Inaugural Class of Education Leadership Fellows Announced

Fellows will engage with education industry and public school leaders to work toward eliminating silos in education sector

NORTH BILLERICA, Mass., May 2, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Starting in fall 2012, Megan Braucher and Chris Fraser, the inaugural Ferguson Education Leadership Fellows, will work full-time on curriculum, product development, and data and accountability at each of the following organizations:

• Rocketship Education, a national, nonprofit elementary charter school network based in San Jose, California.
• Curriculum Associates, LLC, a privately owned, fast-growing 40+-year-old education technology company in Boston.
• Revere Public Schools, an urban school district in Revere, Massachusetts.

"We were overwhelmed by the response to the fellowship. More than 100 highly qualified individuals applied for two fellowship positions, and the candidates went through a highly competitive, multi-stage interview process," said Rob Waldron, President and CEO of Curriculum Associates. "The level of interest shows just how crucial it is that the public and private sectors work well together to help achieve real change for students."

As a former teacher and curriculum developer, Megan Braucher has expertise in curriculum development and leadership in the classroom. She will receive a Master of Education with a focus on Cognitive Sciences and Urban School reform from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in May and holds a Bachelor of Science from Skidmore College. "This is an unbelievable opportunity to be part of the inner workings of Rocketship Education, Curriculum Associates, and Revere Public Schools," said Braucher. "I can't wait to get started."

Chris Fraser, described by one of his former colleagues as "often the smartest person in the room," is currently an intern at The Achievement Network and will graduate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education with a Master of Education in Policy and Management in May. He is a former corps member, curriculum specialist, and senior recruitment director at Teach For America.  He holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Florida in Finance. "I'm honored to be chosen for the Ferguson Education Leadership Fellowship," said Fraser. "I look forward to taking all that I learn through the fellowship to make a real difference in education in this country."

"Chris and Megan are world-class candidates and we are honored to have them as fellows," said Aylon Samouha, Chief Schools Officer at Rocketship Education. "Our goal is to recruit, train, and mentor a new generation of leaders who break down silos between charter schools, districts, and the education technology vendors that serve them. Chris and Megan will lead the way with their efforts over the next two-and-a-half years."

Revere Public Schools in Revere, Massachusetts is the school district that is part of the fellowship. "Collaboration is key to success in any industry, but particularly necessary in education," said Dr. Paul Dakin, Superintendent at Revere Public Schools. "While they will be doing a lot of learning, I cannot wait to see what Chris and Megan can teach us through this experience that will make us all better at what we do."

The Ferguson Education Leadership Fellowship, created by Curriculum Associates and Rocketship Education, is a 30-month postgraduate fellowship for individuals interested in the interrelationship between traditional schools, charter schools, and the for-profit education technology industry.

Due to the overwhelmingly high caliber of candidates, the Ferguson Fellowship created an additional group of young leaders called the Ferguson Innovators. The Innovators will meet their peers and participate in a two-day education symposium with leaders from various education organizations to hear about the latest products in education tech and opportunities within charter and public school networks.  Also, each Innovator will be assigned two senior-level mentors for professional development and career tracking.

The fellowship prospectus, which includes the job description, application process and requirements, full list of nominating committee members, and a list of the Ferguson Innovators and their bios, is available at CurriculumAssociates.com/fellowship.

About Curriculum Associates

Founded in 1969, privately owned Curriculum Associates, LLC, designs research-based print and online instructional materials, screens and assessments, and data management tools. The company's products and outstanding customer service provide teachers and administrators with the resources necessary for teaching diverse student populations and fostering learning for all students. For company and product information, visit Curriculum Associates on the Web at http://www.CurriculumAssociates.com or call 800-225-0248.

SOURCE Curriculum Associates