Gift of $5 million will help fund programs at five Louisville schools

Will boost teacher preparedness, retention and professional development

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Nov. 10, 2014) — The University of Louisville’s College of Education and Human Development has received a $5 million gift from the Mary K. Oxley Foundation to boost teacher preparedness, retention and professional development at five Louisville-area schools.

Another $2.5 million in matching funds from the UofL Foundation will complement the Oxley gift, which is the largest private gift in the CEHD history.

Schools that will benefit from the funds are The Academy @ Shawnee, Westport Middle School and Atkinson, Cochran and Portland elementary schools. All five schools are part of UofL’s Signature Partnership Initiative, a program launched in 2007 to improve quality of life for residents in west Louisville.

“This extraordinary gift allows us to do even more to train outstanding teachers,” said UofL President James Ramsey. “It will expand our nationally recognized clinical model of teacher preparation and provide other opportunities for teachers to meet the needs of at-risk youth.”

The $5 million gift renews and expands programs initially funded by the Oxleys in 2010 with a $1 million donation.

The combined Oxley and UofL Foundation gifts will provide:

• Summer enrichment for at-risk students.
• Professional development opportunities for teachers.
• Support for JCPS teachers to pursue National Board Certification, a process that can take one to three years and cost more than $2,000. Those who gain certification must agree to remain at the school for at least three more years.
• An intensive, clinical education program that pairs student teachers with experienced mentors as they work collaboratively to customize learning plans for each student.
• Expansion of a Teacher in Residence program where experts in urban education are hired as a resource for other teachers.