Foundation for Rural Education Excellence

The Foundation for Rural Education Excellence, a registered 501 (C)(3) organization, was founded in 1998 to facilitate philanthropic support for rural school districts of the   North East Florida Educational Consortium (NEFEC): Baker, Bradford, Columbia, Dixie, Flagler, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Nassau, Putnam, Suwannee and Union Counties as well as Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind and PK Yonge Developmental Research School. Working collaboratively, our mission is to enhance academic success and career opportunities for rural students in northeast Florida.

Career and Technical Directors Discuss Alignment to Workforce Needs

Career and Technical Education directors participated in a Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment Workshop (CLNA) at NEFEC in Palatka on August 20 ^th . The CLNA is a new requirement under Perkins V, the federal funding that supports career and technical education programs.

With a focus on systems alignment and program improvement, the new version of Perkins focuses on alignment of programs to workforce demands to meet the ever-changing needs of learners and employers. 

Clay Electric Cooperative, through its Operation Round Up program, recently awarded $15,000 to support the Bridge to Bachelors initiative.

The Bridge to Bachelors initiative provides support to current paraprofessionals in obtaining their teaching degree. Partnering institutions include the University of Florida and St. Leo University. Grant funds will provide partial reimbursement for tuition and books.

Putting Literacy Initiative Strategies To Work

Over 600 NEFEC teachers/administrators attended four-day Literacy Institutes this summer.  With the beginning of the school year, teachers are implementing strategies to support the foundational reading skills of students. When walking through NEFEC schools this fall you will observe strategies such as meta-cognitive thinking, use of significant sentences, building of text-dependent question ladders, and the use of complex text sets. The NEFEC Literacy Initiative will extend through the 2019-20 school year to include implementation support for administrators, coaches, and teachers. Teachers will be provided with classroom books to assist with building literacy. Literacy is the key to “Unlocking Learning.” NEFEC teachers have been provided with “keys” to open doors of opportunity for students all over northeast Florida.

The NEFEC Literacy Initiative is supported in part by a grant to FREE from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation.

Principal Leadership Academy Kicks Off

Pictured are 30 of the 48 candidates from 11 school districts participating in the 2019-2020 NEFEC Regional Principal Leadership Academy. This 13-month, state-approved, Level II, Principal Preparation Program culminates in eligibility for K-12 school principal certification. Over the course of the program, candidates will participate in asynchronous coursework that is facilitated by NEFEC personnel, have a district-defined number of meetings with an assigned mentor, participate in field experiences, and conduct an inquiry project that is directly linked to student achievement and their school improvement plan. Principals and assistant principals will gain knowledge in the areas of data analysis, communication, instructional leadership, FEAPs, Florida Principal Leadership Standards, professional educator practices, feedback, and instructional technology.

Upcoming Events

22nd Annual Golf Tournament

FREE's annual golf tournament is scheduled for March 27, 2020, at The Palatka Golf Club.