Join the 12 Under 12 Network
The National Staff Development Council's 12 Under 12 Network now has openings for two elementary schools working to beat the NCLB's target of all students proficient by 2014. The purpose of the Network is for the schools to share strategies for enabling all students to become proficient
before 2014, to support each other in seeking to achieve their respective goals, and to be reflective about and monitor their progress, with assistance from NSDC.
As Network members, schools' leadership teams participate in frequent professional learning teleconferences with other Network schools. Representatives of the schools also attend summer and winter Network meetings, designed especially for the Network and held in conjunction with NSDC's national conferences.Each school pays an annual fee to participate in the Network.
For additional information, contact Hayes Mizell, NSDC's distinguished senior fellow, at hayes.mizell@nsdc.org.
About the 12 Under 12 Initiative
On January 8, 2002, President Bush signed into law the No Child Left Behind Act. One of the principle goals of the Act is to hold districts and states accountable for “closing the achievement gap between high- and low-performing children.” By 2014, all students must meet or exceed the states’ proficient level of academic achievement. States cannot achieve this goal without individual schools making it a priority.
The National Staff Development Council (NSDC) believes that 12 years is too long for low-achieving children to wait to perform at the proficient level, and that schools should pursue high quality staff development as a key strategy for eliminating the achievement gap. As a result, NSDC is seeking 12 schools committed to raising performance for ALL students in
under 12 years. The schools will participate in a network called “12 under 12.” NSDC wants to collaborate with the 12 schools to demonstrate that high-quality staff development, in combination with other reforms, can help all students become academically proficient.
NSDC is convinced that with effective leadership and the implementation of powerful staff development strategies, schools can begin immediately to reduce the achievement gap and that it can be eliminated in much less time than called for by NCLB.
NSDC Articles and Information about 12 Under 12 Schools
- At the End of the Storm, Remarks of Hayes Mizell to participants in the 12 Under 12 Network at their meeting in Denver, Colo., July 2007.
- Courage to Change, Remarks of Hayes Mizell to participants in the 12 Under 12 Network at their meeting in Nashville, Tenn., Dec. 2, 2006.
- Being Faithful, Remarks of Hayes Mizell to participants in the 12 Under 12 Network at their summer meeting, July 2006.
- Better by the dozen: 12 Under 12 network participants draw strength and encouragement from their shared commitment, by Joan Richardson, Fall 2006 JSD.
- Up close and personal: Data review creates an 'aha' moment for suburban teachers, by Joan Richardson, March 2005 Results.
- Leading the way: Houston teachers play key roles in school improvement initiative, by Joan Richardson, November 2004 Results.
