A Brief History
The Association for Excellence in Education was founded in 1983 by a small group of individuals committed to the success of public education, specifically in Tupelo. This "Founders" group had an idea that private funds could be secured through individual and business memberships in A.E.E. and funneled directly back into the classroom through the awarding of teacher grants applied for to the A.E.E. Board.
This idea has grown over the last 30 years to a membership of 550 plus individuals, businesses, and civic groups; with over $3 million in grants funded by the Association for Excellence in Education. A.E.E maintains a diverse 15 member Board of Directors who oversees the everyday business of the Association. The annual selection of grants is handled by two separate grant committees (large and small) who are chosen from the A.E.E. membership to read and select the best grants to recommend to the Board. It is our constant goal of inclusion and transparency that has made us successful for so many years. We at A.E.E. have no paid staff and donate every dollar collected to the needs of the children in the Tupelo Public School District. We are proud of our history and the accomplishments made in this School District through the efforts of the many volunteers throughout the community who make all of it possible.
