New Foundation for Blended and Online Learning Announces Scholarship and Grant Programs

WASHINGTON, Jan. 26, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ – The Foundation for Blended and Online Learning today released details on its scholarship, grant, and research programs designed to advance the availability and quality of digital learning in the U.S.

"On behalf of The Foundation we are proud to roll out an industry-wide effort to provide opportunities to students and educators in the blended and online space," said Board Chairman, Kevin Chavous. "Currently, there are few charitable organizations unique to digital education and The Foundation was created to fill that gap. We seek to advance the field of blended and digital learning with an emphasis on giving back to schools, students, and communities."

The Foundation for Blended and Online Learning will strive to achieve three main goals:

• Provide post-secondary scholarships to students;
• Launch a grant program for educators and organizations making significant progress in teaching and instruction;
• Advance the field of digital learning through research and intentional collaboration with key stakeholders.

The Foundation's scholarship program will be open to graduates of blended and online programs nationwide with an emphasis on students who have demonstrated academic turnaround and success. Scholarships may be used to cover cost of tuition or related post-secondary educational expenses to four-year universities, community colleges, and vocational or trade schools.

The grant program will provide monetary awards to teachers and counselors in blended and online programs to enhance student performance related to academic achievement and growth. The program will create a repository of best practices to increase access to effective instructional strategies using technology.

The research arm of the foundation will kick off its efforts by creating partnerships to conduct an industry-wide analysis of the increasing demand for online and blended learning and the opportunities these educational programs offer students.  Additional efficacy research projects will follow this inaugural work.

K12 Inc. recently announced that it helped launch the independent charitable organization to support students and teachers.

"Thanks to the generosity and vision of K12 Inc., we were able to create a truly innovative and impactful organization with a dynamic Board of Directors. The Board believes in The Foundation's mission and is committed to truly make a difference in education by providing more opportunities to students and teachers," said Chavous.

The Board of Directors of the Foundation consists of prominent group of education leaders and advocates for education reform and school choice.

Kevin Chavous (Chairman) – Founding Board Member and Executive Counsel for the American Federation for Children
Robyn Bagley – Chair, Parents for Choice in Education and Founder and Principal, Early College High School
Kenneth Campbell – Founding Board Member for the Black Alliance for Educational Options 
Allison Cleveland – Executive Vice President of School Management and Services, K12 Inc. 
Mary Gifford – Senior Vice President of Academic Policy and External Relations, K12 Inc. 
Linda Lopez – former Arizona State Senator  
Dr. Rod Paige – former U.S. Secretary of Education
Caroline Vander Ark – COO of Getting Smart

"This week America is celebrating National School Choice Week, and our national commitment to meet the needs of every child," said Foundation Board member, Ken Campbell. "By increasing access to online and blended schools, we have allowed more families to choose the best educational option for their children and created powerful new ways of educating young people across the U.S."

"Education should be empowering," said Robyn Bagley, founder and principal of Early College High School and member of The Foundation's board. "Blended and online learning opens the door for personalizing education in a way that empowers students -- I have witnessed this time and time again. When a student is given more control over their pathway, a transformation takes place."

About The Foundation for Blended and Online Learning
The Foundation for Blended and Online Learning is an independent charitable education organization. The mission of the foundation is to empower students through personalized learning by advancing the availability and quality of blended and online learning opportunities and outcomes. To become involved with The Foundation or to learn more, visit www.blendedandonlinelearning.org  

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SOURCE The Foundation for Blended and Online Learning