Newark Board of Education, Prudential Financial, and Discovery Education Launch New Partnership Supporting Academic Achievement Districtwide

Silver Spring, Md. (Thursday, November 5, 2020) – The Newark Board of Education (NBOE) has joined forces with Prudential Financial, Schools That Can, and Discovery Education to create an innovative public-private partnership that supports student academic achievement and builds confidence in math skills through a unique suite of dynamic digital resources.

Through this new collaboration, NBOE’s educators, students, and families in grades K-12 are empowered with exciting digital resources, standards-aligned activities, and vetted, high-quality content carefully curated by grade level. These new digital resources will play a critical role in continuing each students’ academic progress on any device, whether at home or in the classroom.

Among the resources now available to NBOE’s teachers and students is Discovery Education Experience. Experience – Discovery Education’s flexible, award-winning K-12 learning platform connects educators to a vast collection of compelling high-quality, standards-aligned content, ready-to-use digital lessons, and professional learning resources. Together, these resources give educators what they need to facilitate instruction in any learning environment, with the ultimate goal of generating long-lasting educational impact.

“As one of the oldest and largest school districts in the country, we strive to educate productive and civic-minded students empowered with the critical thinking and collaboration skills needed to become community stakeholders,” said Roger León, Superintendent of the Newark Board of Education. “Building that vision into reality means meeting students and educators where they are now and offering new resources that unlock doors to a more enriching and stronger education ecosystem. With access to Discovery Education Experience our schools now have the game changing content needed.”

“A high-quality education is essential in ensuring students in Newark are prepared for the jobs of the future. Building strong foundational math skills will give students the tools they need to be successful in high school and college, and ultimately in careers, putting them on a path to financial security. Prudential Financial is committed to solving the financial challenges of our changing world, and providing young students with critical resources needed to be successful is one way to do so. Along with Discovery Education, Schools That Can Newark, and NBoE we are making math more accessible, engaging, and meaningful,” said Sarah Keh, Vice President of Inclusive Solutions at Prudential Financial.

NBOE’s partnership with Discovery Education also provides district teachers access to the Discovery Education Community. A global community of education professionals, the Discovery Education Community connects members across school systems and around the world through social media, virtual conferences, and in-person events, fostering valuable networking, idea sharing, and inspiration.

“Real world success starts with a strong education.” said Erin Sweeney, Executive Director of Schools That Can Newark. “To prepare students for success in their future careers, we must work collaboratively today, across sectors, to provide high-quality educational experiences for students and schools. Today’s launch of this new public-private partnership is a crucial step in the broader efforts to accelerate academic achievement and math readiness in Newark youth. We are honored to be part of this extremely important initiative.”

“Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with community leaders like Prudential Financial and Schools That Can, we are leveraging dynamic digital content to bring the real-world to Newark Board of Education students wherever they are learning,” said Lori McFarling, President of Corporate & Community Partnerships at Discovery Education. “We believe this unique collaboration is a template that can be replicated nationwide.”

Since its founding in 1875, Prudential Financial has been a committed steward and anchor institution in the City of Newark, investing more than $1 billion in the last decade alone to create social and economic opportunity. In continued commitment to the community of Newark, Prudential Financial partnered with Schools That Can to create the Prudential Financial Newark Math Initiative, a series of programs aimed at strengthening math skills in Newark youth, preparing Newark youth for math-intensive careers, and creating a citywide math culture. In addition to the Monthly Math Challenges designed by Discovery Education and supported by the Afterschool Alliance, the Initiative includes targeted Prudential Financial outreach to Newark high school students. This includes Prudential Financial classroom visits and the Prudential Financial Actuarial Career Exploration (PACE) career mentorship program for students interested in math careers. To guide the program, the Initiative convened a working group of high school and college math educators who analyzed factors leaving many Newark youth unprepared for college math. Their two years of work culminated in their recently released report “Bridging the High School to College Math Gap.” Read the working group’s report and learn more about the Prudential Financial Newark Math Initiative here.

For more information about Discovery Education’s digital resources and professional learning services, visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through Twitter and LinkedIn.

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About Prudential
Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU), a financial wellness leader and premier active global investment manager with more than $1.5 trillion in assets under management as of June 30, 2020, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe and Latin America. Prudential’s diverse and talented employees help to make lives better by creating financial opportunity for more people. Prudential’s iconic Rock symbol has stood for strength, stability, expertise and innovation for more than a century. For more information, please visit news.prudential.com.

About Afterschool Alliance
The Afterschool Alliance is a nonprofit public awareness and advocacy organization working to ensure that all children and youth have access to quality afterschool programs. More information is available at www.afterschoolalliance.org.

About Schools That Can
In 2005, Schools That Can (STC) started with 12 schools from different sectors (charter, district, independent) and has since, grown into the country’s largest cross-sector network of urban schools serving low-income communities. The network currently reaches more than 180 schools across 15 cities, serving more than 70,000 students. STC partners with schools to deliver engaging Education to Employment (e2e) Pathway® content that connects teachers and students to the world of work. Our programs strengthen and expand the capacity of schools and teachers to prepare historically marginalized students for careers or college and support their students on the e2e pathway.

About Discovery Education
Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, engaging content, and professional learning for K-12 classrooms. Through its award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia resources, and the largest professional learning network of its kind, Discovery Education is transforming teaching and learning, creating immersive STEM experiences, and improving academic achievement around the globe. Discovery Education currently serves approximately 4.5 million educators and 45 million students worldwide, and its resources are accessed in over 140 countries and territories. Inspired by the global media company Discovery, Inc., Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and like-minded organizations to empower teachers with customized solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at DiscoveryEducation.com.