Governor Phil Bredesen (D-TN) Named Co-Chair of Achieve’s Board

NEWS STATEMENT

CONTACT:

Sandy Boyd, (202) 419-1542, sboyd@achieve.org

WASHINGTON – December 14, 2009 – Phil Bredesen has joined former Intel Corporation Chairman Craig Barrett as the new cochair of Achieve's Board of Directors. Governor Bredesen will replace Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, who has served with Barrett as the Board's co-chair. Together, Governor Bredesen and Barrett will lead a board dedicated to Achieve's mission - ensuring all students graduate from high school college- and career-ready.

"I'm pleased to assume this leadership position and to help Achieve continue its work with states to adopt a system of common standards and assessments," said Bredesen. "We stand today at a defining moment in the American education system and our economy, and I'm very pleased to have the opportunity to become more involved in this critically important area."

Governor Bredesen has served on Achieve's Board for the past year, and it was under his leadership that Tennessee joined Achieve’s American Diploma Project network and made unprecedented strides in advancing education reform in his state. In the last three years, Tennessee has raised its science, mathematics and English standards and elevated its high school graduation requirements to ensure that its citizens are prepared to compete for twenty-first century jobs and higher education.

"Achieve's efforts are taking root in Tennessee and other states through the American Diploma Project Network and other innovations," Bredesen continued. "I look forward to helping Achieve advance those efforts in other states to improve student achievement."

"We're very pleased to welcome Governor Bredesen as co-chair of our board," said Mike Cohen, Achieve's president. "As a governor committed to advancing education reform in his state, he has made impressive progress in improving education in Tennessee. We look forward to working even more closely with Governor Bredesen as he assumes his new leadership role guiding the work of Achieve at this critical time."

Created in 1996 by the nation's governors and corporate leaders, Achieve is an independent, bipartisan, nonprofit education reform organization based in Washington D.C. that helps states raise academic standards and graduation requirements, improve assessments, and strengthen accountability. Achieve is leading the effort to make college and career readiness a national priority so that the transition from high school graduation to postsecondary education and careers is seamless. To make college and career readiness a priority, in 2005 Achieve launched the American Diploma Project Network. Starting with 13 original states, the Network has now grown to include 35 states educating nearly 85 percent of all U.S. public school students. Through the ADP Network, governors, state education officials, postsecondary leaders and business executives work together to improve postsecondary preparation by aligning high school standards, assessments, graduation requirements and accountability systems with the demands of college and careers. For more information about the work of Achieve, visit www.achieve.org.