$112 Million for Bay Area Public Schools; Hewlett-Annenberg Challenge Met One Year Early and $12 Million Above the Goal.

Business Editors/Education Writers

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 20, 2000

On the heels of a national announcement that the half-a-billion dollar Annenberg Challenge -- the biggest gift to K-12 public schools in US history -- has doubled, generating an additional half-billion in gifts, the Bay Area School Reform Collaborative (BASRC) is also heralding completion of its fundraising.

BASRC's $50 million Hewlett-Annenberg matching grant challenge has been achieved one year ahead of schedule, providing over $112 million to improve Bay Area K-12 public schools.

The Bay Area challenge, which sought to raise $100 million over five years, more than met its goal in just four years. In Providence, R.I., the national Annenberg Challenge said that its largest single gift nationwide was William R. Hewlett's $35 million commitment to Bay Area education.

When former ambassador Walter Annenberg announced his gift at the White House in 1993, he said, &uot;This must be a challenge to the nation. Those who control sizable funds should feel an obligation to join this crusade for the betterment of this country.&uot; Accepting that challenge, public and private donors have now contributed more than $550 million in matching funds -- 85 percent of the total to be raised nationally.

&uot;We're thankful for the personal examples set by Walter Annenberg and William Hewlett, and for the generosity of the foundations and corporations that made this stunning achievement possible,&uot; said BASRC executive director Merrill Vargo. &uot;We're equally grateful for the dedicated and inspiring work being done by thousands of teachers and principals in BASRC schools throughout the Bay Area.&uot;

Last spring, BASRC reported that 18 of its grant-funded Leadership schools had hiked student achievement, even though only 14 were expected to do so in 1998-9. The Collaborative is now attracting national attention for its work.

The Bay Area Challenge sprang to life after Hewlett put up $25 million -- $15 from William Hewlett personally and $10 from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation -- and asked former ambassador Walter Annenberg to match that total.

The Hewlett-Annenberg Challenge has been met by 62 private foundations and 33 corporations, with 95 percent of the $62 million response coming from Bay Area, rather than national, grantmakers.

BASRC is slated to sunset in June 30, 2001, but many educational and philanthropic leaders want to continue the region's collaboration. Jennifer Sims, formerly of Quantum Corporation, said, &uot;Some of the superintendents we have talked to have suggested that someone put together a 'swat team' of people in industry to go out and talk to CEOs in other companies as well as legislators, to demonstrate some of the great things happening in our own back yard that people never hear about.

&uot;Teachers are staying in the system. Literacy rates are increasing. There's a lot of good news out there we're not sharing.&uot;