Alliance for Excellent Education
Encyclopedia
The Alliance for Excellent Education (AEE) is a national policy, research and advocacy organization that works to develop a national consensus and policy agenda to transform American high schools. To do this, AEE advocates at the federal level for funding and policies to ensure resources are targeted to at-risk students in middle school and high school. In addition, AEE is building a national network of allies for education to support its efforts.
AEE was founded by Gerard and Lilo Leeds. Mr. and Mrs. Leeds had retired from CMP Media, Inc., the highly lucrative technology publishing company they launched in 1971. When, in 1988, the Leeds turned the management of their company over to two of their sons, they turned their attention to philanthropy and in 1990 the couple launched the Institute for Student Achievement
(ISA), which works in partnership with low-performing school districts to help at-risk middle- and high-school students.
Hoping to build on the success of ISA and implement it nationally, Mr. and Mrs. Leeds founded AEE in December 1999 and hired Susan Frost as the first President in 2001. Frost had served for six years as advisor to U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley
and for 11 years as executive director of the Committee for Education Funding (CEF). As President of AEE, Frost helped identify the weaknesses in President George W. Bush
’s No Child Left Behind Act
and recognized key strategies for policymakers to help schools raise student achievement and graduation rates. The Alliance called on national policymakers to expand the federal role in education to high school students with initiatives in adolescent literacy, teacher and principal quality, college preparation planning, and smaller, more personalized learning communities. Legislation that embodied these recommendations was then introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives (the Graduation for All Act) and the Senate (the PASS Act).
On August 3, 2004 Frost resigned as President of AEE. In February 2005 former West Virginia
Governor Bob Wise
was hired as AEE’s second President. Under his leadership, AEE increased in size and expanded its policies to include work in states.
AEE was among the charities that invested with Bernard Madoff
.
AEE was founded by Gerard and Lilo Leeds. Mr. and Mrs. Leeds had retired from CMP Media, Inc., the highly lucrative technology publishing company they launched in 1971. When, in 1988, the Leeds turned the management of their company over to two of their sons, they turned their attention to philanthropy and in 1990 the couple launched the Institute for Student Achievement
Institute for Student Achievement
The Institute for Student Achievement is a "high school turnaround partner" for public school districts attempting to improve high school education, particularly for at-risk students. ISA offers both a comprehensive model and, for those schools and districts whose needs are less profound, ISA...
(ISA), which works in partnership with low-performing school districts to help at-risk middle- and high-school students.
Hoping to build on the success of ISA and implement it nationally, Mr. and Mrs. Leeds founded AEE in December 1999 and hired Susan Frost as the first President in 2001. Frost had served for six years as advisor to U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley
Richard Riley
Richard Wilson Riley , American politician, was United States Secretary of Education under President Bill Clinton and the 111th Governor of South Carolina. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
and for 11 years as executive director of the Committee for Education Funding (CEF). As President of AEE, Frost helped identify the weaknesses in President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
’s No Child Left Behind Act
No Child Left Behind Act
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is a United States Act of Congress concerning the education of children in public schools.NCLB was originally proposed by the administration of George W. Bush immediately after he took office...
and recognized key strategies for policymakers to help schools raise student achievement and graduation rates. The Alliance called on national policymakers to expand the federal role in education to high school students with initiatives in adolescent literacy, teacher and principal quality, college preparation planning, and smaller, more personalized learning communities. Legislation that embodied these recommendations was then introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives (the Graduation for All Act) and the Senate (the PASS Act).
On August 3, 2004 Frost resigned as President of AEE. In February 2005 former West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
Governor Bob Wise
Bob Wise
Robert Ellsworth "Bob" Wise, Jr. is an American politician. A Democrat, Wise served as the 33rd Governor of West Virginia from January 2001 to January 2005.-Early life:...
was hired as AEE’s second President. Under his leadership, AEE increased in size and expanded its policies to include work in states.
AEE was among the charities that invested with Bernard Madoff
Bernard Madoff
Bernard Lawrence "Bernie" Madoff is a former American businessman, stockbroker, investment advisor, and financier. He is the former non-executive chairman of the NASDAQ stock market, and the admitted operator of a Ponzi scheme that is considered to be the largest financial fraud in U.S...
.