Achieve Receives New Grant from GE Foundation to Strengthen Focus on Common Core Implementation Efforts

WASHINGTON – August 1, 2012 – Achieve, a nonprofit education reform organization, has received a three year, $7 million grant from the GE Foundation, the philanthropic arm of GE, that will greatly assist in implementation of the new Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Teachers in almost all states have begun or are beginning to teach to these college- and career-ready standards in English language arts/literacy and mathematics.

The GE Foundation has a long and rich history of investing in communities through its Developing Futures™ in Education program and other philanthropic objectives with the goals of improving student achievement, particularly in mathematics and science; increasing college-going rates; and, now, ensuring the successful implementation of the Common Core State Standards, objectives that are entirely aligned with Achieve's mission. The grant will help Achieve provide states with the support necessary to ensure all students graduate from high school–and graduate ready for college, careers, and life.

"GE has tremendous respect for Achieve, its mission and leadership. This latest investment is especially noteworthy because the Common Core State Standards were voluntarily developed by states and their success depends on state action. This is where Achieve has a track record of success. We look forward to working with Achieve's leaders as they further engage governors and the business community in getting ready for the changes required by the Common Core. These standards are absolutely essential to ensure we have a strong, growing economy in the 21st century," says Robert Corcoran, Vice President, Corporate Citizenship and President and Chairman of the GE Foundation."

GE Foundation's grant to Achieve will:

• Promote deep business engagement and mobilization around CCSS through the development of business-centered tools and support for business-education partnerships and advocacy at the local, state and national levels in close partnership with the GE Foundation;
• Support states in the adoption and implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)–a set of common, state-developed K-12 science standards for which Achieve serves as the project manager–when they are completed in 2013;
• Engage states in Achieve's Educators Evaluating Quality Instructional Products (EQuIP), a cross-state collaborative aimed at identifying high-quality and CCSS- and NGSS-aligned units, lessons, and tasks and making them widely and readily available as open educational resources; and
• Support the GE Foundation's overall Common Core support strategy, including the Foundation's annual Developing Futures™ in Education Conference and the Business Education Summit, as well as the Foundation's other initiatives to assist in the implementation of CCSS.

"States and key stakeholders–including the business community–are closely collaborating on efforts to ensure that all students graduate from high school with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed. As it turns out, graduating from high school ready for college and careers is not only good for students but also for America's ability to compete in a global economy that increasingly values education," said Mike Cohen, President of Achieve. "The grant from the GE Foundation to Achieve will enable Achieve to ensure that the promise of college and career readiness is a reality for more students. We are grateful for the continued support and commitment to Achieve by the GE Foundation."

MEDIA CONTACT: Chad Colby (202) 419-1570, ccolby@achieve.org
Ellen Morgenstern, GE Foundation, (203) 373-2363 or ellen.morgenstern@ge.com