LEAP Innovations Chosen to Spearhead National Program to Accelerate Education Innovation
-- Awarded $5.1 Million from Gates Foundation --
CHICAGO, June 30, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The pace and quality of innovation in K-12 education may increase and improve, thanks to a significant new initiative funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and led by Chicago's LEAP Innovations.
Around the nation, organizations aim to transform teaching and learning to better prepare students for the 21st century, often by personalizing learning and leveraging education technology. Edtech helps teachers differentiate instruction more powerfully than ever before. Its promise has spurred an $8.4 billion edtech boom, but little beyond marketing hype is known about how well the products work.
In response, LEAP Innovations launched a Pilot Network in Chicago to evaluate edtech, piloting products and techniques that personalize instruction to each student's level, interests, and goals so districts can quickly scale effective innovations. This new grant enables LEAP to drive collaboration among a growing number of edtech evaluators from across the country, creating much needed national industry standards and sharing of best practices.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said, "In 1987, then Secretary of Education Bill Bennett called Chicago's public schools the worst in the nation. Today, I am proud to say we are leading the country in education innovation. Thanks in large part to LEAP Innovations, Chicago is becoming the national hub for education technology and personalized learning. We are leading a national movement to develop and scale education innovations that work."
The grant will accelerate education innovation by connecting developers and educators to try new things, evaluate them independently, and ultimately expand the use of learning practices and products that work for students and teachers. It aims to help districts quickly scale only what works.
"This award builds on an emerging ecosystem rooted in the foundation of great work with partners including The Chicago Public Education Fund, 1871, forward-thinking principals and teachers, edtech investors and so many others committed to advancing public education in our city," said Phyllis Lockett, Founder and CEO of LEAP Innovations.
Launched in spring 2014, LEAP Innovations bridges the gap between education and innovation for teachers and students in pre-K through college. The nonprofit helps educators reimagine school to personalize instruction based on each student's skills, interests and goals, and helps bring technology into classrooms. Headquartered at 1871, Chicago's incubator for digital startups, LEAP also helps companies address unmet needs in education. LEAP's mission is to exponentially advance teaching and learning in and out of the classroom so all students have equal opportunity to reach their potential. For more, go to leapinnovations.org
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SOURCE LEAP Innovations
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