Table Of Content

The SAGE Encyclopedia of World Poverty Alliance for Excellent Education Contributors: Amitabh Vikram Dwivedi Edited by: Mehmet Odekon Book Title: The SAGE Encyclopedia of World Poverty Chapter Title: "Alliance for Excellent Education" Pub. Date: 2015 Access Date: May 6, 2017 Publishing Company: SAGE Publications, Inc City: Thousand Oaks Print ISBN: 9781483345703 Online ISBN: 9781483345727 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781483345727.n23 Print pages: 44-45 ©2015 SAGE Publications, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This PDF has been generated from SAGE Knowledge. Please note that the pagination of the online version will vary from the pagination of the print book. SAGE SAGE Reference Contact SAGE Publications at http://www.sagepub.com. The Alliance for Excellent Education (AEE), a national policy, research, and advocacy organization, is dedicated to traditionally underserved students in high schools. It is a Washington, D.C.–based organization that seeks to ensure the success of American graduates in citizenship, work, and college. The AEE works to make a policy agenda—a national consensus network of allies for education—to reform higher education. It targets at- risk high school students, who are likely to quit school without a graduate degree or diploma and who may not be able to contribute productively in future. The AEE advocates policies to ensure that resources are targeted toward helping at-risk students and raises funds at the federal level for at-risk students. Presently, the AEE is helping out around 6 million American students, and the focus is on the lowest achievement quartile. Gerard and Lilo Leeds, two retired media persons from CMP Media, founded the technology publishing company in 1971. In 1988, they passed over the management of the company to their sons and started participating actively in philanthropy. In 1990, they launched the Institute for Student Achievement for helping at-risk secondary school students and later founded the AEE in 1999. Since then, the AEE has encouraged secondary school reform and supported student attainment and achievement. It helps encourage the implementation and development of national and federal policies. The AEE’s Issues Accountability Accountability systems focus on school performance and ensure that no child is left behind under the No Child Left Behind Act. They directly hold every school accountable for developing proficiency in mathematics and reading in students by 2014. The overall goal is to raise the secondary school graduation rates. The systems direct resources for needful students and create incentives for further improvement. Achievement Gap The minorities, including various racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups, fail to get quality education due to a number of reasons, such as low expectations in schools, discriminatory economic policies and practices, lack of intellectual stimulation and reading, and societal influences. This has resulted in an education achievement gap. The AEE serves the underserved student groups and advocates curbing economic and civic disparities. Adolescent Literacy Many secondary students quit high school without getting writing and reading skills. The National Assessment of Educational Progress reported that more than 60 percent of 12th- grade students were lacking the required proficiency in reading and 77 percent were below the basic level in reading in 1999. The AEE seeks to ensure that all high school graduates are proficient in reading and able to achieve success in the present world. Assessments Assessments ensure that the set standards are met. The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium and Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers are Page 2 of 4 The SAGE Encyclopedia of World Poverty SAGE SAGE Reference Contact SAGE Publications at http://www.sagepub.com. developing new measures to assess students’ performance against the Common Core State Standards. The measures include interim assessments and formative tools for instructors to make assessments to inform parents and students during the course. Career and Technical Education The present-day education system provides a fine balance between achieving college and career readiness for every secondary student. It provides students opportunities to experience the workplace environment while engaging in a career and pursue technical education. College and Career Relations The U.S. education system has drastically changed. A diploma cannot provide a well-paying job; all students need at least a postsecondary education. The AEE seeks to ensure that all students get quality education that provides them with good communication skills and the capacity for critical thinking and teamwork, which are needed to meet the demands of the present job market. Deeper Learning The AEE aims at providing deeper learning to students. It helps them develop competencies for a good career. It prepares students to solve complex problems, master core academic content, work collaboratively, and communicate effectively. Economic Impacts The dropouts are more likely to spend their lives periodically as unemployed, living on government assistance, or circulating in and out of the prison system. The local, state, and national economies benefit when students become graduates. The students themselves can secure a good job and earn more to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle. The AEE focuses on reducing the dropout rate. Federal Legislation The AEE provides more research and innovation practices that effectively shed light on approaches to improve high school education. Its federal policy recommendations help in strengthening federal education policy for the lowest-performing students in the United States. It focuses on reforms and resources that ensure graduate education to every child. No Child Left Behind/Elementary and Secondary Education Act No Child Left Behind initiatives to curb achievement gaps result in improving schools’ performance, setting standards for student proficiency outcomes and holding schools accountable for meeting these standards. However, the AEE advocates that Congress should periodically review the strengths and weaknesses of the draft legislations to address the needs of neglected high school students. Project 24 Page 3 of 4 The SAGE Encyclopedia of World Poverty SAGE SAGE Reference Contact SAGE Publications at http://www.sagepub.com. The AEE has developed Project 24, a plan for progress, for all students. It is a systematic planning framework for the effective use of digital learning and technology to achieve the goal of college and career readiness. It provides planning tools, creative ideas, expert advice, and tangible suggestions free of cost from nonprofit education organizations and education experts. It focuses on community partnerships; budget and resources; curriculum, instruction, and assessment; data and privacy; technology and hardware; professional learning; and use of time. Teachers and Leaders The AEE works with the Common Core State Standards to transform the instructional core and to prepare better leaders for the future. It makes secondary education deeply engaging and personalized while focusing on complex skills and high-level content. Amitabh Vikram Dwivedi Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University See Also:Absenteeism and Child Poverty; Achievement Gap; American Graduate; Children Out of School; Dropout Rates; Education, Secondary; Education, Tertiary Education and Opportunity; Education and Training, Technical and Vocational Education Equity; Education Premium; Literacy and Illiteracy Rates; Student Attrition Rate; Technical and Vocational Education and Training. Further Readings Alliance for Excellent Education. http://all4ed.org/ (Accessed August 2014). Amitabh Vikram Dwivedi Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781483345727.n23 10.4135/9781483345727.n23 Page 4 of 4 The SAGE Encyclopedia of World Poverty