IRVING, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The ExxonMobil Foundation is contributing $500,000 to Teach For America to recruit and train more than 400 outstanding recent college graduates to teach math and science in public middle schools in low-income communities in Dallas, Houston, South Louisiana and Washington, D.C.
The grant benefits Teach For America’s initiative to bring more effective and better qualified math and science teachers to high-need schools in our country’s urban and rural districts. This donation is expected to directly impact more than 27,000 students in inner-city classrooms.
According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, there is a 27-point gap in math skills between low-income students and their higher income peers in the eighth grade. Independent research has repeatedly shown that Teach For America teachers have a positive impact on their students’ achievement, particularly in math and science.
“Having a workforce highly skilled in math and science is crucial to the country’s future success. Attracting and retaining quality math and science teachers is the key to preparing the next generation of innovators,” said Suzanne McCarron, president of the ExxonMobil Foundation. “Sponsoring Teach For America helps us build a pipeline of qualified and engaging teachers to motivate our nation’s students to study these subjects.”
“Thanks to ExxonMobil’s longstanding support of Teach For America’s programs, we have been able to continue our work improving the level of education our nation’s students receive, especially in America’s highest-need schools,” said Wendy Kopp, chief executive officer and founder of Teach For America.
ExxonMobil has supported Teach For America for more than 16 years and has long been committed to funding programs that encourage students to develop a keen interest in careers in math and science fields. Nationally, ExxonMobil has taken part in developing and sponsoring the Mickelson ExxonMobil Teachers Academy, ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camps, Sally Ride Science Festival and National Math and Science Initiative, among others.
About ExxonMobil Foundation
ExxonMobil Foundation is the primary philanthropic arm of the Exxon Mobil Corporation in the United States. The Foundation and the Corporation engage in a range of philanthropic activities that advance education, health and science in the communities where ExxonMobil has significant operations. In the United States, ExxonMobil supports initiatives to improve math and science education at the K-12 and higher education levels.
Globally, ExxonMobil provides funding to improve basic education, promote women as catalysts for economic development, and combat malaria and other infectious diseases in developing countries. In 2009, together with its employees and retirees, Exxon Mobil Corporation, its divisions and affiliates, and ExxonMobil Foundation provided $235 million in contributions worldwide, of which more than $98 million was dedicated to education. Additional information on ExxonMobil’s community partnerships and contributions programs is available at www.exxonmobil.com/community.
About Teach For America
Teach For America is the national corps of outstanding recent college graduates who commit to teach for two years in urban and rural public schools and become lifelong leaders in expanding educational opportunity. Today 8,200 corps members are teaching in 39 regions across the country while 20,000 Teach For America alumni continue working from inside and outside the field of education for the fundamental changes necessary to ensure educational excellence and equity. For more information, visit www.teachforamerica.org.