Los Angeles, Mar. 1, 2023 — Age of Learning, leading education technology innovator and creator of the widely popular ABCmouse® Early Learning Academy, today announced it has appointed Dr. Art Cavazos, nationally recognized education leader and former Superintendent of the Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District (HCISD) in Texas, as the company’s inaugural Superintendent-in-Residence. As an advocate for effective education solutions, Dr. Cavazos will support Age of Learning in raising awareness for My Math Academy and My Reading Academy, the company’s adaptive, personalized mastery learning programs.
Throughout his more than 30-year career in education, Dr. Cavazos has been recognized for his success driving academic achievement gains among students. He previously served as Superintendent of HCISD from 2013–2021, leading Harlingen’s transformation into a district of choice that provides a quality education grounded in strong character. In 2019, under Dr. Cavazos’s leadership, HCISD was given the prestigious Neuhaus Education Center Lighthouse Literacy Legacy Award for inspiring excellence in others. In 2017, Dr. Cavazos was recognized as the Region 1 Superintendent of the Year and the Texas PTA’s Superintendent of the Year. In addition, Texas Governor Greg Abbott selected Dr. Cavazos to serve a six-year term, beginning in 2016, on the State Board for Educator Certification. In this role, Dr. Cavazos worked to help advance the importance of strong teacher preparation programs that place value in training certified teachers to be able to work with children as of day one of their teaching career. Dr. Cavazos currently serves as an Executive Coach for superintendents in Texas.
Dr. Cavazos was also selected by the U.S. Department of Education as one of the 100 top school leaders from across America to participate in the first-ever National ConnectED Superintendents Summit at the White House, which featured promising approaches to using technology in classrooms. That same year, he was awarded the Distinguished School Administrators Award by the American Association of School Librarians for his efforts to advance library and literacy services. Dr. Cavazos formerly served as a board member of the University of Texas College of Education Advisory Council, FIRST in Texas, and the University of Texas’ Cooperative Superintendency Program Executive Advisory Committee.
“Dr. Cavazos is a transformational leader who has spent his career championing equity in education and driving learning outcomes for students, while creating innovative learning opportunities. This makes him the natural choice to serve as our inaugural Superintendent-in-Residence,” said Doug Dohring, Founder and CEO of Age of Learning. “As Superintendent in Harlingen, Dr. Cavazos experienced first-hand how our programs are empowering educators in the classroom, addressing learning variability by creating individual learning paths as they help young students gain essential knowledge, skills, and abilities in both reading and math. He shares our commitment to helping all students succeed, and we will benefit from his experience, wisdom, and pursuit of educational excellence.”
“As school leaders, we have to lean into solutions that move the needle for all our students, and there is a tremendous opportunity to better support our youngest learners to ensure they achieve proficiency in reading and math,” said Dr. Cavazos. “I have personally seen the impact that Age of Learning’s My Math Academy and My Reading Academy had in my district, and I’m thrilled to work with them to replicate those results in districts across the country.”
HCISD began using My Math Academy in 2020 with nearly 1,000 prekindergarten students and has since expanded the program to include over 5,000 students and 300 teachers from pre-K through 3rd grade. Additionally, the District implemented My Reading Academy in early and elementary classrooms during the 2022–2023 school year.
About Age of Learning
Age of Learning® is the leading education technology innovator, creating engaging and effective learning resources that help children build a strong foundation for academic success and a lifelong love of learning. The company’s curriculum is developed by an experienced team of education experts, and its research-based digital education programs have proven efficacy in increasing children’s learning gains. Age of Learning’s flagship product, ABCmouse.com® Early Learning Academy, is a multi-award-winning comprehensive curriculum for children. The company’s school solutions programs include My Math Academy®, an adaptive, personalized program that helps students master foundational math concepts, and My Reading Academy™, which helps young learners become fluent readers as they build a foundation for reading comprehension and literacy. With more than 10 billion Learning Activities completed to date by more than 50 million children worldwide, Age of Learning is a global leader in efforts to advance equity, access, and opportunity for all children. To learn more visit www.AgeofLearning.com.