Academy for Educational Development
Encyclopedia
AED, formerly the Academy for Educational Development, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that focuses on education, health
and economic development
for the "least advantaged in the United States and developing countries throughout the world." AED currently operates more than 250 programs in the United States
and in 150 other countries around the world.
and Sidney Tickton. Originally focused on providing technical assistance related to higher education
management in the United States, AED has expanded into instructional technology
, education reform
, and civil society
support in the US and around the world. AED also focuses on promoting health in developing countries
through environmental communication, social marketing
and other disciplines. Currently AED works throughout the United States and in 167 countries. AED currently operates more than 250 programs to help people improve their lives through better education, health, and economic opportunities. It is also a member of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition
.
AED is one of six partnership support organizations chosen by the New York City Department of Education
to provide New York City public schools with technical assistance in a variety of areas.
AED's Center for Academic Partnerships stated aim is to work with educational institutions and individuals in the United States and around the world to "strengthen and diversify academic exchanges and educational linkages." This Center facilitates international students' study in the United States, American students' study abroad and service learning abroad through the AED Development Fellows Program, as well as faculty and professional exchanges and short term institutes.
On July 25, 2009 Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki announced plans to send up to 10,000 Iraqi students per year to colleges in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia over the next five years as a part of the Iraq Education Initiative, for which AED will provide advice and support.
Other programs include the AED Center for Youth Development and Policy Research, which began the Promising Practices in Afterschool System in 1999 with funding from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
. AED's Middle Start program provides research-based professional development programs that invigorate teaching and learning resulting in improved rigor, equity, and achievement. The National Security Education Program
David L. Boren Fellowships for graduate students, offered by George Washington University
, are provided by AED. GreenCOM, sponsored by AED, is the strategic environmental communication project of the U.S. Agency for International Development, providing services to USAID missions and environmental and agricultural program managers worldwide. AED is a major partner in USAID's "DOT-COM Alliance," leading the dot-ORG program (one of the three programs).
through USAID totaling $640 million.
Health
Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...
and economic development
Economic development
Economic development generally refers to the sustained, concerted actions of policymakers and communities that promote the standard of living and economic health of a specific area...
for the "least advantaged in the United States and developing countries throughout the world." AED currently operates more than 250 programs in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and in 150 other countries around the world.
History and scope
AED was founded in 1961 by Alvin C. EurichAlvin C. Eurich
Alvin Christian Eurich was a 20th Century American educator who is most notable for having served as the first President of the State University of New York from 1949–1951....
and Sidney Tickton. Originally focused on providing technical assistance related to higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
management in the United States, AED has expanded into instructional technology
Instructional technology
In education, instructional technology is "the theory and practice ofdesign, development, utilization, management, and evaluation of processes and resources for learning," according to the Association for Educational Communications and Technology Definitions and Terminology Committee...
, education reform
Education reform
Education reform is the process of improving public education. Small improvements in education theoretically have large social returns, in health, wealth and well-being. Historically, reforms have taken different forms because the motivations of reformers have differed.A continuing motivation has...
, and civil society
Civil society
Civil society is composed of the totality of many voluntary social relationships, civic and social organizations, and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society, as distinct from the force-backed structures of a state , the commercial institutions of the market, and private criminal...
support in the US and around the world. AED also focuses on promoting health in developing countries
Developing country
A developing country, also known as a less-developed country, is a nation with a low level of material well-being. Since no single definition of the term developing country is recognized internationally, the levels of development may vary widely within so-called developing countries...
through environmental communication, social marketing
Social marketing
Social marketing is the systematic application of marketing, along with other concepts and techniques, to achieve specific behavioral goals for a social good. Social marketing can be applied to promote merit goods, or to make a society avoid demerit goods and thus to promote society's well being as...
and other disciplines. Currently AED works throughout the United States and in 167 countries. AED currently operates more than 250 programs to help people improve their lives through better education, health, and economic opportunities. It is also a member of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition
U.S. Global Leadership Coalition
The U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, also known as the USGLC, is a influential, broad-based organization formed by a coalition of 400 American businesses and NGOs, senior national security and foreign policy experts, and diverse range of community leaders from across the country who promote...
.
Programs
AED has five main program areas: global health, population, and nutrition; global learning; leadership and institutional development; social change; and US education and workforce development. Each group has between four and seven centers.AED is one of six partnership support organizations chosen by the New York City Department of Education
New York City Department of Education
The New York City Department of Education is the branch of municipal government in New York City that manages the city's public school system. It is the largest school system in the United States, with over 1.1 million students taught in more than 1,700 separate schools...
to provide New York City public schools with technical assistance in a variety of areas.
AED's Center for Academic Partnerships stated aim is to work with educational institutions and individuals in the United States and around the world to "strengthen and diversify academic exchanges and educational linkages." This Center facilitates international students' study in the United States, American students' study abroad and service learning abroad through the AED Development Fellows Program, as well as faculty and professional exchanges and short term institutes.
On July 25, 2009 Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki announced plans to send up to 10,000 Iraqi students per year to colleges in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia over the next five years as a part of the Iraq Education Initiative, for which AED will provide advice and support.
Other programs include the AED Center for Youth Development and Policy Research, which began the Promising Practices in Afterschool System in 1999 with funding from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation is a charitable foundation founded in 1926 by Charles Stewart Mott of Flint, Michigan. Mott was the leading industrialist in Flint through his association with General Motors....
. AED's Middle Start program provides research-based professional development programs that invigorate teaching and learning resulting in improved rigor, equity, and achievement. The National Security Education Program
National Security Education Program
The National Security Education Program is a U.S. federal government initiative in which U.S. citizens are given funding and training in critical languages "to serve the needs of U.S. national security and national competitiveness." Some funding comes in exchange for a commitment to U.S. federal...
David L. Boren Fellowships for graduate students, offered by George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
, are provided by AED. GreenCOM, sponsored by AED, is the strategic environmental communication project of the U.S. Agency for International Development, providing services to USAID missions and environmental and agricultural program managers worldwide. AED is a major partner in USAID's "DOT-COM Alliance," leading the dot-ORG program (one of the three programs).
Executive Compensation
In 2009, AED drew criticism when it was revealed that then-President Stephen Moseley was paid US$879,530 in total compensation in 2007. Moseley said his 2007 compensation, which included "catch-up" payments into an executive pension fund for prior years, was "in line" with competitors. Moseley announced his January 2011 retirement in November 2010.USAID Suspension
In December 2010, the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID, suspended AED from being awarded new federal service contracts from USAID for 12 to 18 months due to evidence of "serious corporate misconduct" revealed after investigations of the agency's expenditures in Pakistan and Afghanistan. At that time AED had 65 contracts and grantsGrant (money)
Grants are funds disbursed by one party , often a Government Department, Corporation, Foundation or Trust, to a recipient, often a nonprofit entity, educational institution, business or an individual. In order to receive a grant, some form of "Grant Writing" often referred to as either a proposal...
through USAID totaling $640 million.
Settlement Agreement with US Government
On June 30, 2011, AED signed a settlement with the US Department of Justice in which it agreed to pay more than $5 million to settle false claims act allegations. According to the US Government AED had failed to provide proper oversight and management of USAID projects in the semi-autonomous tribal regions of Pakistan and parts of Afghanistan. As a result, the US Government received substandard service and products at inflated prices. The Department of Justice also alleged that executives at the Washington DC office of AED did not properly disclose information about overcharges and other financial mismanagement.Transfer of all AED Programs to FHI 360
Concurrent with the settlement agreement AED executed a transfer of virtually all of its existing programs and employees to another US AID contractor NGO, FHI. The AED programs combined with FHI to create a new entity, FHI-360. With that, AED effectively ceased to exist.See also
- National Service Learning PartnershipNational Service Learning PartnershipThe National Service Learning Partnership, or NSLP, founded in 2001, is a US advocacy organization committed to promoting service-learning in schools and communities across the country. Nelda Brown is the Executive Director, and the organization is funded by grants from W.K. Kellogg Foundation and...
- Youth Innovation FundYouth Innovation FundThe Youth Innovation Fund is a national program that seeds youth activism, service learning, youth-led media through civic engagement programs in eight cities across the United States...
- NICHCY National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities
External links
- Academy for Educational Development official website.