September 11, 2014

Renaissance Learning co-founder Terry Paul
Terrance D. Paul, our co-founder and friend. (1946-2014)

We were profoundly saddened to learn that Terry Paul, Renaissance Learning’s co-founder and friend, lost his fierce battle with cancer. He passed away on Friday 5th September, at home surrounded by his family.

Terry was a visionary and tireless leader who believed deeply in the promise of the future through education. His goal was to create tools to help students and their teachers maximise the benefits of education. He envisioned an educational system in which technology enables educators to make actionable data-driven decisions. A true educational pioneer, Terry believe in intervention and individualised instruction long before such terms became part of the education lexicon.

Terry’s wife, Judi Paul, created what would become Accelerated Reader in 1984. Terry joined Renaissance full time in 1992, eventually serving as its chairman, vice chairman and CEO. In 2009, the Pauls founded the nonprofit LENA Research Foundation, dedicated to improving language development worldwide. When they sold Renaissance in 2011, Terry was able to devote his time and talents more fully to his work with LENA. Terry’s passion for accelerating learning for all was unsurpassed.

For us in the UK, Terry will always be remembered for his enthusiasm and belief in being able to recreate the company’s success here. It was Terry’s tenacity, generous support and tireless effort that helped us succeed in making the UK company what it is today, a successful and rapidly growing organisation. It could not have happened without him.

Terry is survived by his wife, Judi, their children Bliss, Alyssa, Alex and Mia (Jamie) Moe, as well as 13 grandchildren.

We send our condolences to the entire Paul family. They are in our thoughts.

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