MAC SECURES $1 MILLION GRANT FOR CLEVELAND SCHOOL DISTRICT
Grant to Cleveland Metropolitan School District for teacher retention and development
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Cleveland, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference (MAC) announced today it has secured a $1 million-dollar grant* to the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) over a five-year period for TEACHing Cleveland, a program to focus on teacher recruitment, mentoring and retention.
The MAC secured funding for this program from the College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation through its Extra Yard for Teachers platform with a $500,000 contribution toward TEACHing Cleveland. The MAC also secured $250,000 from The George Gund Foundation over the next five years and $150,000 from the Cleveland Foundation over the next three years. The MAC will reapply for additional funding from the Cleveland Foundation in three years.
“The Mid-American Conference is proud to partner with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District to provide funding for this important initiative,” said MAC Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher. “Teachers are a critical factor in a child’s educational success. Through TEACHing Cleveland we will facilitate greater retention of quality teachers to the betterment of the students and to the betterment of Cleveland. I want to thank and applaud the collaborative efforts of the College Football Playoff Foundation, the Cleveland Foundation and The George Gund Foundation in sharing our vision in support Cleveland schools.”
This grant provides the CMSD and the Cleveland Teachers Union an opportunity to collaborate in recruiting, developing and retaining new teachers to best support the Cleveland area students and community.
“Increasingly, we are seeing the most talented and dedicated teachers electing to teach in urban school districts, and this funding will be instrumental in our efforts to support and retain those teachers in Cleveland,” said Cleveland Metropolitan School District CEO Eric Gordon. “While the choice to educate disadvantaged children is enormously challenging, our goal is to ensure teaching in Cleveland is equally rewarding.”
The TEACHing Cleveland program will develop programs to assist in the recruitment of highly skilled teachers, foster new teacher development, focusing on culture, exposure to successful practitioners and as a result increasing retention rates.
“We are proud to partner with the Mid-American Conference to improve the recruitment and retention of teachers in Cleveland schools through our Extra Yard for Teachers platform,” said CFP Foundation Executive Director Britton Banowsky. “We are also blessed to align our investments with both the Cleveland Foundation and The George Gund Foundation. Our collective hope is that every student will have an excellent teacher in their classroom to support their personal growth and academic achievement.”
Quotes regarding the TEACHing Cleveland program:
“We want great teachers to commit to Cleveland and to our children. We know that means supporting them in their early years, getting them to fall in love with our schools and our city, and making them feel as though they are part of transforming children’s lives,” said Ann Mullin, senior program officer for The George Gund Foundation.
“We recognize that great teachers are key to improving student achievement,” said Helen Williams, Cleveland Foundation program director for education. “That is why we in recent years have collaborated with the district as well as other key partners in recruiting passionate and talented teachers locally and from around the country. The TEACHing Cleveland program, made possible through this partnership with the Mid-American Conference and the College Football Playoff Foundation, will ensure that we are able to not only attract these talented educators, but also deeply engage, develop and retain them – a critical element in ensuring bright futures for CMSD students.”
“The Cleveland Teachers Union understands the critical need to provide new teachers with the resources, mentoring and support networks that are essential in building and retaining new teachers in the Cleveland Schools,” said David Quolke, president of the Cleveland Teachers Union. “We are looking forward to partnering with the Mid-American Conference, College Football Playoff Foundation, the Cleveland Foundation, the George Gund Foundation and the CMSD in this endeavor.”
*MAC Grant to Cleveland Metropolitan School District
• (CFP) Foundation pledged $500,000 for five years
• The George Gund Foundation pledged $250,000 for five years
• The Cleveland Foundation pledged $150,000 for three years. The MAC will reapply for the additional funding from the Cleveland Foundation in three years.
MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE
Founded in 1946, the Mid-American Conference is an NCAA Division I, 12-member conference that sponsors 23 championships and is one of 10 members of the Football Bowl Subdivison (FBS). With total enrollment of nearly 300,000 students, the league represents institutions of higher learning in five states - Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New York, and Ohio.
Current MAC schools and the year they joined are -- East Division: University of Akron (1992), Bowling Green State University (1952), University at Buffalo (1998), Kent State University (1951), Miami University (1947), Ohio University (1946). West Division: Ball State University (1973), Central Michigan University (1971), Eastern Michigan University (1971), Northern Illinois University (1975-86, rejoined in 1997), University of Toledo (1950), Western Michigan University (1947). The conference office is based in Cleveland, Ohio.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF FOUNDATION
The College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation is the charitable arm of the College Football Playoff, supporting education across the country. The CFP Foundation’s primary platform, Extra Yard for Teachers, elevates the teaching profession by inspiring and empowering teachers through the implementation of programs in four focus areas: resources, recognition, recruitment and professional development. The CFP Foundation utilizes multiple partnerships to execute its initiatives and support positive educational outcomes.
