NEA Foundation, NEA Launch
Grant to Close Achievement Gaps

Five-Year Grant Will Total Up to $2.5 Million for Milwaukee

Washington, DC -- The NEA Foundation and the National Education Association (NEA) are kicking off a new five-year grant worth up to $2.5 million to a union-district partnership in Milwaukee to close the achievement gaps by 2010.

In June 2005, Milwaukee was awarded $500,000 for the first year of the program, renewable for an additional four years depending on demonstrated progress and effective use of the funds.

The grant will help Milwaukee Public Schools close the achievement gaps for economically disadvantaged and minority students, while maintaining gains for all students. The funds will be matched by the school district, the Milwaukee Partnership Academy (MPA), federal programs, the National Science Foundation, and local grant makers.

The lead partners in the grant are the Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association, an affiliate of the NEA, and the Milwaukee Public Schools. A core partner is the community-based Milwaukee Partnership Academy, composed of representatives from the Metropolitan Milwaukee Alliance of Black School Educators, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee Area Technical College, the City of Milwaukee Mayor's Office, Private Industry Council, Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, Helen Bader Foundation, Milwaukee Board of School Directors, and the Greater Milwaukee Committee, among others.

"The Milwaukee Partnership Academy has been Milwaukee's model for a successful community-based partnership to strengthen education in urban school districts.  Our union is excited at the opportunity to strengthen our partnership with the district and other organizations involved in the MPA to work on behalf of the students," says Dennis Oulahan, President of the Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association. 

The Milwaukee Partnership Academy was created in 1999 to bring together leaders in the union, school district, government, and business and civic groups.  With the help of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Alliance of Black School Educators and a wide variety of other partners, Milwaukee has already made significant inroads in improving teacher quality; ensuring that students perform at or above grade level in reading, writing, and mathematics; and addressing systemic issues across the partnering educational institutions. 

The Milwaukee partners will now build on their accomplishments and take their strong commitment to student success to a new level in order to close the achievement gaps.  This new grant will fund district-wide professional development and materials that focus the efforts of all elementary, middle, and high schools on closing the achievement gaps; create a "closing the gaps action plan" at selected schools; and enable exemplary schools to share their best practices with other district schools. 

"Milwaukee is thrilled to receive this important funding," said William Andrekopoulos, Superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools. "The grant will allow us to continue and to expand upon important work already begun by the Milwaukee Partnership Academy.  All of us are committed to taking the partnership's efforts to a new level and working with the larger community to close the achievement gaps for our students."

The $2.5 million Milwaukee grant to close the achievement gaps is the second of its kind announced by The NEA Foundation and the NEA in as many years. The first grant -- to Hamilton County, Tennessee -- was awarded in June 2004.

The NEA Foundation expects Milwaukee and future grant recipients to work with businesses; universities; cultural, faith-based, and community organizations; local and regional funders; families; state and local governments; and other institutions to improve students' academic success. The NEA Foundation recognizes that effective work on closing the achievement gaps  is already underway. The grant is designed to supplement and build upon existing initiatives.

Carol Edwards, Director of Programs at The NEA Foundation, explained, "This grant will allow Milwaukee to help its neediest schools. With business and community support, the district and the Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association will work in partnership to ensure success for Milwaukee's minority and low-income students.  The partners are showing an extraordinary commitment to tackling the most difficult challenge in urban public education."

NEA President Reg Weaver said, "Closing the achievement gaps is the critical issue facing today's educators. With this and other grants, the NEA and its foundation have again teamed up to demonstrate how educators' collaborative efforts can improve academic success for all children, particularly those in urban areas."

Throughout the duration of the grant, an independent evaluator will use quantitative benchmarks and both quantitative and qualitative data to provide formative and summative feedback on the project.

Sept. 21, 2005

Contact:

Christine Chirichella   202.822.7803  

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The  NEA Foundation inspires public education employees to ensure that all students succeed. Created by the members of the NEA in 1969, the foundation is sustained by their continuing support. The ideas of teachers, education support professionals, and higher education faculty and staff become reality with resources, technical assistance, and funding from the foundation.