“Creating a D.C.-based center for our CSR activities enables us to expand our role in the global education conversation while engaging directly with a broad and diverse set of international and domestic education stakeholders,” said HMH Interim CEO Michael Muldowney. “Under Casey’s leadership, HMH aims to maximize the social impact of our products and services in order to help overcome education’s most intractable challenges.”
The office will also serve as a nucleus for policy conversation and global discourse and a place for domestic and international stakeholders to gather and debate critical education issues. HMH’s initiatives will seek to create positive social impact, extending from the Company’s core expertise as the leading global education and learning company. Initial areas of focus will include:
Corporate Citizenship: HMH corporate citizenship activities will include the donation of at least three million books per year to students worldwide, aimed at supporting the educational goals of the US and developing countries around the world to help to meet the needs of under-served students. HMH will also contribute thousands of hours of employee volunteer time and direct new corporate grants to schools and other nonprofits.
School Turnaround: HMH will work at the national, state, district and building levels to identify struggling schools' areas of weakness and address crucial concerns. By combining public and private partnerships, on-the-ground training and innovative tools, HMH will engage parents and community organizations to support and sustain improved student performance in groundbreaking and innovative ways.
Global Teacher Training: HMH will provide comprehensive training to raise the quality of teaching in developing countries by contributing a range of resources, including expertise in professional development.
Research and Effectiveness: HMH will increase its investment in research to improve the quality of its product and service offerings, as well as to demonstrate their positive educational outcomes for teachers, administrators, parents and students.
“This D.C. presence will serve as our embassy to the global education marketplace,” said Mr. Carter. “Ultimately, our goal is to be an active participant and contributor to the global dialogue around educational innovation, and to lead the industry in showcasing the positive social impact of our core business. I’m thrilled to lead these efforts at such an exciting point in the evolution of teaching and learning.”
Prior to joining HMH, Mr. Carter was president of the U.S. division of CfBT Education Trust. He is also the author of On Purpose: How Great School Cultures Form Strong Characters and No Excuses: Lessons from 21 High-Performing, High-Poverty Schools. Mr. Carter previously served as president of National Heritage Academies, a charter school management company that operates 67 schools in eight states.Opening in the early summer timeframe, HMH’s state-of-the art D.C. office will convene thought leaders on a regular basis for events on relevant educational topics, and will also serve as a showcase for some of the most innovative products and concepts currently on the market for K-12 education.
About Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
With education products and services used by 57 million students throughout all 50 U.S. states and 120 countries, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is a global education and learning company. The world's largest provider of materials for pre-K–12 learning, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is leading the way with innovative solutions and approaches to the challenges facing education today. Through curricula excellence coupled with technology innovations and professional services, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt collaborates with school districts, administrators, teachers, parents and students, providing interactive, results-driven learning solutions. Its Educational Consulting Services group works to increase student achievement in underperforming schools by developing, implementing and supporting education transformation through sustained district partnerships. With origins dating back to 1832, the Company also publishes an extensive line of reference works and award-winning literature for adults and young readers. For more information, visit www.hmhco.com.