Direct TV, Tech For America Agree To Partner To Expand Access For math Education

DIRECTV and Teach For America announced today the launch of a national partnership to expand access to excellent math instruction to students in high-need communities, and develop resources that will inspire students to love math. The education nonprofit will receive $250,000 from DIRECTV to support its national efforts to recruit, train, and support math educators across the country, with its Los Angeles, Oklahoma, and Colorado regions receiving dedicated funding. The partnership reflects the organizations' joint commitment to ensuring all students cultivate the math skills needed to be successful in college and beyond – in a world which is increasingly digital and defined by math innovation. Hundreds of students, educators, and representatives from Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM)-focused organizations will gather in Los Angeles' Santee Education Complex on April 7 to kick off the partnership with MATHx – a program featuring short, energizing talks exploring innovation, exciting trends and achievement in math education. The Los Angeles MATHx event is the first in a series of three, and will be followed by programs in Oklahoma and Colorado. MATHx will be preceded by a math exploration fair featuring interactive booths hosted by ST Math, DIRECTV, MIND Research Institute, City Year Los Angeles, the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, and Teach For America, among others. MATHx speakers include: * Mike White, chairman, president & CEO, DIRECTV * Matt Kramer, co-CEO, Teach For America * Nigel Nisbet, vice president of content creation, MIND Research Institute * Kathy Clemmer, founder, Loyola Marymount University's Center for Math and Science Teaching; math teacher, El Segundo High School * Randy Palisoc, founder, Ironbox Education * Scott Flansburg, Guinness World Record Holder for Mental Calculation * Amber Medina (Los Angeles '01), principal, KIPP Raices; Teach For America alumnus * Alma Gomez, parent, KIPP Raices "DIRECTV is excited to partner with Teach For America to create math opportunities for students across the country," said Mike White, chairman, president and CEO of DIRECTV. "As a technology company, math is at the heart of everything we do and it is essential to our nation's ability to thrive in the future. By supporting Teach For America's national math efforts and bringing together leading voices in math education across three cities, we hope to shine a light on this important subject and inspire the next generation of students to be passionate math learners." "Teach For America is working to evolve math instruction, and we're grateful for the support and partnership from DIRECTV in that effort," said Matt Kramer, co-CEO of Teach For America. "We both envision a future where all kids in all classrooms see their love of math encouraged and nurtured, and where every child believes in their potential in mathematics." Teach For America is among the largest and most diverse providers of STEM teachers in the country. The STEM Initiative, founded in 2006, has grown from more than 600 secondary STEM teachers to about 3,500 STEM teachers today, impacting about 294,000 students in the 2014-15 school year. Nearly 50 percent of STEM corps members identify as people of color, and about 40 percent received Federal Pell Grants, a reliable indicator of low-income background. The partnership is part of DIRECTV's broader work to support K-12 schools and help today's students and tomorrow's workforce develop a sound academic foundation in STEM, with a focus on math. DIRECTV's work to enhance math education has included sponsorship of innovative math technology in schools, professional development for teachers and hands-on learning experiences and real-world exposure to bring math to life for kids. Media is invited to attend MathX on Tuesday, April 7. * Santee Education Complex: 1921 Maple Avenue, Los Angeles, CA * 4:30–6:00PM PST: Math Exploration Fair * 6:00–7:30PM PST: MATHx Program