Spanish and English) space for children ages 0-5 and their caregivers to play together every Friday morning.
Duolingo and its community partners recognized the need for free, high-quality learning experiences and resources. Duo’s Treehouse is informed by emerging research on early childhood education. It was developed in partnership with our implementation partner, La Escuelita Arcoiris, a bilingual preschool based in Pittsburgh. The program offers inquiry-based learning through weekly prompts, rotating activities, and staff-led modeling to support new caregivers. Since its launch, it has hosted nearly 40 sessions and over 200 families.
“This project has really pushed us to think outside the box as educators,” said La Escuelita’s Director of Education, Walki Preston. “With the funding, we have the ability, space, and freedom to exercise our creativity.”
Duo’s Treehouse has quickly grown into a true community hub, welcoming partner organizations to share their resources and expertise with families. It’s become part of many families’ weekly routines—some even driving over 40 minutes to attend—underscoring how valued and unique the space has become.
As 2025 wraps up, Duo’s Treehouse has also added an afternoon session to meet growing demand. And we will continue evolving to better serve the community in 2026.
Books, books, and more books…
We cannot build a future of high-quality education without first improving foundational literacy skills. Recent data shows rapidly declining literacy rates among US adults, with 28% of adults scoring at or below level 1, the lowest level of proficiency, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).
This is why Duolingo Social Impact has invested in nation-wide literacy efforts, helping to distribute more than 20,000 books to children across Pennsylvania. This level of impact would not have been possible without our key partners, including the Reading Ready Pittsburgh/Dolly Partner Imagination Library, the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Summer Reading Extravaganza, and the Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books.
Most recently, we announced our proud partnership with Scholastic Books, a first-of-its-kind collaboration to deliver free books and literacy resources to under-resourced schools. In just the first month of our launch, we’ve distributed over ~7,500 books across five schools to ~1,500 students, each of whom took home four free books, and another 300 books were donated to each school library.
Speaking of partnerships…
Our progress is made possible by the trusted partners who bring deep expertise, local insights, and shared commitment to increasing access to early learning. Together, we’ve created programs that are not only innovative but responsive to the needs of the communities we serve.
These organizations include:
We also collaborate closely with schools and youth-serving organizations, welcoming hundreds of students into our offices to demystify tech careers through tours, discussions, and hands-on workshops.
Beyond our local work, our impact extends globally through more than 100 community partnerships. This includes organizations such as Clear Global, whose mission aligns with ours: to remove barriers and expand access to education and literacy worldwide.
Celebrating our wins together
We understand the impact our voice has at the table, which is why we prioritize showing up not just in funding but through greater conversations. This fall, Kendra Ross, Head of Duolingo Social Impact and Commissioner of the Pennsylvania Early Learning Investment Commission, stood alongside partners, advocates, and legislators from across the Commonwealth to celebrate $25 million in additional state funding for early childhood education initiatives in 2026.
While we have accomplished a lot in the past 18 months, there’s even more on the horizon for Duolingo Social Impact in 2026. From doubling school activations and expanding partnerships, we’re continuing to stay at the forefront of education, finding new ways to make learning accessible and impactful for communities everywhere.