Partnership set to positively impact students of color with more representation in the classroom

(Black PR Wire) HERNDON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Stride, Inc. (NYSE: LRN) and the National Association of Black Male Educators (NABME) announced today a new partnership that will provide recruiting opportunities and professional development resources to Black male educators in online and hybrid schools across the U.S.

“I am grateful to NABME for the opportunity to create this important partnership. Diversity in our teachers is a crucial step in providing the diversity of role models that reflect our communities,” said James Rhyu, CEO at Stride, Inc. “Black male educators are an underrepresented group in classrooms, which limits access to strong role models for Black students. This is a step in the right direction to begin correcting that and empowering young Black men as both educators and students.”

People of color make up about 17% of teachers in the United States, but only 2% are Black men. Research shows that Black students who have at least one Black teacher in elementary school are less likely to drop out of school and are more likely to go on to college than those who do not have Black teachers. The partnership with NABME aims to expand the number of Black teachers employed by Stride, and to equip current teachers with tools to facilitate inclusive classrooms online and in traditional settings.

“This collaboration between NABME and Stride will help propel our urgent commitment to dramatically increase the number of marginalized children who succeed,” said Rictor Craig, CEO of NABME. “By increasing the number of highly effective Black men who impact and educate our children, we can change the outcomes and life trajectories of thousands of kids.”

The partnership includes a monthly series of culturally relevant workshops directly tailored to male educators of color, as well as opening of recruiting opportunities at Stride-powered schools across the country for NABME members. NABME’s virtual workshop series will cover topics such as: Using Affirming Language with Boys of Color; Building Strong Scholar Relationships; Classroom Management Practices for Men of Color; Restorative Justice: Building Community in the Classroom; and Social Emotional Learning: Why Relationships Matter.

The professional development workshop series will kick off on April 29, 2021 during Stride’s second annual Week of Understanding, as part of the company’s participation in CEO Action’s Day of Understanding. In lieu of one day, Stride dedicates an entire week to focus on building its organizational culture through discussions, workshops, and cultural and professional development sessions for its workforce.

Week of Understanding and the partnership with NABME are part of Stride’s multi-year commitment to support racial and socioeconomic equity and inclusion in and through education. Other commitments include investing $10 million in scholarships for underserved students, developing socially conscious legal and law enforcement career pathways of study, interactive courses on the history of systemic racism, and creating new civic engagement initiatives for Stride employees.

More information on Stride’s commitments can be found at https://www.stridelearning.com/responsibility-inclusion.

About Stride, Inc.

At Stride, Inc. (NYSE: LRN) we are reimagining learning – where learning is lifelong, deeply personal, and prepares learners for tomorrow. The company has transformed the teaching and learning experience for millions of people by providing innovative, high-quality, tech-enabled education solutions, curriculum, and programs directly to students, schools, the military, and enterprises in primary, secondary, and post-secondary settings. Stride is a premier provider of K-12 education for students, schools, and districts, including career learning services through middle and high school curriculum. For adult learners, Stride delivers professional skills training in healthcare and technology, as well as staffing and talent development for Fortune 500 companies. Stride has delivered millions of courses over the past decade and serves learners in all 50 states and more than 100 countries. The company is a proud sponsor of the Future of School, a nonprofit organization dedicated to closing the gap between the pace of technology and the pace of change in education. More information can be found at stridelearning.com, K12.com, galvanize.com, techelevator.com, and medcerts.com.

About NABME

The mission of the National Association of Black Male Educators is to dramatically increase the number of marginalized children who succeed, by dramatically increasing the number of highly effective black and brown male teachers and leaders who positively impact them. NABME actively partners with organizations and school districts across the nation to build the teaching and learning capacity of male educators of color to aggressively close the achievement gap for underserved children. By 2035, NABME seeks to dramatically increase the current 2% representation of black and brown men in classrooms across the nation and change the narrative in education for black and brown boys and men alike. Find out more about NABME’s mission, vision, and initiatives at www.nabme.org.

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