AFT and West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin announced they are leading an unprecedented public-private partnership to improve educational opportunity and address complex social and economic problems in the Central Appalachia community of McDowell County, W.Va.

Gov. Tomblin and AFT President Randi Weingarten announced the “Reconnecting McDowell” initiative, which includes more than 40 partners in a comprehensive effort that will take place over the next three to five years. Says Weingarten:

McDowell County is an American story that deserves a new chapter. Given the challenges, being conventional won’t be good enough. We will be flexible, creative and entrepreneurial, and will take risks.

McDowell is the southernmost West Virginia county and has suffered devastating economic and social problems due to the decline of the coal economy in recent decades. As reported by the Washington Post, 80 percent of the students in the county’s Anawalt Elementary School meet the state’s definition of poor.

The Reconnecting McDowell partners have signed a covenant binding their commitment to make education the centerpiece of their efforts–chiefly to develop a well-rounded curriculum and provide support, services and enrichment to the county’s 3,600 students and its teachers.

The project also vows to seek solutions to underlying poverty, unemployment, drug and alcohol abuse, housing shortages, limited medical services and inadequate access to technology and transportation.

The partnership “has the power to change lives for the better in rural West Virginia and inspire other communities throughout the nation to follow suit,” says Tomblin.

Partners in the project come from business, foundations, government, nonprofit agencies and labor, and include Save the Children, Blue Cross Blue Shield West Virginia, DonorsChoose.org, College Board, Cisco Systems, the West Virginia AFL-CIO and the United Mine Workers.

Commitments already in place include $150,000 from the AFT Educational Foundation for a six-month planning process; $100,000 from Frontier Communications for online learning projects with Globaloria; and a long-term plan to provide books for every county child by First Book.

Former West Virginia first lady, Gayle Manchin, who now serves as vice president of the state board of education, was a prime mover in creating the partnership. She called the effort “impressive,” and said its expertise will help find

creative ways to invest in housing, technology and broadband, transportation, recreation and infrastructure.

The Reconnecting McDowell partnership plans to provide quarterly public updates. As Weingarten told the Washington Post:

This is not a photo-op. This is a moral commitment. We’re in the business of making a difference in the lives of people.

You can sign a pledge to “Stay Connected to McDowell” here.