Pearson Foundation to Support Teacher Training at National Academy Foundation
Schools
$1 Million Donation Focuses on Career Academy Teachers in Public Schools
NEW YORK, May 29 /PRNewswire/ -- The Pearson Foundation today announced
that it is committing $1 million to provide high school teachers and
administrators involved in National Academy Foundation (NAF) career-themed
Academies with innovative new training and classroom resources.
NAF President JD Hoye and Pearson Foundation President Mark Nieker
announced their organizations' collaboration at NAF's "Generation Now" summit
of business and education leaders held at the New York Stock Exchange. NAF
Academies are small learning communities established predominately in large,
urban public high schools. The Academies offer students career-themed
curriculum and applied learning experiences such as internships.
The "NAF Collaboration Network" is tailored specifically to NAF's national
network of career academy teachers. It will fund regional in-person training
sessions as well as online training programs for teachers. It will also create
professional development resources, many of which will be available on a new,
interactive website. For example, beginning in July, NAF teachers and
administrators will be able to share information via the web about their
professional experiences, and what they have found to be "best practices"
including how to secure student internships and how to form effective Advisory
Boards.
The Pearson grant will also help identify exemplary teachers among the
national network of NAF Career Academies. These teachers, who will be awarded
"Pearson Curriculum Leader Fellowships," will meet regularly to advise NAF.
They will also augment professional development instruction through regular
communications with NAF teachers, using message boards, online meetings, and
web-based instruction. Similar Fellowships will be awarded to design teams
from the Network who will help advise NAF on the development of student
internship and Academy Development resources. All will share and present best
practices among NAF leaders later this year.
At NAF's Career Academies, teachers use a new research-based curriculum
which integrates career-themed subject matter with project-based learning. The
curriculum also employs cutting-edge methods of increasing literacy and using
cross-disciplinary teaching strategies that weave career themes across core
subjects such as math, English, and history. The NAF Collaboration Network's
funds will encourage teachers to continue to use the new curriculum and train
them in how to maximize its effectiveness.
"NAF's greatest resource is the experience of our teachers and program
coordinators," said Hoye. "Thanks to Pearson's financial commitment, NAF is
now able to enhance significantly the support we can give them. The NAF
Collaboration Network will be a tremendous boost to NAF teachers and schools
who are so diligently committed to improving their classrooms."
"Career-themed education is the key to success in today's increasingly
complex and technologically advanced society," said Nieker. "Studies continue
to show the importance and influence of these types of programs. The NAF
Collaboration Network will help teachers expand their expertise in this area
and develop new competencies, particularly in relation to digital arts and
21st century skills."
About the National Academy Foundation
The National Academy Foundation (NAF) encourages partnerships between
business leaders and educators to help prepare students for professional
careers. NAF was founded by Sanford I. Weill, Chairman Emeritus of Citi, more
than twenty years ago. Currently, NAF serves more than 50,000 students
enrolled in 500 Academies in 41 states and the District of Columbia. The
Academies are established predominately in large urban high schools. They are
structured as small learning communities within the larger school that prepare
students for careers through focused curriculum and internships. The National
Academy Foundation operates four Academies: the Academy of Finance, the
Academy of Engineering, the Academy of Hospitality & Tourism, and the Academy
of Information Technology. Employees of more than 2,500 corporations are
involved with local Academies through securing internships, volunteering in
classrooms, acting as mentors and serving on local Advisory Boards. The NAF
curriculum contains essential content based on industry and educational
expertise. NAF's record of success with 90% graduation rates and more than 80%
of these graduates going on to college, has garnered the support of
corporations, public policy makers and foundations, including the Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation.
About the Pearson Foundation
The Pearson Foundation extends Pearson's (NYSE: PSO) commitment to
education by partnering with leading nonprofit, civic, and business
organizations to provide financial, organizational, and publishing assistance
across the globe. The Foundation aims to make a difference by sponsoring
innovative educational programs and extending its educational expertise to
help in classrooms and in local communities. More information on the Pearson
Foundation can be found at www.pearsonfoundation.org.
SOURCE The Pearson Foundation
Rod Granger, Pearson Foundation, +1-212-641-6114, rod.granger@pearson.com; Tim
Lemberger, Senior Director of Communications, National Academy Foundation
+1-646-723-2051 (direct), or +1-212-203-3804, (cell)
