MINNESOTA CENTER FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

MINNESOTA ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE FOUNDATION

Who are CAE and MAEF?

The Center for Academic Excellence's mission is to help improve, promote and recognize academic excellence in Minnesota schools. We believe in greater involvement of students and parents in schools and school decision-making, and partnerships in support of improved teaching and learning. The Center for Academic Excellence (CAE) was created in 2002 as the Center for Educational Performance Excellence in response to uncertainty about pending and future legislative actions.

Now known as the Center for Academic Excellence, we serve as a partner with the Minnesota Academic Excellence Foundation (MAEF), delivering MAEF programming, in addition to providing products and services of our own. MAEF's administrative duties, in support of MAEF's Board of Directors, are provided by the Minnesota Department of Education. CAE is housed under the umbrella of the South Central Service Cooperative in Mankato.

Our current primary recognition and promotion efforts include:

• The Gathering of Champions, recognizing student Academic All-Stars
• WEM Foundation Outstanding Educator Awards
• Academic League Council administration and publishing of Reach for the Stars
  

Our products, programs and services include:

• Internet-based surveys of students, parents, staff and community members
• Leadership Academies
• Classroom Success program
• What Works? Ask the Students and What Works? Ask the Parents programs
• Baldrige Education Criteria for Performance Excellence training and assessment

The Minnesota Academic Excellence Foundation (MAEF) is the primary advocate for promoting and recognizing the importance of academic excellence in all Minnesota elementary and secondary students, schools, and communities.

MAEF was founded in 1983, supported jointly by the public and private sectors through community-based partnerships. It was created in response to the report, A Nation at Risk, and was conceived as an innovative use of business, government, and education resources to address the issues of student achievement and school performance.

MAEF is administered by a 21-member Board of Directors appointed by the Governor to represent various business groups (60%) and education groups (40%). The Board has six standing committees. MAEF program operations additionally receive input from ongoing steering committees, advisory groups and task forces. MAEF involves education stakeholders, customers, and suppliers throughout its programming design and delivery.

updated January 1, 2005