Classroom, Inc. 2013 Annual Report by Stone Soup Creative

Now Is The Time 2013 Annual Report

NOW IS THE TIME

Now Is The Time

A Message to the Classroom, Inc. Community from Chairman Lewis Bernard and President Jane Canner

ALL CHILDREN DESERVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED For over 20 years, you have helped Classroom, Inc. close the achievement gap for underserved students. And for over 20 years, our results show that we’ve inspired students and improved their academic skills. Thank you!

FROM THE CHAIRMAN AND PRESIDENT

The Gates Foundation has recognized Classroom, Inc.’s innovative work by supporting us for the second time in two years with its highly competitive grants. Urban districts recognize our value when they ask us to work with their students—over 20,000 students in 2013 alone. Lewis Bernard,

Lewis Bernard,Chairman Chairman

Help us seize the moment. STUDENTS URGENTLY NEED OUR SUPPORT Technology combined with the Common Core State Standards have the potential to change the way teachers teach and students learn. Classroom, Inc. has the expertise and experience to deliver ground-breaking curriculum to schools that need it the most. Currently, 1.8 million 16–21 year-olds in the United States have dropped out of high school, and over two-thirds of those young adults are unemployed. Shortfalls in education continue to devastate millions of lives and cripple our nation’s economic growth. We cannot afford to let our nation’s education system continue to fail. Programs like Classroom, Inc. are countering the vicious cycle of poverty and unemployment linked to academic underachievement by engaging students who are growing up in our most low-income communities. Students using Classroom, Inc. are motivated to stay in school; improve their literacy, math, and 21st century skills; and envision and pursue meaningful careers.

Jane Canner, President

Lisa Holton, President

Regardless of background, every student has the potential to be great. We know this because we have seen incredible transformations from the students using our program. We are excited about this moment in time because the change we’ve been working to affect is now poised to take shape in classrooms across the country. We hope that you will join us so that together we can realize a brighter future for all students.

Now is the time.

Cover Photo: Special thanks to John Thuet, teacher at Harper High School in Chicago and long-time partner of Classroom, Inc. Hear John talk about how his students use our programs at www.classroominc.org/classroom-inc-video-2013. Designer: Stone Soup Creative Photographers: Diane Greene Lent, James Svehla

Educating low-income students who on average are performing two to three years below grade level is challenging yet gratifying work. Assessment results show that our work really makes a difference. This past summer, for example, The CommoninCore StateTransition Standardstoprovide higherprogram increased their 8th graders our new High School expectations for students teacher average reading level by and one new year strategies and seven for months in just 5–6 weeks. training and instruction. The goal—raising student Our successto derives from the hard and skill of our very talented team and achievement prepare students for work college and careers the many teachers andatadministrators wework employ to support educators in the 21st former century—has been the center of our using We also are privileged to work with a number of for overour 20curriculum. years. organizations which extend our reach, such as the Partnership for After School At the sameand time, benefitsSummer of technology—apparent Education thethe National Learning Association. in business and in our personal lives—are finally being seen as athe catalyst for improving achievement. Without loyal support of ourstudent donors, many of whom have been with us There an emerging body of research onbe thepossible. power ofWe thank you for your since is inception, our success would not digital games to improve learning. trust and confidence in us and in the teachers and students we serve.

245 Fifth Avenue, 20th Floor New York, NY 10016 Phone: 212.545.8400 Toll Free: 800.258.0640 www.classroominc.org

Classroom, Inc.we welcomes thesenew changes. Wetwo of the most notable are the This past year had several funders; anticipated andFoundation pushed for them. We Generation engaged students New York Life and Next Learning Challenges, an growing up in low-income communities with funded technology educational technology grant competition by the Bill & Melinda Gates and gave them challenging workplace problems in gameand William and Flora Hewlett Foundations. Support from New York Life has like settings years for before students immersed made it possible us to launch became a different kind of high-school transition in games as entertainment, and years before digital program—one that you’ll find out about in this report. As a winner of a Next learning gained the popularity thatgrant, it has today. Generation Learning Challenges we have a wonderful opportunity to

enhance our simulation technology in exciting ways that you’ll also learn about Our experience serves us well now that the larger in these pages. We will be seeking matching support for this program in the educational system is also ready. For the first time, we coming year. have the opportunity to design and deliver new programs that will improve on our past experience and reach more Classroom, Inc. will complete 20 years of service this year. We are using this students and teachers than we ever dreamed possible. milestone as a time for reflection. The educational landscape is very different than it was when we support were formed. Ittoday is a privilege to have your as we There embarkhave on been many successful innovations but the sad truth is that the system is still failing the students it this exciting new year. is meant to serve. Finding ways to best engage teachers and students while Now is the time. transform theoutcomes way students learnour guiding principle. equipping them Let’s to achieve better remains and teachers teach together. We thank you for your continued interest and support.

Lewis LewisBernard Bernard

Lisa Holton Jane Canner Classroom, Inc. Annual Report 2011 1

CLASSROOM, INC. ANNUAL REPORT 2013

NOW IS THE TIME

Connecting School to Work

Reaching More Students and Teachers Online

AT CLASSROOM, INC., WE WORK TO CLOSE THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP BY ENGAGING STUDENTS AND SUPPORTING TEACHERS THROUGH BLENDED LEARNING PROGRAMS. As virtual bankers, media executives, editors, and other real-world jobs, students using our programs are engaged and improve their literacy skills, develop stronger academic identities, and envision themselves as professionals. This is made possible with:

Digital workplace simulations where students use literacy and math with 21st century skills to solve work-related problems.

Robust print curricula and nonfiction books corresponding to each simulation that support literacy teaching and learning.

Professional development for teachers that ensures that they can navigate the lessons and that they can support their students to meet new standards.

“The web-enabled lessons make it easy to track my students’ progress, and the online assessments are easy to navigate. I especially like that each activity is explicitly tied to the Common Core.” —9th grade teacher, Cobble Hill High School, Brooklyn, NY

“When I graduate, I want to become a lawyer.” — 8 grader, New York, NY th

REAL-TIME ASSESSMENTS & COMMON CORE ALIGNMENTS We’ve made three of our classic titles available online. With the creation of a new teacher dashboard, educators can track students’ progress in real time against the Common Core State Standards.

WE WERE THE FIRST LITERACY LEARNING GAME TO APPEAR ON BRAINPOP.COM—AN AWARD-WINNING SITE FOR ONLINE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES The Sports Network 2 (TSN-2), funded by a Next Generation Learning Challenges grant, is now being used free of charge by teachers and students across the country. Over 500,000 visitors have accessed TSN-2 on BrainPOP since our March 2013 premiere!

CLASSROOM, INC. ANNUAL REPORT 2013

NOW IS THE TIME

Reading Scores Climb in NYC

Helping Catholic Schools Achieve Excellence

CLASSROOM, INC. STUDENTS GAINED 2.6 YEARS IN READING

SINCE 1991, WE HAVE WORKED WITH

50 300+ 9,000

NYC CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

Classroom, Inc. students made significant gains in reading this school year, after using the program for just eight months or less.

SERVING

Let’s zoom in: Before Classroom, Inc., 201 NYC 9 graders were reading as well as an average 7th grader (7th grade, 8th month). By the end of the year, they were reading as well as an average 10th grader (10th grade, 4th month). th

TEACHERS

AND OVER

STUDENTS

EXPANDING OUR PARTNERSHIP In the 2012–13 school year, we worked with 13 NYC Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of New York and the Diocese of Brooklyn, serving 27 teachers and reaching nearly 1,000 students. Students made significant gains in reading in all but one school, with increases ranging from nine months to more than three years. Using Classroom, Inc. curriculum, a 7th grade Manhattan Catholic school teacher used two nonfiction books from Classroom, Inc. to teach the unit Urban Settings in America: It Happened in the City. Students read New Kids in Town, about teen immigrants, and We Shall Not Be Moved, on the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, to help students master the Common Core literacy standards.

2012–2013 NEW YORK CITY READING ACHIEVEMENT As assessed with the standardized Reading-Level Indicator*

Grade 5

Grade 6

Grade 7 Pretest

Grade 8

Grade 9

Posttest

* The Reading-Level Indicator is a group-administered test of vocabulary and sentence comprehension skills, developed by American Guidance Service (now part of Pearson). It has been documented to be a valid and reliable measure; two forms of the test are available and were used for pre- and post-testing.

“The most important thing that I learned from Classroom, Inc. is that it is important to read well if I am to succeed in a career or in school.” — 7th grade student, Immaculate Conception School, Bronx, NY

CLASSROOM INC. ANNUAL REPORT 2013

NOW IS THE TIME

3,000 Students Brighten Their Academic Futures NEW YORK. BRIDGEPORT. DURHAM. CHICAGO. Three thousand middle and high school students across four cities improved their reading skills and avoided the “summer slide.” Summer is a time when students from low-income communities typically fall behind two months or more. But not when Classroom, Inc. is involved. Our students improved seven months in math and five months in reading in just four-to-five weeks.

ACADEMIC GAINS DURING THE SUMMER FOR STUDENTS USING CLASSROOM, INC. 8 6

Months

4 2 0 -2

+7 Month Classrom, Inc. Gain

+5 Month Classrom, Inc. Gain

-2 Month Summer Loss

Math

Reading

Without CI

With CI

“I didn’t know that summer school could be so much fun.”

“It is not too late to change the path that you’re on; you can still do great things.”

—8th grade student, Little Black Pearl School, Chicago

—8th grade student headed for Central High School, Bridgeport, CT

CLASSROOM, INC. ANNUAL REPORT 2013

NOW IS THE TIME

Summer Success in Chicago

Did You Ever Read A Life-Changing Book? OUR STUDENTS DID THIS SUMMER At-risk middle and high school students in four cities read Discovering Wes Moore as part of Classroom, Inc.’s summertime blended learning program. The digital simulations, coupled with the book, allowed students to explore their own identities. They then told their own stories through blogging, discussions, and ultimately, memoir writing that captured snapshots of their lives and goals.

“You will all go to college!” —Orr High School Principal Tyese Simms, proclaimed to students at graduation

HELPING STUDENTS GRADUATE Family members, friends, and the students themselves were overcome with emotion as diplomas were awarded at the graduation ceremony in July. Twenty middle schools in Chicago’s poorest neighborhoods took part in the Chicago Public School Summer Acceleration Program. As 1,300 students headed off to high school, the cheers were contagious. Over the past 10 years, 10,000 students like this graduating class have stayed in school and improved their reading and math skills with Classroom, Inc.

STUDENTS BUILD DIGITAL RESUME THROUGH BADGING Through a partnership among the City of Chicago, the MacArthur Foundation, and Mozilla, the largest digital badging program— providing students a “virtual resume” to show off the skills they learned in online portfolios—was born. About 400 students in 12 Chicago schools earned badges for Classroom, Inc. accomplishments, such as budgeting and photojournalism.

“Some of the boys admitted that this is the first book they’ve ever read in its entirety. One of the boys said that the reason he decided to stick with the book is because it was the first one ever assigned to him that was interesting and that he could relate to.” —Christine Montera, Transition to High School teacher, East Bronx Academy, Bronx, NY

“I think Wes Moore and I are similar because at some points in his life he didn’t believe in himself—he didn’t think he was smart—and I feel like that sometimes.” —High school student, High School of Sports Management, New York, NY

“This book shows you that it doesn’t matter where you come from or what skin color you are, you can always make it—it just depends on the road you take.” —High school student, East Bronx Academy, Bronx, NY

“We had to adjust our schedule because we couldn’t get the students to close the book and stop reading!” —Jennifer Pride, teacher, Lowe’s Grove Middle School, Durham, NC

CLASSROOM, INC. ANNUAL REPORT 2013

NOW IS THE TIME

Coming in 2014: Our New Digital Learning Game REACHING MORE STUDENTS AND CHANGING LEARNING We are developing an exciting new online literacy game series for middle schoolers that uses advances in gaming technology to personalize learning for students and assess them in real time on the Common Core State Standards. We will engage and inspire more young people than ever before!

AFTER THE STORM

The learning game comes with related offline lessons for reading nonfiction books, team projects, and class discussion. Each program is presented in a larger context; the 6th grade program puts students as the editor of an online magazine and the manager of a bank the day after a major storm hits. Our groundbreaking online model will engage students, personalize their learning, and provide real-time data to teachers. Improving literacy, critical thinking, and noncognitive skills is seamless.

Thank you for your generous support of our mission. Your donations help empower struggling students to succeed in school and beyond. FOUNDER’S CIRCLE ($50,000 AND ABOVE) Jill and Lewis Bernard The Carson Family Charitable Trust Wendy and John Havens Franklin W. Hobbs Mr. Julian H. Robertson, Jr. The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern Foundation Tsunami Foundation—Anson and Debra Beard, Jr. and Family

VALEDICTORIAN’S CIRCLE ($25,000–$49,999) Steven A. Denning and Roberta D. Bowman Mr. Patrick D. Duff Jeanne Donovan Fisher The Glenn Greenberg and Linda Vester Foundation The McCormick Family Foundation

REGENT’S CIRCLE ($10,000–$24,999) The Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation Herbert C. Bernard Scott and Roxanne Bok The Bridgemill Foundation Lisa and Dick Cashin Ms. Beverly Fanger Chase and Dr. Herbert S. Chase, Jr. Mr. Anthony DeNicola Mr. Paul Francis Mr. Richard Gilder, Trustee, Gilder Foundation Ms. Virginia James Christine LaSala and Ellen J. Lipschitz Marc F. McMorris Ms. Mary Meeker Allison and Roberto Mignone Kate and Bob Niehaus Nick Rudenstine The Scully Peretsman Foundation A.J.C. Smith Sommi Family Nicki and Harold Tanner Jay and Toshiko Tompkins Mr. Richard Uihlein Migs Woodside

CLASSROOM, INC. ANNUAL REPORT 2013

CHANCELLOR’S CIRCLE ($5,000– $9,999) Anonymous Richard and Susan Braddock The Charlene and David Howe Foundation Mr. William Collins E. Gerald Corrigan (The Challenger Foundation) Mr. Mark Dalton Mr. Andrew Fentress Bill and Charlotte Ford Mr. Michael J. Fourticq, Sr. Robert and Margaret Gartland Golden Family Foundation Mr. Philip Handy The Hultquist Foundation Denis and Carol Kelleher Sheila Labrecque Philip and Madeline Lacovara Maverick Capital Charities The McClean Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Manfred D. Moross Alison Overseth and Ken deRegt Mary and Alex Ross John C. Whitehead

PRINCIPAL’S CIRCLE ($2,500–$4,999) Anonymous Ms. Photeine M. Anagnostopoulos and Mr. Jim Stynes Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation Liz and Rod Berens Mac and Ellen Caputo Ms. Lisa M. Holton John and Joella Lykouretzos Ms. Patricia S. Metz The Schwartz Family Foundation Mr. Justin B. Wender

NOW IS THE TIME

MENTOR’S CIRCLE ($1,000–$2,499) Anonymous (4) Thomas C. Barry Richard Beattie Mr. David B. Benham John and Penelope Biggs Birch Family Fund of the Community Foundation of New Jersey Mr. A. Dev Chodry D. Ronald Daniel and Lise Scott Mr. and Mrs. J. Hugh Devlin—The Navesink Foundation James H. Evans Mr. Marshall Field Robert E. Fink Ellen V. Futter Gerard P. Lynch Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Peter H. Havens William and Sharon Higgins Mr. William Janetschek Paul and Kathleen Kimball Jim and Beth Lewis—Maxpoffle Foundation Mario M. Morino Trust Geoffrey Dann and Lauri Novick Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas B. Paumgarten Mr. Brian Pfeifler Jane H. Poole Ruth Porat & Anthony Paduano Michael and Veronica Stubbs Tom Theobald and Deborah Good Carl and Joyce Turnipseed Ms. Cynthia Vance Mr. Edwin Watkins

SUPPORTERS (BELOW $1,000) Anonymous (3) L. Price Blackford Eva and Arthur Byrnes Simon Canning Mr. Adam H. Clammer Mr. Ramon C. Cortines Mrs. Eileen Curran Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Geneen Mr. and Mrs. John E. Hawkins Landon Hilliard Jayne T. Keith—JTK Foundation Robert and Alison Leupold Mr. Michael S. McPherson Mrs. Patricia Schaefer Hildy Simmons and David Sprafkin Mrs. William M. Weaver Mr. Gary Zarr

CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION SUPPORTERS Anonymous (3) Acacia Capital Corporation The Achelis and Bodman Foundations Allstate Giving Campaign The Altman Foundation The Anthony and Christie DeNicola Foundation The Atlantic Philanthropies The Barker Welfare Foundation Bernard F. and Alva B. Gimbel Foundation Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation The Carson Family Charitable Trust Citi Foundation The Challenger Foundation The Charina Endowment Fund, Inc. Consolidated Edison Co. of New York, Inc. The Donnelley Foundation The Frances L. & Edwin L. Cummings Memorial Fund

Henry E. Niles Foundation The JM Foundation JustGive.org The Lauder Foundation-Leonard and Evelyn Lauder Fund Lone Pine Foundation, Inc. The Louis Calder Foundation The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, Inc. The Marc Haas Foundation Maverick Capital Charities Morgan Stanley* The Morgan Stanley Foundation New York Life Foundation Old World Industries The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn The Spencer Foundation The Staten Island Foundation The Tsunami Foundation The Tudor Foundation, Inc. *In-kind donation

Board of Directors FY 2013 Lewis W. Bernard, Chairman Chairman, American Museum of Natural History

Marc F. McMorris Managing Director, Carrick Capital Partners

Beverly Fanger Chase, Secretary Senior Counsel, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP

Mary Meeker Partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers

John P. Havens, Treasurer

Nicholas Rudenstine Managing Director, JPMorgan Chase

Lisa Holton President, Classroom, Inc. Christine LaSala President, WTC Captive Insurance Company Michael H. Levine Executive Director, The Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop

Lorraine W. Shanley Principal, Market Partners International Carl W. Turnipseed Gary Zarr Principal, Phil & Co.

Donor levels are based on giving during FY 2013, from July 1, 2012–June 30, 2013. Thank you! For FY 2013 financial information, go to www.classroominc.org/fy2013. Special thanks to the schools who are pictured in this annual report: Harper High School, Chicago; KAPPA High School, NYC; Lavelle Prep Charter School, NYC; St. Mark the Evangelist School, NYC; and Orr High School, Chicago.

Closing the academic achievement gap by using technology and the world of work to engage, teach, inspire, and empower adolescents. 245 Fifth Avenue, 20th Fl. New York, NY 10016 www.classroominc.org