AT&T Announces Quarter-Billion-Dollar Expansion of Education Commitment Through Aspire

New Study: South Carolina High School Graduation Percentage RateIncreased From 2002 To 2009; Nationally, Dropouts Remain Too High

At&T’s ‘Socially Innovative’ Approach Aims To Increase High School Graduates, Boost Workplace Readiness

COLUMBIA, SC – March 19, 2012 –  As access to skilled workers becomesincreasingly vital to the U.S. economy, AT&T is launching aquarter-billion-dollar campaign to help more students graduate from highschool ready for careers and college, and to ensure the country isbetter prepared to meet global competition.

“Education is the key to unlock the future for young people and helpthem reach their potential,” said Pamela Lackey, President, SouthCarolina. “It will take all of us working together and supportingeducators’ hard work to continue to improve graduation rates andpreparedness for careers and college. American business has an enormousstake in the success of our students. It’s time to commit moreinnovation and resources to the task.”

According to a March 19, 2012 report by Civic Enterprises, the EveryoneGraduates Center, America’s Promise Alliance and the Alliance forExcellent Education, South Carolina has seen a 8.1 percentage increasein 2009 graduation rates, compared with data from 2002.

AT&T Aspire, already among the most significant U.S. corporateeducational initiatives with more than $100 million invested since 2008,will tackle high school success and college/career readiness forstudents at-risk of dropping out of high school through a much larger,“socially innovative” approach. Social innovation goes beyondtraditional philanthropy – which typically involves only charitablegiving – to also engage people and technology to bring differentapproaches, new solutions and added resources to challenging socialproblems.  The Aspire effort already has impacted more than one millionU.S. high school students, helping them prepare for success in theworkplace and college.  

The greatly expanded effort centers on a new, $250 million financialcommitment planned over 5 years.  AT&T Aspire will build on thatcommitment by using technology to connect with students in new and moreeffective ways, such as with interactive gamification, Web-based contentand social media. The company will also tap the innovation engine ofthe AT&T Foundry to look for fresh or atypical approaches toeducational obstacles.  Finally, AT&T Aspire will capitalize on thepower of personal connections in the form of mentoring, internships andother voluntary efforts that involve many of AT&T’s approximately260,000 employees.

Between now and April 18, 2012, AT&T is also encouraging SouthCarolina organizations to submit applications to pre-qualify for fundingthrough the Local High School Impact Initiative Requests for Proposals(RFPs). AT&T is most interested in funding local programs that havestrong, evidence-based practices grounded in the What WorksClearinghouse Dropout Prevention: A Practice Guide and data-drivenoutcomes demonstrated to improve high school graduation rates. Moreinformation on the RFP process is available at www.att.com/education-news (click on the “Aspire Local Impact RFP” option.

“AT&T Aspire works toward an America where every student graduateshigh school equipped with the knowledge and skills to strengthen thenation’s workforce,” AT&T Chairman and CEO Randall Stephenson saidwhile announcing the extended commitment during a keynote address at thesecond annual Building a Grad Nation Summit.

Although the problem is serious, there are signs of progress according to the report issued today:

• The high school graduation rate increased by 3.5 percentage points nationally from 2001 to 2009.
• In 2001, the rate was 72.0 percent; by 2009, it had risen to 75.5percent. From 2002 to 2009, six states experienced large gains in theirgraduation rates; 14 states made moderate gains; and four states mademodest gains (Note: 2002 was the first year that state data becameavailable.)
• And the number of “dropout factory” high schools (a high schoolwhere 12th-grade enrollment is 60 percent or less than the 9th-gradeenrollment three years previously) dropped from 2,007 to 1,550 from 2002to 2010 – a 23 percent decrease.

The new and expanded AT&T commitment builds on the work AT&TAspire has completed in the last four years. AT&T and the AT&TFoundation have invested more than $100 million in Aspire since 2008 –and more than $923 million since 1984 in education. The South CarolinaAspire investment has amounted to $1.6 million since 2008. Organizationsthat have benefited include Junior Achievement Job Shadow, the UnitedWay Family Engagement Program, and the ‘My Idea’ program with America’sPromise Alliance.

 About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company andone of the most honored companies in the world. Its subsidiaries andaffiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers ofAT&T services in the United States and around the world. With apowerful array of network resources that includes the nation’s fastestmobile broadband network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless,Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader inmobile broadband and emerging 4G capabilities, AT&T also offers thebest wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, offering the mostwireless phones that work in the most countries.  It also offersadvanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse® and AT&T │DIRECTVbrands. The company’s suite of IP-based business communications servicesis one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&TAdvertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for theirleadership in local search and advertising. 

About Philanthropy at AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is committed to advancing education,strengthening communities and improving lives. Through its philanthropicinitiatives and working with other organizations, AT&T has a longhistory of supporting projects that create learning opportunities;promote academic and economic achievement; and address community needs.In 2011, more than $115 million was contributed through corporate-,employee- and AT&T Foundation-giving programs.