Dr. Ellen Frede Joins Acelero Learning as Senior Vice President of Education and Research

NEW YORK, Aug. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Ellen Frede, an esteemed early childhood researcher and advocate, has joined Acelero Learning as Senior Vice President of Early Learning, Research and Training. Acelero Learning Founder and CEO Aaron Lieberman commented, "Ellen is a proven leader who has spent her career trying to understand what interventions can make the biggest difference for children and families in need, and then working to making those services a reality. In her work leading the early implementation of the Abbott preschool program in New Jersey, she fought to make sure Head Start was included, and she has been a national leader on early childhood issues. Ellen is all about ensuring high-quality, research-based practices are spread to serve more children, and we are delighted to have her leading our efforts to close the achievement gap for the children, families, and communities served by our Head Start programs."

"I have a firm belief that Head Start can make a significant difference in the lives of young children and their families," commented Dr. Frede. "It has worked in the past, and it works in certain places now. As a nation, we have to figure out how to make it work everywhere, consistently, while protecting and even expanding the funding required for Head Start to be effective. I am joining Acelero Learning because I want to figure out how to produce in every center the lasting impacts on achievement that I know are possible in Head Start."

A developmental psychologist specializing in early childhood education, Dr. Frede is a researcher, teacher educator, and teacher with experience in early childhood program implementation and administration. Prior to joining Acelero Learning, she was Co-Director of the National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University, where she primarily investigated the relationship of program quality to child outcomes, the longitudinal effects of preschool, and early education policy.

While serving as a teacher educator and researcher at The College of New Jersey, she took a leave from 2002 – 2005, to become Assistant to the Commissioner for Early Childhood Education at the New Jersey Department of Education. In this role, she oversaw the implementation of high-quality preschool in more than 150 school districts, serving 50,000 children and their families with a budget of over half a billion dollars annually.

About Acelero Learning

Acelero Learning has a very clear mission: to bring a relentless focus on positive child and family outcomes to close the achievement gap and build a better future for children, families, and communities served by the Head Start program.

Today, Acelero Learning is a Head Start grantee serving nearly 3800 young children. In every instance, Acelero Learning delegates have made substantial and sustained quality improvements in their communities -- increasing enrollment, improving teacher salaries and qualifications, and dramatically expanding the number of hours of programming for children and families served by Head Start.

www.acelero.net

SOURCE Acelero Learning