Twelve Organizations Join Leading Advocacy Group Infusing 21st Century Skills in Education

Leading Business, Technology and Education Organizations Take Collective Action to Transform Learning in the 21st Century
WASHINGTON, DC -- 04/27/2005 -- The Partnership for 21st Century Skills, the leading advocacy organization focused on infusing 21st century skills into education, has more than doubled its membership, growing from eight founding organizations in 2002 to 20 members representing America’s leading business, technology and education organizations.

The 12 new members include: Agilent Technologies; American Association of School Librarians, a division of the American Library Association; American Federation of Teachers; Bell South Foundation; Corporation for Public Broadcasting; ETS; Ford Motor Company; Intel Corporation; JA Worldwide; Oracle Corporation; Texas Instruments; and Verizon. These organizations join the Partnership’s founding members including Apple; Cable in the Classroom; Cisco Systems; Dell; Microsoft; National Education Association; SAP; and Time Warner.

“We are very pleased that America’s leading employers and educators recognize the long-term need for 21st century skills in education and have joined the Partnership to contribute to our vision,” said Ken Kay, president of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills. “Our dramatic growth is strong evidence that the 21st century skills movement is gaining momentum. The Partnership is making real progress for children in the 21st century by helping states and school districts strategically and comprehensively infuse 21st century skills into K-12 education.”

Since its inception in 2002, the Partnership has taken real action -- issuing two reports, Learning for the 21st Century and A Policymakers’ Guide to 21st Century Skills; a self-assessment guide; an online tool; and a series of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Literacy Maps -- in an effort to promote a powerful vision for 21st century education. Thousands of individuals have sought guidance from the Partnership’s resources and tools in an effort to assist their schools, communities, districts and states in advocating for the infusion of 21st century skills into education.

About the Partnership for 21st Century Skills

The Partnership for 21st Century Skills has emerged as the leading advocacy organization focused on infusing 21st century skills into education. The organization brings together the business community, education leaders, and policymakers to define a powerful vision for 21st century education to ensure every child’s success as citizens and workers in the 21st century. The Partnership encourages schools, districts and states to advocate for the infusion of 21st century skills into education and provides tools and resources to help facilitate and drive change.

Member organizations include: Agilent Technologies, American Association of School Librarians, American Federation of Teachers, Apple, Bell South Foundation, Cable in the Classroom, Cisco Systems, Inc., Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Dell Inc., ETS, Ford Motor Company Fund, Intel, JA Worldwide, Microsoft Corporation, National Education Association, Oracle Corporation, SAP, Texas Instruments Incorporated, Time Warner, Inc. and Verizon. Organizations interested in joining the Partnership may contact info@21stcenturyskills.org or visit the Partnership’s website at www.21stcenturyskills.org.

Based in Washington, DC, and Tucson, Arizona, the Partnership for 21st Century Skills is administered by Infotech Strategies. The Partnership for 21st Century Skills is a tax-exempt 501 (c) 3 organization.

Contact Information

Kari Shellhorn

Media Contact

Partnership for 21st Century Skills

Contact via E-mail