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TAF Academy:
Pioneering a new approach
to public education

TAF Academy prepares students of color to graduate from high school
on-time
and college-ready to pursue degrees in STEM fields. This visionary approach to public education combines partnerships, research, best practices, rigor and authentic work to create an environment where students take an active role in their own education and create a clear path to their future.

Key features of the TAF Academy model include:

  • Individual assessment of each student’s knowledge base and  learning style
  • Rigorous academics that go beyond basic state requirements
  • Project-based learning across all areas of study
  • Lower student-to-teacher ratios
  • Civic engagement requirements
  • Academic support and enrichment opportunities
  • Specialized attention for students in need of academic and language support
  • Professional development to ensure teachers are fluent in the latest classroom technologies and best educational practices

The first TAF Academy opened in September 2008 in partnership with Federal Way Public Schools.

TAF plans to open a network of 5 TAF Academies by 2015. We are establishing partnerships with other Washington State school districts to determine the most effective location for each TAF Academy.

What would you like to do now
to be a pioneer in public education?

Learn more about TAF AcademyLearn more about TAF Academy

Learn more about TAF AcademyVisit the TAF Academy @ Federal Way website

Learn more about TAF AcademyRead the TAF Academy Prospectus

Donate NowMake a donation to TAF Academy

TAF Key Educational Concepts

Click to expand definitions.

» Authentic Intellectual Work (AIW)

AIW is the combination of authentic instruction with assessment tasks (not necessarily tests) that elicit student work that is intellectually more complex than they would otherwise produce. AIW assignments demand higher-order thinking skills, deep understanding of content, elaborated communication, and activities that are similar to real-world tasks.

» College-Ready

Students are considered “college-ready” when they meet three criteria:

  • Awareness that college is a viable option for them
  • Eligibility based on completion of coursework needed for college admissions
  • Academic preparedness to take college-level classes without remediation

» Project-Based Learning (PBL)

PBL is a teaching model that encourages deep exploration of subjects through the use of classroom projects and selected technology to research questions and issues that are relevant to students’ lives.

» STEM fields

Industries that depend employees’ advanced skills in Science, Technology, Engineering & Math. Many of the fastest growing careers in the 21st century require critical skills—and college degrees—in these areas, yet people of color are significantly underrepresented in these fields.

» Technology Education Pipeline

TAF offers K-12 programs designed to increase awareness of and early participation in STEM subjects. Our programs use technologies and instruction methods that are appropriate for each stage in a child’s development.

 

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