Amgen Foundation Awards Khan Academy An Additional $3 Million To Support Science Learning And Educational Equity Amid COVID-19

Foundation Expands Five-Year Relationship to Include Support for School Districts Facing Deep Budget Cuts

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Jul 21, 2020, 09:00 ET

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. and MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., July 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Amgen Foundation today announced the renewal of a $3 million grant to Khan Academy to support several key learning initiatives, including virtual biology lessons; partnerships with school districts facing budget shortfalls; and a collaboration with LabXchange, a new online science learning platform launched by Harvard and the Amgen Foundation earlier this year.

The Amgen Foundation has committed nearly $7 million over five years to advance Khan Academy's science lessons and public school partnerships. This year, as COVID-19 is expected to cause learning loss and exacerbate inequality in education, the Amgen Foundation and Khan Academy are committed to doing everything they can to keep all students learning. Khan Academy has grown its biology offering, with the Amgen Foundation's support, to more than 380 videos, 150 exercise sets and 250 articles. These free biology lessons are used by students across the country and around the world during distance learning.

"We understand the pressures many people face during this unprecedented time and the ambiguity about what in-person learning will look like going forward. What's more, we know students and teachers of color are disproportionately impacted," said Eduardo Cetlin, president of the Amgen Foundation. "Khan Academy is playing an important role in helping address inequity in education during the pandemic through its free educational resources. We're proud to continue and expand our strong partnership and help keep students on track for success."

As school districts determine if they can re-open campuses, they are facing unprecedented financial pressure. The Amgen Foundation is committed to strengthening communities where Amgen staff members live and work, and to that end, part of its renewed funding supports two school districts in Southern California that are partners of Khan Academy. Both districts, Paramount Unified School District and Hueneme Elementary School District, serve primarily students of color and face looming budget shortfalls.

"This school year is likely to be challenging, so we're deeply grateful for the support we're receiving from the Amgen Foundation and Khan Academy," said Dr. Ruth Pérez, superintendent of Paramount Unified School District in Paramount, California. "Our partnership will allow teachers to provide personalized instruction while we gain important insights about student progress across our district."

Dr. Christine Walker, superintendent of Hueneme Elementary School District in Port Hueneme, California, said, "We're excited about our new partnership with Amgen and Khan Academy. We're starting the year 100% remote and Khan Academy will be an integral part of our instructional program. In the future when we return to the classroom, we know that teachers and students can easily transition to using Khan at school."

The Amgen Foundation, the exclusive sponsor of Khan Academy's biology content, has supported the development of Khan Academy's biology lessons since 2015. Usage of the lessons grew to more than two million monthly users during the last school year.

"The Amgen Foundation has demonstrated a deep commitment to science education for many years and we're honored by the renewed support," said Khan Academy founder and CEO Sal Khan. "The funding allows us to create new biology lessons that will enrich the classroom experience for students and teachers everywhere, while also providing important support to local school districts in a time of deep need. "

The Amgen Foundation's renewed commitment will also formalize Khan Academy's partnership with LabXchange, a free online science education platform that provides students around the world with access to personalized instruction, next-generation virtual lab experiences and networking opportunities across the global scientific community.

Learn more about the science resources available through Khan Academy by visiting khanacademy.org/science/biology.

About the Amgen Foundation

The Amgen Foundation seeks to advance excellence in science education to inspire the next generation of innovators, and invest in strengthening communities where Amgen staff members live and work. To date, the Foundation has donated over $325 million to local, regional, and international nonprofit organizations that impact society in inspiring and innovative ways. The Amgen Foundation brings the excitement of discovery to the scientists of tomorrow through several signature programs, including Amgen Scholars and the Amgen Biotech Experience. For more information, visit AmgenInspires.com and follow us on Twitter @AmgenFoundation.

About Amgen

Amgen is committed to unlocking the potential of biology for patients suffering from serious illnesses by discovering, developing, manufacturing and delivering innovative human therapeutics. This approach begins by using tools like advanced human genetics to unravel the complexities of disease and understand the fundamentals of human biology.

Amgen focuses on areas of high unmet medical need and leverages its expertise to strive for solutions that improve health outcomes and dramatically improve people's lives. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen has grown to be one of the world's leading independent biotechnology companies, has reached millions of patients around the world and is developing a pipeline of medicines with breakaway potential.

For more information, visit www.amgen.com and follow us on Twitter @Amgen.

About Khan Academy

Khan Academy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the mission of providing a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere. Khan Academy's platform includes more than 70,000 practice problems, as well as videos and articles that cover a range of K–12 subjects. For children ages two to seven we offer an award-winning free app, Khan Academy Kids. Our learning system is mastery based, which allows students to master key concepts at a pace that's right for them before moving on to more challenging content. We partner with school districts across the country and around the world that serve students who traditionally face barriers to academic success. Nearly 20 million learners use Khan Academy every month in 190 countries and more than 40 languages. As a nonprofit, Khan Academy relies on donations from foundations, corporations and individuals around the world, as well as earned revenue. For more information, please see research findings about Khan Academy and our press page.

CONTACT:
Amgen, Thousand Oaks
Megan Fox, 805-447-1423 (Media)
Trish Rowland, 805-447-5631 (Media)

Khan Academy
(650) 429-8154
[email protected]

SOURCE Amgen