CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The Atlantic Coast Conference will continue its partnership with the College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation and its Extra Yard for Teachers (EYFT) platform during the 2026 football season, furthering the conference’s commitment to supporting educators and students throughout the ACC footprint.
The ACC’s 2026 initiatives will include support for Extra Yard for Teachers Week and the Big Day for Teachers in September, along with grant funding and community-based projects designed to provide resources and recognition for educators. The conference will also continue its efforts to support teachers in Charlotte and in the communities represented by the two teams that advance to the 2026 ACC Football Championship Game in December.
“We are thrilled to continue our work with the College Football Playoff Foundation and make a meaningful impact in the lives of students and educators,” said ACC Commissioner and Chair of the CFP Foundation Board of Directors Jim Phillips, Ph.D. “Supporting education has always been a priority for the ACC and our 18 member institutions. We deeply appreciate the dedication of teachers and staff, whose daily efforts inspire and shape the leaders of tomorrow.”
“Teachers need support," said Britton Banowsky, Executive Director of the CFP Foundation, "And thanks to our partnership with the ACC, we are able to expand our reach to educators across the country to provide them with the recognition they deserve and resources they need to better support their students."
For the fourth consecutive year, the ACC will partner with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) and other schools located where select ACC Championships are being held, on projects designed to directly benefit students and educators. This year, the conference will increase the number of schools selected by undertaking three classroom makeovers, expanding an initiative that has provided transformed learning spaces and additional resources.
The first classroom makeover is underway with the conference working with Pinewood Elementary administration, teachers and staff on a $50,000 Extra Yard makeover. Additional details on the ACC’s three 2026-27 classroom makeover projects will be announced at a later date.
Since the inception of the ACC and CFP Foundation partnership, more than $1.5 million has been provided to support teachers and educational initiatives throughout the ACC footprint.
As part of Extra Yard for Teachers Week, September 12-19, and the Big Day for Teachers on Tuesday, September 15, the ACC and its member institutions will celebrate and recognize educators through digital and social platforms as well as in person at football games across the conference footprint. ACC Network and the conference’s digital and social channels will also highlight the impact educators have made on coaches and student-athletes, while the ACC and CFP Foundation will continue to provide resources to teachers and classrooms.
Extra Yard for Teachers Week is a nationwide celebration supported by the CFP Foundation and its college football partners. Universities, conferences, bowl games, media partners and education supporters across the country come together during the week to honor and recognize teachers and the meaningful impact they make on students and their communities.
The College Football Playoff Foundation is the community engagement arm of the College Football Playoff and works with institutions of higher education, sports organizations, corporations and nonprofits to support PK-12 educators and improve student outcomes. Its Extra Yard for Teachers platform focuses on four primary areas: recognition, resources, professional development, and recruitment and retention.
Since its founding, the CFP Foundation and Extra Yard for Teachers have collectively invested more than $104 million in support of education, supporting approximately 756,000 teachers, 14 million students and 96,000 schools nationwide.
For more information about the CFP Foundation, visit cfp-foundation.org, and for more information about the Atlantic Coast Conference, visit theACC.com.
About the ACC
The ACC, in its 74th year and 18 members strong, stands as one of the most competitive and revered intercollegiate conferences in the nation. ACC members including Boston College, Cal, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Notre Dame, Pitt, SMU, Stanford, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest are dedicated to upholding the league's founding values of academic excellence, athletic competition at the highest level, and integrity. The ACC supports 28 NCAA sports, with 15 for women and 13 for men, and its member institutions span 12 states. In August 2019, the ACC and ESPN partnered to launch ACC Network (ACCN), a 24/7 national network exclusively devoted to ACC sports and original programming. For more information, visit theACC.com and follow the ACC on Instagram (@accsports), Twitter (@theACC) and Facebook (facebook.com/theACC).
About the College Football Playoff Foundation
The College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation is the 501(c)3 non-profit organization serving as the community engagement arm of the CFP and works in partnership with institutions of higher education, sports organizations, corporations and non-profits to support educators and improve student outcomes. The purpose of the CFP Foundation lies in supporting PK-12 education by elevating the teaching profession. The CFP Foundation inspires and empowers educators by focusing its work in four areas: recognition, resources, recruitment and retention, and professional development. To learn more, visit cfp-foundation.org and follow Extra Yard for Teachers (@CFPExtraYard).