Cooperative for Education

Cooperative for Education was founded in 1996 by Joe and Jeff Berninger. While teaching English in Guatemala, Jeff saw the tremendous need for textbooks and library materials. Most schools had only teachers and chalkboards. The quality of education was very low and dropout rates were very high. In some areas, illiteracy rates top 70%, the worst in all of Latin America. Milestones ------------- 1995-1996: First book "cooperative" is founded at La Labor school. 1996-1997: Project is expanded to three other schools in San Pedro, Ayumpuc. 1997: Cooperative for Education is founded as a vehicle for expanding the program to other schools. 1997-2001: Cooperative for Education reaches 64 Communities, 73,000 books delivered, 17,400 children served, and permanent staff grows to eight. 2001-2002: Cooperative for Education offers other innovative and complementary educational programs to its network of schools, providing scholarships, libraries, and computer centers. 2001-2002: Cooperative for Education Textbook Model replicated by another organization in Honduras. 2002-2003: The Cooperative for Education reaches 110 communities. 2003-2004: The Cooperative for Education's Computer Centers Program grows from 4 to 6 computer centers, providing highly marketable technical skills to 2,600 kids. 2004-2005: CoEd has over 100,000 books in circulation in 121 communities. 2005-2006: CoEd expands its Sponsorship Program to include not only schools but also computer centers and computer workstations. 2006-2007: CoEd celebrates its 10th anniversary year, taking its place amongst the mere 10% of non-profits that survive 10 years. The Literacy & Learning Society is founded to celebrate this milestone.