The information in this Academy Planning Guide is intended to assist interested school districts and their administrators, along with community partners, in deciding whether a NAF Academy is an appropriate model for their community, and to guide them in preparing the required written proposal for the establishment of a local Academy of Finance, Academy of Travel & Tourism, and/or Academy of Information Technology.  It is also appropriate for school districts interested in expanding upon existing Academy sites.

NAF supports Academy development through the following two options:

1. Year of Planning: due March 15, 2003 for a Fall 2004 Academy launch with students

Because advanced planning and engagement of all members of the Academy team—from teachers, to administrators, to business partners—is essential to a successful Academy launch, NAF recommends the Year of Planning (YOP) process for the majority of new programs.  The YOP enables a school interested in starting a NAF Academy to begin the start-up process with assistance from NAF prior to enrolling students.  Schools applying for this designation agree to take part in a self-assessment process aimed at developing a year-long plan for program development.  Upon acceptance as a YOP site, the school will be entitled to NAF technical assistance, staff development activities, and use of Academy curriculum and other benefits associated with NAF-network membership.

The YOP proposal process is outlined in detail in the Academy Planning Guide.

2. Academy Implementation: due November 29, 2002 for a Fall 2003 launch with students

The second approach to starting a NAF Academy is to submit a more detailed Implementation Proposal. Schools should be aware that the Academy Implementation Proposal requirements are extremely rigorous, and only those programs that can communicate their full readiness for implementation should consider this option. While NAF endeavors to provide every opportunity for schools to be considered for NAF membership, we strongly urge teams to approach this decision thoughtfully.

The Academy Implementation proposal process is outlined in detail in the Academy Planning Guide.

Questions about this guide may be addressed to:

National Academy Foundation
39 Broadway Suite 1640
New York, NY 10006
Attn: New Programs Associate
Email: [email protected]
(212) 635-2400