The 2012 McGraw Prize in Education winners have been named. Each winner will be presented with a $50,000 prize during the gala awards ceremony on Tuesday, September 18.
This year, the 25th anniversary of the Prize, honors the following “Game Changers”:
- John Merrow has spent many years as an education reporter for National Public Radio and The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour and as an advocate exploring major issues confronting U.S. education. Mr. Merrow is honored as an education luminary. As president of Learning Matters, which he founded in 1995, he has drawn attention to the state of education in the U.S., highlighting programs, schools and teachers who are having significant impact on student achievement.
- Sal Khan‘s creation of Khan Academy has transformed education by creating a free, open-source, world-class virtual school where anyone can learn anything, anytime. For this, he is honored as a rising star in education. A former financial analyst, he began this work in 2004 by tutoring his young cousin in math. Demand for his online videos grew, and in 2009 he committed himself fully to Khan Academy. Its scope is huge: its more than 3,300 instructional videos covering everything from basic math to college level science have been viewed more than 180 million times. Khan Academy’s technology also means students, parents and teachers can track progress as students master new knowledge and skills.
- Two leaders of TNTP, CEO Ariela Rozman and President Timothy Daly, are honored together as education pioneers. TNTP, a nonprofit founded by teachers in 1997, is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in public education. Working in more than 25 cities, TNTP partners with educators in schools, districts and states to find, develop and keep great teachers. TNTP has recruited or trained some 49,000 teachers – benefiting an estimated 8 million students – and is advancing a profession that prioritizes and supports effective teaching. TNTP’s groundbreaking studies, including The Widget Effect (2009) and The Irreplaceables (2012), have influenced legislation in more than 20 states.
These winners were selected for their cutting-edge innovations and far-reaching impact on student achievement and teacher effectiveness.
For more information, see http://investor.mcgraw-hill.
