ABOUT OUR FOUNDATION
Our Mission
APEF was founded to provide programs and services that support high-quality public education. We serve the interests of America’s public schoolchildren – our nation’s future leaders. The Foundation believes in the power of education to transform lives and grow economies.
Public education is vital for tomorrow's success.
David Pickler began his nonprofit journey in 2014. While serving for 12 years as Chairman of the Shelby County School Board, David used 100% of his school board salary to fund the Shelby County Schools Education Foundation. After the merger between Shelby County Schools and Memphis City Schools – and the subsequent demerger of the individual school boards– the foundation effectively disbanded and David was given the opportunity to transition the funds into seeding and creating his own foundation, originally named the Pickler Foundation, before transitioning into the American Public Education Foundation.
The original intention of the American Public Education Foundation was to complement in-class teaching and learning with service learning projects that promote civic engagement, character development and global citizenship among K-12 public school students. In 2019, we narrowed our focus to two pillars: financial literacy and workforce development.
As our organization continued to grow and adapt to the changing landscape of public education, we recognized the need to expand our impact and resources to support students and teachers across the country. This realization prompted a significant shift, leading us to transition from a foundation to a public charity. By becoming a public charity, we aim to broaden our outreach and enhance our ability to provide essential resources that empower educators and students nationwide. This transition allows us to engage with a wider network of partners, increase our funding opportunities, and implement innovative programs on a larger scale. Our commitment to financial literacy and workforce development remains at the core of our mission, and we are excited about the possibilities this new phase brings. Through these efforts, we strive to create a more equitable and empowering educational environment for all students.
Our History
Nine out of 10 school-age children attend America’s public schools
(Over 50 million nationwide)
National Center for Education Statistics
A Catalyst for Positive Change
APEF partners with public school advocates from all walks of life – lawmakers, leaders, and ordinary Americans – to “keep the American Dream alive” for our nation’s K-12 students. We believe that high-quality public education is the pathway to a stronger America.
We seek to identify and aggregate “the best of what we know.” The future of education is dependent on bold ideas, “outside-the-box” creative thinking and scalable best practices designed to improve teaching and learning and strengthen America’s public schools.
Our programs and services complement classroom-based teaching and learning, building “life skills” - civic engagement, character development and global citizenship - that empower students to thrive in today’s complex 21st century global economy.
Together We Can. Together We Must.
David A. Pickler
Executive Director
David Pickler and Pickler Wealth Advisors are major funders of the administrative and operational costs of the APEF.
100% of the funds donated have gone toward programs centered around providing high-quality public education for our nation's students.