Our Story

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.

The first New Tech High in the country using project-based learning opens its doors in Napa.

With $4.9 million in grant funding provided by the Gates Foundation, the New Tech Foundation is formed to document and disseminate the New Tech approach.

Second Gates Foundation grant of $14.9M is provided to establish the New Tech Network, hire staff, and continue to replicate New Tech High model nationwide. More than 200 New Tech schools adopted the model over the next 15 years.

Local donors match funds provided by Auction Napa Valley and the Ruth E. Schuler Foundation to create NapaLearns, the Napa Valley Partnership for 21st Century Education. The founders’ vision is to bring 21st century learning and technology to all schools in Napa County.

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 over the next five years.

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.

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.

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.

By the spring of 2016, 105 teachers have enrolled 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.

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 and 6 teachers. Napa students win first place at the annual UC Davis RoboPlay competition.

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 to accelerate student and teacher proficiency in inquiry-based mathematics.

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.