Our Story
While the NapaLearns story begins in 1991, we were only founded in 2010 and since then we have achieved a number of significant milestones.
1991 BEP Recommendation
Napa Valley Business Education Partnership — a coalition of business, government, and community leaders — recommends a different kind of high school program, as graduates are unprepared to enter the modern workplace.
1996 Napa New Tech High School Opens
The first New Tech High in the country using project-based learning opens its doors in Napa.
2000 First Grant
With $4.9 million in grant funding provided by the Gates Foundation, New Tech Network is formed, bringing the success of New Tech High School to more than 200 schools nationally and internationally.
2003 Second Grant
Second Gates Foundation grant $14.9M provided to disseminate New Tech High model nationwide
2010 NapaLearns Founded
Local donors match funds provided by Auction Napa Valley and Ruth E. Schuler to create NapaLearns, the Napa Valley Partnership for 21st Century Education.
2011 Digital Early Learning Introduced
NapaLearns launches Digital Early Learning. $456,000 was invested and the program reaches more than 5,000 students in all pre-school and K-2nd grade classrooms in Napa County.
2012 NapaLearns Fellows Established
In partnership with Touro University, NapaLearns initiated the NapaLearns Fellows program, investing in teachers who earn their masters degree in Education Technology at Touro University. As of 2018, more than 130 teachers have completed the program.
2013 NexTech Expansion
NapaLearns seed-funds project-based learning (PBL) bringing the New Tech Network model to 13 K-12 schools in Napa County, reaching more than 9,000 students.
2015 Access to Technology for All
The NapaLearns Tech Connection program sells more than 700 computers on a payment plan to secondary students participating in the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program. More than 1,500 Napa County pre-schoolers and elementary grades access Footsteps2Brilliance.
2016 C-STEM Program Increased
Based on the success of pilot program at American Canyon Middle School, NapaLearns expands the C-STEM Math with Computing & Robotics program, adding four schools in the 2017-2018 school year.
2016 NapaLearns Fellows 100th Milestone Achieved
By the spring of 2016, 105 teachers have enrolled in or graduated from the Touro University Masters in Ed Tech program. 99% have stayed in Napa County schools and 35% of them serve in leadership positions.
2017 Accelerate Math Program Begins
NapaLearns introduces the Accelerate Math program. Partnering with the Math Learning Center, Napa Valley Unified, Calistoga Unified, and Howell Mountain school districts, NapaLearns invests in seven elementary schools over the next three years to accelerate student and teacher proficiency in inquiry-based mathematics.
2018 Career and College Readiness Kicks Off
NapaLearns invests in programs to improve career and college readiness, launching teacher externships in the hospitality industry, an 8th grade career exploration event in partnership with Napa County Office of Education, and virtual career field trips for all students in Napa County.