Expeditionary Learning Renames as EL Education

NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Expeditionary Learning has changed its name to EL Education, honoring the expansion of the organization's work and its history in partnering with schools and districts to raise the bar on student achievement.

"While we have a new name, our purpose remains the same – working with schools to create classrooms where teachers can fulfill their highest aspirations, and where students achieve more than they think possible," said Scott Hartl, President & CEO of EL Education. To meet the urgent need to help schools meet higher standards nationwide, EL Education is expanding its impact through new publications, videos, professional development, teacher-created curriculum, and other resources, building on the work of its network of more than 150 district and charter schools with 45,000 students and 4,000 teachers.

EL Education's Network of Schools demonstrates remarkable outcomes, with 100% college acceptance as the standard. "With more than 20 years experience of working with schools across the country, our approach to teaching and learning goes beyond what's measured in standardized tests, combining deeper learning skills such as critical thinking and problem solving with a focus on high-quality work, character, and a commitment to making the world a better place," Hartl noted.

EL Education offers a clear, proven, and inspired path forward to address the significant challenges facing our country. Its compelling vision of instruction is matched to the nation's goals for students. And its results to date prove that it can partner with diverse schools to enable students to excel across all dimensions of student achievement. A recent study by Mathematica Policy Research found that EL Education middle school students gain an extra 10 months of learning growth in math and 7 months of extra learning growth in reading after three years.

EL Education has made the educational approach of some of the highest-performing schools in the country available for free through its open-source, teacher-developed, online English language arts curriculum, now downloaded more than 4 million times, a video library of teacher practices, and best-selling books such as Leaders of Their Own Learning and Transformational Literacy.

EL Education's work continues to be based upon the Design Principles created when the organization was founded by the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Outward Bound. "Our Design Principles have never wavered--encouraging students to take ownership of their learning, combining rigor and joy to result in deep, meaningful student performance that meets and exceeds rigorous standards of excellence, and to work with others to improve their community," according to Ron Berger, Chief Academic Officer at EL Education.

Jennifer McMillan, the 2015 Michigan Charter School Teacher of the Year, noted that the EL Education model addresses both what students need and what they want. "It's a harmonious execution of all the greatest ways kids learn in one model," she said. "the students love to take ownership of ideas, and have the drive to be successful and be leaders, even at this young age."

With the launch of its new name, EL Education unveiled its new website, which features more than 200 free resources. It also kicked off its #WeAreCrew theme on Twitter and Instagram, spotlighting the concept of "Crew," a central element of the EL Education model that brings students together in a consistent and supportive group that motivates them to be their best selves and lift their peers, assuring success for all.

About EL Education
EL Education (formerly Expeditionary Learning) is a leading K-12 non-profit that is meeting the national challenge to raise student achievement across diverse schools and communities. Combining challenging work with the joy of discovery and pride in mastery, EL Education prepares students to become contributing citizens with both the skills and character necessary for success throughout college, work and life.

Our portfolio of instructional materials and coaching services draws on 20-plus years of success in more than 150 district and charter schools in the EL Education network, serving 4,000 teachers and 45,000 students in 39 states. Based on founding principles of meaningful work, character and respect for teachers, EL Education's offerings transform teaching and learning to promote habits of scholarship and character that lead to high student achievement, regardless of student background. In addition to success on standardized tests, EL Education students demonstrate critical thinking, intellectual courage and emotional resilience; they possess the passion and the capacity to contribute to a better world. For more information, visit www.ELeducation.org.

SOURCE EL Education

Related Links

http://www.eleducation.org