Who We Are
Our History and Mission
In 1985, while serving Oklahoma as a U.S. senator, David L. Boren brought together a group of Oklahoma business and community leaders with the common goal of improving public education in the state. All agreed that private investment was crucial to the success of public schools in Oklahoma. The result was the formation of the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence, which, Boren says, “sends a message—strong and clear—that we in Oklahoma value great educators and outstanding students.”
What began in a boardroom 20 years ago now extends to all of Oklahoma’s 77 counties. The need to achieve academic excellence in the state’s public schools is no longer a hope; it is an expectation. The sole mission of the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence is “to recognize and encourage academic excellence in Oklahoma’s public schools.” The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization supported principally by private contributions. To carry out its mission, the Foundation focuses on five key programs: