Alliance Data to Support Plano Education Foundation Through Multi-Year, $200K Contribution

March 2, 2011

The Plano ISD Education Foundation announced on March 1 that Alliance Data, a leading provider of loyalty marketing services headquartered in Plano, will support the Foundation through a multi-year, $200,000 contribution. The funding will benefit programs designed to boost educational achievement for Plano ISD students. In addition to monetary support, the company will provide employee volunteer support throughout the school district.

Michael Urtso, president, and Monica Shortino, executive director of the Plano ISD Education Foundation, are pictured at the March 1 school board meeting with Ed Heffernan, Alliance Data president and CEO.

This year’s funding will benefit a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) secondary science improvement initiative, grants to educators, an AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program leadership retreat and support for three Title 1 school campuses.

“Alliance Data has always been committed to supporting the communities where we live and work. Given our recent move to Plano and one of our focus areas being education, partnering with PISD was a natural fit,” said Ed Heffernan, president and chief executive officer of Alliance Data, who told the Plano ISD Board of Trustees on March 1 that he, personally, will donate an additional $30,000 to support the Foundation. He also challenged other corporate leaders to join him in supporting education.

Michael Urtso, Plano ISD Education Foundation president, addressed the school board and audience on March 1 and thanked Alliance Data for its generous contribution to the Foundation.

“Supporting efforts that help students excel in school is absolutely imperative to ensuring the viability of our national economy and society as a whole. We want to help Plano ISD raise student achievement in the areas of math and science and get them better prepared for college so they are ready to address the challenges of the future.

School Board Secretary Missy Bender thanked Ed Heffernan and presented him with a Plano ISD umbrella. "During these rainy days while facing this tough budgetary situation, your contribution will help us achieve our school district's mission."

"Additionally, we’re pleased to support initiatives that further empower teachers to drive creativity and innovation in their classrooms as well as other programs that help under-served schools. What better place to start tackling these issues than in our own back yard, and with the support of our very giving employee volunteers.”

“The Plano ISD Education Foundation greatly appreciates this significant contribution to improve educational achievement among the school district’s students,” said Michael Urtso, Foundation President. “With this gift from Alliance Data, the district is able to support these important initiatives that will help Plano ISD succeed in its mission to provide an excellent education for all students.”

“In today's economic climate partnerships such as this are essential to sustaining the academic excellence that our community has grown to expect” Added Monica Shortino, Foundation Executive Director.

Michael Urtso, Plano ISD Education Foundation president, is pictured with Alliance Data representatives Karen Wald, Shelley Whiddon, Alyson Evans, Dana Beckman and Ed Heffernan (president and CEO); and fellow Plano ISD Education Foundation representatives Lisa Raskin, president-elect, and Monica Shortino, executive director.

Funding and Programs

STEM Secondary Science Improvement Initiative

As the program’s largest single corporate contributor, a majority of Alliance Data’s recent gift will support Plano ISD’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) initiative for secondary science improvement. The school district has identified the subject areas of secondary science and mathematics as those needing the greatest improvement in student performance. In 2010, the district embarked upon a $654,000, four-year middle school and high school science improvement plan requiring more rigorous science curriculum and retooling teacher knowledge base to ensure student success.

Grants to Educators

Another portion of Alliance Data’s donation will help fund grants to educators. The competitive grants are made available to all Plano ISD educators annually. Grants are submitted by individual teachers, teams of teachers, a grade level or entire school, multiple schools, or region of school district. Grants provide supplemental funds to enhance projects demonstrating instructional excellence. Donors participate in a surprise grant distribution day each November.

AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination)

The Alliance Data gift will also fund a February, 2011, leadership retreat for 90 students who participate in Plano ISD’s AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program. AVID offers comprehensive, multi-year classroom support through elective courses encouraging students’ successful participation in advanced courses. Students enrolled in AVID teaches academic and study skills that promote higher level thinking, provides intensive support with in-class college tutors and strong student/teacher relationships, increases college awareness for students and parents through college field trips and research projects, offers leadership training, parent seminars and classroom speakers that instill skills needed in college and adult life.

Title I Campus Support

Finally, Alliance Data’s contribution will fund additional resources and teacher development at three of Plano ISD’s Title 1 schools. Plano ISD currently has twenty-five percent of students on free and/or reduced lunch. Plano ISD has 24 campuses classified as Title I campuses for dense populations of low income families. The campuses have limited aid from PTA due to families with little disposable income. Campuses struggle with activity funds to meet daily needs on the campus.

About the Plano ISD Education Foundation

The Plano ISD Education Foundation is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization with the mission to help all students in Plano public schools achieve their full potential by providing financial support to educators and academic programs. Support for priority projects identified by Plano ISD not funded by tax dollars. The Foundation provides grants to educators, science and math improvement efforts, literacy programs, programs that support academic enrichment to Plano ISD students, emergency assistance for teachers and staff members in crisis, as well as programs aimed at recruiting and retaining quality teachers. To learn more about the Plano ISD Education Foundation or to make a donation, contact Executive Director Monica Shortino at 469-752-8091 or visit the Plano ISD Education Foundation web site.

About Alliance Data

Alliance Data® (NYSE: ADS) and its combined businesses is North America’s largest and most comprehensive provider of transaction-based, data-driven marketing and loyalty solutions serving large, consumer-based industries. The Company creates and deploys customized solutions, enhancing the critical customer marketing experience; the result is measurably changing consumer behavior while driving business growth and profitability for some of today’s most recognizable brands. Alliance Data helps its clients create and increase customer loyalty through solutions that engage millions of customers each day across multiple touch points using traditional, digital, mobile and other emerging technologies. Headquartered in Dallas, Alliance Data employs approximately 7,400 associates at 50 locations worldwide.

Alliance Data is a leading provider of marketing-driven credit solutions, and is the parent company of Epsilon®, a leading provider of multi-channel, data-driven technologies and marketing services, and LoyaltyOne®, which owns and operates the AIR MILES® Reward Program, Canada’s premier coalition loyalty program. For more information about the company, visit our web site, www.AllianceData.com, or you can follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/AllianceData.