INDIANAPOLIS, IN (May 2, 2011) - Kappa Delta Pi, International Honor Society in Education (KDP), announces its selection of the Milken Family Foundation (MFF) as the first recipient of its International Award for Excellence in Education. The Foundation is being recognized for its sustained commitment to honoring and supporting our nation’s educators.

Established as a part of KDP’s Centennial Celebration, the award honors an organization that demonstrates exemplary service to educators. “I cannot think of a more deserving entity to receive our inaugural award. The Milken family’s three decades of dedication to strengthening American K–12 education and support to classroom teachers is commendable,” reflects Faye Snodgress, KDP Executive Director. The Milken Educator Awards program and network epitomize the proven fact that the quality of the teacher in the classroom is by far the most important school-based factor in determining student achievement. Since its establishment, the program has honored 2,500 K–12 teachers, principals, and specialists.

MFF Chairman and Co-Founder Lowell Milken presented the first Milken Educator Awards in 1987 to recognize excellence in teaching. In 1999, he introduced TAP: The System for Teacher and Student Advancement to generate such excellence in far greater quantities for the American teaching profession. TAP places the talented teacher front and center in a comprehensive system to attract, develop, motivate and retain effective educators. TAP’s proven reforms now impact 20,000 teachers and 200,000 students in schools and districts across the country.

“Educators have the most important job in our nation: to prepare our youth for a productive and satisfying future in a global economy. As the motto of the Milken Educator Awards proclaims,” said Lowell Milken, “‘The future belongs to the educated.’ We are deeply honored to receive the International Award for Excellence, and wish Kappa Delta Pi every success in further developing the one profession that shapes all others—teaching.”

The International Award for Excellence in Education will be presented as a part of KDP’s 48th Biennial Convocation, November 3–5, 2011, in Indianapolis, Indiana, where the organization will also celebrate its Centennial. Founded in 1911, today KDP advances the professional growth and teaching practices of 20,000 preservice educators in partnership with 635 teacher education programs as well as 25,000 practitioners—eventually impacting the academic success of more than 1.5 million students per year.

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Kappa Delta Pi, International Honor Society in Education (www.kdp.org) is a not-for-profit organization that supports the professional growth and teaching practices of educators throughout the world. For 100 years, the Society has recognized excellence in education, advanced professional development, provided a reasoned voice for significant issues, and linked learning communities of educators.

Milken Family Foundation (www.mff.org) exists to discover and advance inventive and effective ways of helping people help themselves and those around them lead productive and satisfying lives. The Foundation advances this mission primarily through its work in education and medical research.

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