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In 1995, NSDC published a history of the organization’s first 25 years in JSD; the chronology was written by Sybil Yastrow and is included here. We’ve recently added to that history with more recent facts and figures to bring this history to the current year.


The National Staff Development Council serves an ever growing number of educators as it provides networking and learning opportunities to its members. If the next 25 years are anything like the first, there are exciting times ahead.

In 1969 Ron Brandt, current executive editor of ASCD's Educational Leadership, called together a few colleagues holding similar responsibilities in the area of staff development in large districts to discuss issues facing them in this new field. Over the next 25 years that group of less than 15 has grown to more than 7,000. Throughout these past 25 years, the membership and the leadership of the organization has continued to struggle with this question: Can the Council, with its obvious potential and critically important mission, continue to grow in numbers and influence and yet retain its personal and inclusive character?

While the following history of the Council will provide you with the data, only the members themselves can answer that question about influence and inclusive character. Those of you who have been with the group for many years can reminisce as you read this history; more recent members of NSDC may acquire a feel for the culture that makes this organization so unique and special.

Many NSDC members have made a major contribution to the organization in their role as board members, presidents, conference chairs, members of conference planning committees, staff, or in some other capacity. Names of these individuals are displayed in the boxed items in this article. Please forgive me if your name was omitted, but know that the role you and those listed have played was critical to the growth of NSDC. To all of you, thanks for your time, effort, and concern.

In addition to the information about NSDC, some descriptions are included to provide a broader context about the world that surrounded the Council at that particular time.

1969

  • This first gathering of staff developers was held in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Ron Brandt organized the group and hosted the meeting.
  • Staff development issues were individual development, individualizing staff development, continuing education for administrators, funding sources, laboratory training risks and results, district/college relations, teacher certification, and evaluating training programs.
  • "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" was spoken from the moon.
  • Arlo Guthrie appeared in "Alice's Restaurant."
  • President Nixon began to withdraw troops from Vietnam.

1970

  • A conference on staff development was held at Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Wingspread Conference Center in Racine, Wisconsin. Betty Dillon, who was to play a key role in the Council's development, organized the conference. Attendance was 17. Representatives of urban school districts from various parts of the nation met to discuss the training and development of teachers and administrators in large city systems. The group became institutionalized as the National Staff Development Council. Participation was limited to individuals whose major responsibility was for the staff development of professional personnel in larger school systems; representatives of small districts could attend upon recommendation of a current participant.
  • The Developer, a one-page mimeographed newsletter edited by Betty Dillon, made its debut. It was published occasionally until 1978 when it became a regular monthly publication.
  • Anti-war demonstrations were held at Kent State University.
  • The population of the United States exceeded 203 million.
  • A floppy-disk system for data storage was introduced.

1971

  • The conference was held in Warrenton, Virginia, at Virginia's Arlie House, hosted by Reggie Yancy. It drew 20 participants. There was a show-and-tell format for the day and evening meetings, with a presentation regarding the status of teacher renewal centers. Concern was expressed regarding the survival of staff development positions. The first position paper regarding the importance of staff development and the validity of the field was introduced.
  • The twenty-sixth amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified lowering the U.S. voting age from 21 to 18.
  • The U.S. Supreme Court in a unanimous decision upheld busing of school children to achieve racial balance where segregation has official sanction and where school authorities have offered no acceptable alternative to busing (Swan v. Charlotte Mecklenburg Board of Education).

1972

  • The conference was held in Denver, Colorado; Margin Eases and Jack Pothole were co-hosts; the conference was attended by 27 participants; local school district and university personnel as well as national contacts were invited; a fee was charged to defray costs of the conference. Legislative requirements regarding staff development was a major issue of concern.
  • President Nixon was the first U.S. president to visit China.
  • The Foxfire Book by Eliot Wigginton was published; the 28 year-old Georgia school teacher enlisted help of his students to record the traditions, crafts, and folklore of Appalachia.

1973

  • The conference was held in Des Moines, Iowa, hosted by Frank Hildreth and Bill Clark; attendance was 65; small group discussion format and a "hands-on workshop" approach was utilized at the conference. Staff developers were concerned with issues of needs assessment, project evaluation, organization development, and the Toledo model for involving school-level personnel in district staff development.
  • Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned; Gerald Ford was sworn in as his successor.
  • Roe v. Wade was ruled on by the U.S. Supreme Court.

1974

  • The conference location was Atlantic Beach, Florida, hosted by Jimmie Greek and Nancy Dorian; the theme was "Collaborative Efforts in Teacher Education."
  • The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, through Gordon Cawelti, its Executive Director, offered support to NSDC.
  • An Executive Committee was appointed to act on any matters between conferences.
  • President Nixon resigned; Vice President Ford succeeded him to become the first American president not elected by the people.
  • Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was expelled from the Soviet Union.

1975

  • The conference was located in Austin, Texas, and Paul Kirby hosted the meeting; conference attendance was 150 with an equal mix of local and national staff developers; session descriptions provided information about who the session was designed for, session goals, presentation outline, and relevant resource materials.
  • The Executive Committee of NSDC recommended consideration of a formal structure of the organization.
  • Saigon fell to the North Vietnamese forces ending the long Vietnam War.
  • The Helsinki Pact was signed by 35 nations who promise to respect human rights and national frontiers.

1976

  • The conference was held in Williamsburg, Virginia hosted by Ted Forte; conference attendance was 71; the registration fee was $50.
  • A constitution formalizing the existence of NSDC was approved.
  • The budget for the organization was $4,000.
  • The United States celebrated the 200th Anniversary of the nation's Declaration of Independence.
  • Jimmy Carter narrowly defeated Gerald Ford to become the thirty-ninth president.

1977

  • The conference was located at the Pheasant Run Lodge, St. Charles, Illinois, hosted by Steve Wlodarczyk and Elgin School District; conference attendance was 120; the theme was “Developing the Developers.”
  • Steve Wlodarczyk was elected the first president of the Council.
  • A post conference on "The Principal and Staff Development" was held for teams of principals and district administrators.
  • The Ford Foundation expressed an interest in furthering the development of NSDC.
  • A temporary executive committee of NSDC accepted the proposed constitution.
  • A membership brochure was designed and distributed.
  • The annual budget for the organization was $13,000.
  • "Star Wars" was released, becoming the most successful film of the decade.
  • Egypt's President Sadat visits Israel to meet Prime Minister Begin in a historic attempt to establish peace in the Middle East.

1978

  • The conference was held in Vacation Village, San Diego, California, hosted by Linden Courter and the San Diego Unified School District. The theme was "Staff Development and Adult Learning." Materials from other organizations were displayed for the first time.
  • The Board of Trustees began to identify a series of critical issues related to formalization of the organization.
  • The Developer, the NSDC newsletter published occasionally since 1970, became a regular monthly publication.
  • The Council's position paper was revised and disseminated through The Developer.
  • Pat Zigarmi, the first paid administrator of NSDC, was hired as Secretary/Treasurer.
  • The budget for the organization was $11,000.
  • Staff development issues included federal teachers' centers and the relationship of adult learning to staff development activities. .
  • John Paul II became the first Polish pope.
  • The first test tube baby was born in Britain.
  • The Camp David accords between Israel and Egypt were signed.

1979

  • The conference location was Vail, Colorado, hosted by Jim Metzdorf; the theme was “Adult Learning.” Roger and David Johnson's presentation was titled “Emphasize Social Interdependence: Building Friendships Between Handicapped and Non-handicapped Students in the Classroom.” Board members personally contacted all first-time conference participants during the conference.
  • The Board set goals to guide the organization for the next four years, including a target of 800 members.
  • Planning began for preconferences in order to generate funds to support the Council.
  • The first life memberships were awarded.
  • The Concerns-Based Adoption Model and mastery learning were issues of interest.
  • The U.S. Embassy in Tehran was seized with 66 embassy personnel.
  • The Three Mile Island nuclear power plant accident occurred.

1980

  • The conference was held in Madison, Wisconsin, hosted by Tom Swenson; the theme was “Staff Development in the 80s”; over 170 attended the conference.
  • NSDC's first ASCD preconference session was held prior to ASCD's conference in Atlanta, "Conducting Effective Staff Development Programs" with 100 participants; the workshop was designed and conducted by Steve Wlodarczyk and Pat Zigarmi.
  • The first record of NSDC membership showed 622 members.
  • The pros and cons of state affiliates were considered by the Board.
  • Shirley Havens was hired to work with Pat Zigarmi.
  • The National Staff Development Council was incorporated as a legal entity and chartered as a non-profit organization.
  • The annual budget was $33,000.
  • The first issue of semi-annual Journal of Staff Development was published; the theme was "Secondary School Staff Development Programs." Pat Zigarmi, the NSDC executive secretary, served as editor.
  • The membership voted 57 to 1 to allow associate members (those not working in school districts) to serve on Board of Trustees; a majority of the Board must be regular members.
  • Ronald Reagan defeated Jimmy Carter for the U.S. presidency.
  • The U.S. census was 226 million.

1981

  • The conference was held in Danvers, Massachusetts, hosted by Dick Crystal; the theme was ''The Staff Developer, A 21st Century Portrait." A luncheon and orientation for new members was a conference innovation.
  • Organizational goals were refined by the Board.
  • Regional staff development workshops were held in Denver, Hanford, and St. Louis.
  • NSDC had 659 members.
  • The Council's budget was $50,000.
  • Topics of interest included staff development delivery through coaching, greater sophistication in training, teachers as trainers, and clinical supervision.
  • Proposition 2 1/2 had devastating effect on entire state of Massachusetts, particularly public schools.
  • The first case of AIDS identified by Center for Disease Control.
  • Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer in a televised ceremony viewed by more than 700 million people.

1982

  • The conference was located in Detroit, Michigan, hosted by Jim Hildebrand; the theme was "The Staff Developer: A 21st Century Potrait." A preconference on improving public speaking skills was attended by 60 participants.
  • The Board of Trustees conducted a teleconference call via satellite.
  • Council membership was 869.
  • The NSDC budget was $72,000.
  • The journal became available on microfilm.
  • Regional workshops were held in Oklahoma City, Anchorage, Houston, Chicago, New Orleans, and Charlotte.
  • The Vietnam War Memorial was dedicated displaying the names of all 57,692 U.S. soldiers, sailors, airmen, or marines killed or missing.
  • The Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution came within three states of being ratified, but the deadline for ratification passed on June 30.

1983

  • The conference was in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with John Dewell chairing the event: the theme was "Staff Development: Education's Energy Source"; conference attendance was 161; conference loose-leaf notebooks were provided; an experienced staff developer track was established; tips were collected for The Developer at one meal session; five preconferences were offered. Pat Zigarmi filled in as keynoter and related the One Minute Manager to staff development.
  • NSDC had 871 members.
  • An administrator workshop was scheduled in Chicago; regional workshops were held in Georgia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Oregon.
  • NSDC's budget was $68,000.
  • Principal and teacher centers were a major delivery system for staff development.
  • The "Just Say No" slogan for new program to combat drugs use was unveiled by First Lady Nancy Reagan.
  • The computer mouse was introduced by Apple.

1984

  • The conference, located in Williamsburg, Virginia was chaired by Nancy Vance, who was assisted by Diane Lantor; the conference theme was "Staff Development: Bridge to Excellence"; the conference was attended by 491 members; a fireside chat was held to promote reflection on the development of personal and professional philosophies; 80 concurrent sessions were offered.
  • The NSDC Distinguished Service Award was introduced.
  • Pat Zigarmi resigned, Dennis Sparks became part-time NSDC Executive Director as well as editor of the Journal of Staff Development.
  • Advertising accepted for The Developer.
  • NSDC's budget was $100,000.
  • President Reagan was re-elected, defeating Walter Mondale and his running mate Geraldine Ferraro.
  • Trivial Pursuit, developed by a Canadian entrepreneur, revived the board game industry with $777 million in sales.

1985

  • The conference was held in Denver, Colorado, chaired by Sue Schiff; its theme was "Staff Development: A Goldmine of Opportunity"; conference attendance had to be cut off at 600 due to the size of the ballroom and the Council's commitment to attendees having meals together.
  • The Lynne Chidley Staff Development Foundation was established in memory of the NSDC president who died during her term of office.
  • The Board agreed after much discussion to allow exhibits at next year's conference.
  • Conference keynotes were audiotaped for the first time for sale to members.
  • NSDC had 985 members.
  • NSDC budget was $300,000.
  • Joe Murphy was hired as part-time regional workshop coordinator.
  • The membership approved a by-law change that allows all members voting privileges.
  • Mikhail Gorbachev, the new general secretary of the Soviet Union, called for far-reaching changes in his country.
  • U.S. became a debtor nation for the first time since 1914.

1986

  • The conference was at the Ritz Carlton Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia, and was chaired by Carlene Murphy; the theme was "Staff Development: A Renaissance of Educators"; conference attendance was 900; two hotels were required to accommodate the number of attendees; 12 preconference sessions were provided; exhibits were offered for the first time; participants preregistered for concurrent sessions.
  • Membership was 2,100.
  • The Contribution to Staff Development Award was established.
  • By-laws changes were made to allow for Board members to be elected by mail rather than at the Business Meeting at the Annual Conference; the by-laws were also amended to allow the Board of Trustees to appoint an individual to fill an unexpired term of a Board member who resigned.
  • Bill Cook led the Board in two days of strategic planning.
  • Paul Burden became the editor of the Journal of Staff Development.
  • The organization's budget was $250,000.
  • The space shuttle Challenger exploded, killing all seven people aboard, including the first non-astronaut to fly in space, teacher Christa McAuliffe.
  • The Nintendo video game made its U.S. debut with U.S. sales of $300 million: sales will top $3.4 billion by 1990.

1987

  • The conference, located in Seattle, Washington, was chaired by Bob Pickles; the theme was "Reaching New Heights in Staff Development"; conference attendance was 1,500; there were 250 concurrent sessions; NSDC's first network was established ("Big 20"), which included representatives from 20 of the largest districts who met to discuss common problems and solutions.
  • Membership was 3,310.
  • Georgia and Illinois recognized as first affiliates.
  • The budget was $286,000; the Council's fiscal year was changed to July - June.
  • Strategic planning for staff development was embraced by many districts.
  • The New York stock market suffered the worst one-day decline since the crash of 1929 setting off a nationwide economic recession.
  • An international conference in Montreal drafted a treaty calling for a freeze and then a reduction in chlorofluorocarbon production because these refrigerants damage the ozone layer.

1988

  • The conference, located in Chicago, Illinois, was chaired by Judson Hixson; the theme was "Visions of Tomorrow Practices For Today"; conference attendance was 1,750; there were 260 concurrent sessions; NSDC affiliates met at the conference for first time.
  • Membership was 5,909.
  • Dennis Sparks, Executive Director, and Shirley Havens, Business Manager, were now full-time employees.
  • A full-time Associate Director, Stephanie Hirsh, was hired.
  • The Council's budget was $315,000.
  • The Journal of Staff Development became a quarterly, refereed publication.
  • Beginning teacher induction programs, cooperative schools, mentoring, and teachers as researchers were recognized as effective staff development models.
  • George Bush defeated Michael Dukakis for the U.S. presidency.

1989

  • The conference was located in Anaheim, California and chaired by Janene Brunett; the theme was "Weaving the Tapestry of Tomorrow"; conference attendance was 1,100.
  • NSDC's budget was $315,000.
  • Membership was 5,903.
  • NSDC/AASA recognized five districts for outstanding achievement in staff development.
  • The Berlin Wall was torn down.
  • In Tiananmen Square, a peaceful protest became a blood bath.

1990

  • The conference was held in Toronto and chaired by Peter Noble; its theme was "Discover the Feeling!"; conference attendance was 1,890.
  • Membership was 6,099.
  • NSDC co-sponsored nine institutes with Phi Delta Kappa.
  • NSDC's budget was $1,210,000.
  • Tuition at Harvard, Yale, Stanford and other top U.S. colleges exceeded $14,000; 80% of undergraduates still attend public universities where tuition is less than $3,000.
  • The powerful Hubble space telescope was put into earth orbit by U.S.

1991

  • The conference was held in St. Louis, chaired by Georgia Archibald; the theme was "Merging the Currents of Change"; conference attendance was 1,530; evening sessions were held for the first time.
  • Membership was 6,199, including 1,235 Canadians and 82 members from abroad.
  • NSDC's budget was $1,185,000.
  • The first Research in Staff Development awards were given.
  • The first Academy for Staff Developers was held.
  • The Soviet Union collapsed.
  • The world's population reached 5.5 billion, up from 3.63 billion in 1970; the U.S. population hit 250 million.

1992

  • The conference was located in Washington, D.C. and chaired by Kitty Blumsack; the theme was "New Vision, New Action"; conference attendance was 1,693.
  • Membership was 5,954; membership benefits were increased to include two audiotapes per year.
  • NSDCs budget was $1,075,000.
  • The Board of Trustees studied changing the organization's name.
  • The "Silence of the Lambs" won the best picture for the Academy Awards.
  • Johnny Carson bid his audience farewell.

1993

  • The conference, held in Dallas, was chaired by Kathy Harwell; the theme was "Celebrating Our Strengths-Touching Tomorrow Today"; conference attendance was 2,008.
  • Membership was 5,821.
  • The Council's budget was $1,110,000.
  • The "Friends of NSDC" was established to support special Council projects.
  • David Letterman moved to CBS.

1994

  • The conference location will be Orlando, Florida, chaired by Dianne Aucamp; the theme will be "Capture the Magic: A Quarter of Century of Leading and Learning."
  • Membership as of June 1 was 7,050.
  • The Council's budget was $1,288,000.
  • NSDC developed and disseminated The National Staff Development Council's Standards for Staff Development: Middle Level Edition.
  • The School Team Innovator newsletter began publication.
  • Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn returned to the Soviet Union.
  • The world mourned Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (1929-1994).

1995

  • The conference was held in Chicago, Illinois, with Rick DuFour as the conference host committee chair with 2,350 people in attendance. The theme was Capture the Magic.
  • NSDC’s membership was 7,954 and its annual budget was $1.5 million.
  • NSDC’s Standards for Staff Development elementary and high school levels were published with the generous support of the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation. NSDC held its first School Team Conference in Hilton Head, South Carolina, in July.
  • NSDC hired Joan Richardson, former Detroit Free Press reporter, as its first Director of Publications. Under her leadership NSDC’s lead publication, Journal of Staff Development, was transformed.
  • Steve Fossett made the first trans-Atlantic solo balloon trip from Seoul, South, Korea, to Leader, Alaska, a total of 5,430 miles.
  • The world was rocked by the Oklahoma City bombing in which 168 people including 8 U.S. marshals and 19 children were killed.

1996

  • Vancouver, British Columbia, hosted the annual conference marking the second time the conference was held in Canada. Robin Ardin served as the conference host. Reaching Beyond the Rim was the conference theme, and 2364 people attended.
  • NSDC’s annual budget was $1.79 million and membership was 7,393.
  • NSDC received a grant from the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation to provide technical assistance to Chattanooga Public Schools.
  • Iowa Staff Development Council and Louisiana Staff Development Council became NSDC affiliates.
  • NSDC implements two new awards, the first Outstanding Staff Development Article of the Year and Staff Development Book of the Year. Thomas Guskey is the recipient of both awards.
  • NSDC develops the Distinguished Staff Developer designation and awards the first DSD recognitions to Sandee Crowther and Dale Hair.
  • Dolly the sheep was cloned in Scotland.
  • William Jefferson Clinton is elected to his second term as president of the U.S.

1997

  • Chaired by Marti Richardson, the 1997 conference was held at Opryland in Nashville, Tennessee. Dolly Pardon was a surprise guest to a general session and talked with executive director Dennis Sparks about her commitment to education. Just more than 3,000 people attended the annual conference. The School Team Conference in the summer of 1997 was held in Hilton Head, South Carolina.
  • NSDC’s annual budget was $2.07 million.
  • As a result of a focus group, NSDC’s Academy for Staff Developer graduates, now numbering close to 200, requested an opportunity to reconvene at the annual conference and the Academy forum was launched and continues to attract Academy graduates in a special day-long session designed specifically for them.
  • Dennis Sparks and Stephanie Hirsh co-authored New Vision for Staff Development which was co-published by NSDC and ASCD. This book set forth a remarkable vision for the field and established NSDC’s focus as a professional association.
  • NSDC launched Results-Based Staff Development, a project funded by the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation. The project, led by Joellen Killion who came on board as an NSDC consultant to direct this project, was a four-year study to identify content-specific staff development programs that had evidence of increasing student achievement.
  • NSDC institutes an award for Mentor of the Year. The first recipient is Shirley Hord.
  • Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule on June 30.
  • Both Mother Theresa of Calcutta and Princess Diana died this year, marking the loss of two women committed to the well being of the disadvantaged and children.

1998

  • Washington, D.C., was the site of the annual conference in 1998, and Lenore Cohen served as the chair of the Host Committee. The conference theme was Making a Capital Difference. Conference attendance was 2,830.
  • NSDC’s second annual School Team Conference was held in Kansas City, Missouri.
  • Arkansas Staff Development Council is formed and becomes an affiliate of NSDC.
  • NBA legend, Michael Jordan, played his last game as a Chicago Bull leading the team to their 6th NBA championship.
  • The Canadian Supreme Court rules that Quebec cannot secede from Canada without the federal government’s approval.

1999

  • NSDC’s annual conference, chaired by Karen Anderson, was held in Dallas. Conference attendance was 3,477. The conference theme was Faces of the Millennium: Our Challenge, Our Future.
  • Alaska Staff Development Council became an NSDC affiliate.
  • NSDC’s annual budget was $2.5 million.
  • Mike Murphy became NSDC’s first director of learning.
  • NSDC published What Works in the Middle: Results-based Staff Development, the compilation of its two-year study on staff development in the core content areas that improves student achievement. Its author, Joellen Killion, joins the NSDC staff as director of special projects.
  • The world watched as 12 students and one teacher at Columbine High School in Colorado, were killed and 24 injured in the worst school shooting on record.

2000
  • The annual conference returned to Atlanta for the second time. The conference was hosted by Gale Hulme and its theme was NSDC@tlanta.2000: The Future Is Here and 3,443 people attended.
  • NSDC’s annual budget was $3.6 million.
  • Stephanie Hirsh becomes NSDC’s first deputy executive director.
  • Ten states launched Staff Development Leadership Councils, funded by the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, to advocate for state policies to support effective staff development.
  • The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation funds a new project, Assessing the Impact of Staff Development, a two-year initiative to understand how to evaluate the impact of staff development on student achievement.
  • NSDC awards its first Outstanding New Staff Developer Award to Laura Gschwend. Inspiration Software, Inc. receives NSDC’s first Exemplary Use of Technology Award.
  • The young Cuban refugee, Elian Gonzalez, was reunited with his father after an international dispute about his custody.
  • Vincente Fox was elected president of Mexico, ending 71 years of a single party rule in that country.

2001

  • Denver, Colorado was the site of the annual conference for the second time. Lois Brown Easton and Lynn Simmons co-hosted the annual conference, whose theme was Scaling Summits: Clear View of Critical Issues. Nearly 3,000 people attended the conference.
  • NSDC’s annual budget was $3.8 million.
  • NSDC’s long-time director of business services retires. NSDC’s Business Office moves into new offices in Oxford, Ohio. Leslie Miller become director of business services and Renee Taylor becomes assistant director of business services.
  • The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation awards NSDC a grant to provide technical assistance to Corpus Christi Independent School District. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation awards a grant to NSDC to establish a state education agency network.
  • National Institute for Community Innovation awards NSDC a grant to examine technology in professional development. The work results in the publication of E-Learning for Educators: Implementing the Standards.
  • Supported by a grant from the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, NSDC’s revised and published its Standards for Staff Development (2001) into a single rather than three separate documents. Led by Stephanie Hirsh, Shirley Hord, and Patricia Roy, this revision resulted from the contributions of 17 professional associations, tightened the focus on staff development to increase student achievement, and reduced the standards from more than 25 to a dozen.
  • NSDC published three books. In partnership with the National Education Association, What Works in the Elementary School: Results-Based Staff Development and What Works in the High School: Results-Based Staff Development, companions to the middle level book published two years earlier, reported on content-specific staff development that had evidence of increasing student achievement. Assessing Impact: Evaluating Staff Development provided guidance on how to link staff development to student achievement by outlining a process approach to evaluating staff development.
  • New Hampshire Staff Development Council became NSDC’s 36th affiliate.
  • September 11th marked a day of horror as planes flew into the World Trade Center buildings in New York City. Working with the United Teacher Federation of New York City, NSDC lead a nationwide support campaign to provide school supplies to children in schools affected by the disaster.
  • Apple introduced the iPod.
  • China, after 15 years of negotiation, was admitted into the World Trade Organization.

2002

  • Karen O’Conner and Cheryl Williams co-hosted the annual conference in Boston, Massachusetts. Attendance at the annual conference, whose theme was Lighting the Way to Revolutions in Learning, broke a record with 3,636 people participating.
  • NSDC’s annual budget tops $4 million.
  • NSDC launches 12 Under 12, a network of 12 schools nationwide committed to meeting the 2014 goals of No Child Left Behind in less than 12 years.
  • NSDC receives a grant from the Kellogg Foundation to study schools and districts implementing positive deviance. A partnership with the Eisenhower National Clearinghouse resulted in the development of By Your Own Design: A Teacher’s Professional Learning Guide.
  • The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation awards NSDC a grant to conduct an evaluation of State Technology Challenge Grants for Leadership. With a grant from the U.. Department of Education, NSDC conducts an evaluation of Technology Challenge grant programs.
  • NSDC awards the Shirley Havens Award for Support and Classified Staff Development. Marsha Owen is the first recipient. Hayes Mizell leaves the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation and becomes NSDC’s Distinguished Senior Fellow.
  • Jimmy Carter wins the Nobel Peace Prize.
  • No Child Left Behind Act, federal ESEA legislation is signed into law, and dramatically changing accountability for the success of all students.
  • NASA’s Mars Odyssey begins to map the surface of planet Mars.

2003

  • NSDC’s annual conference, hosted by Dale Hair, is held in New Orleans and is filled with local culture and events. Just over 3,100 people attended the conference whose theme was Celebrate a Rich Culture of Learning and Leading.
  • NSDC’s membership tops 11,200 and it annual budget is $4.3 million.
  • NSDC’s Board of Trustees adopts a new strategic plan, revised by-laws, revises policy and procedures manuals, and begins the examination of policy governance. Regular monthly communication to current and former board members begins.
  • NSDC launches the Susan Loucks-Horsley Award, and Dennis Sparks is the first recipient. Virginia Staff Development Council became NSDC’s 37th affiliate.
  • The Washington Mutual Foundation awards NSDC a two-year grant to implement Results Skills for School Leaders in three western states.
  • NSDC’s advertorials, written by Dennis Sparks, begin publication in Education Week.
  • The space shuttle Challenger, carrying seven U.S. astronauts, exploded on re-entry.
  • The U.S. and allies start the Iraq war.
  • Boston Red Sox win the first World Series in 88 years.

2004

  • The annual conference returned to Vancouver, British Columbia, with Audrey Hobbs-Johnson as chair of the host committee. With a theme of Inspiring Learning: Achieving Results, the conference at 3,300 attendees.
  • NSDC’s annual budget exceeds $4.5 million and membership ends the year at 10,241.
  • NSDC launches the School-Based Staff Developer Academy in Dallas, Texas, marking a shift in its services and products geared toward teacher leaders who are serving as staff developers, coaches, and instructional facilitators within their own schools.
  • The Wachovia Foundation awards NSDC a grant to pilot the NSDC Coaches Academy in five states. The Wachovia-funded Academy continued over the next four years in 15 states to bring together coaches, NSDC affiliates, and state department of education staff to learn about effective coaching and teacher leadership and design a statewide system of support for teachers serving in the role of school-based staff developer or coach. Today over 40 Academies have been offered in 25 states.
  • The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation awards NSDC a grant to launch Results Skills for School Leaders in New Jersey.
  • The Washington Mutual Foundation awards NSDC a two-year grant to extends its implementation of Results Skills for School Leaders in three western states.
  • Facebook is born in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
  • An earthquake in the Indian Ocean resulted in a tsunami that took the lives of nearly 230,000 people in eleven countries.

2005

  • Philadelphia is the site of the annual conference, co-hosted by Janet Samuels and Victoria Duff. The conference theme is A Declaration of Professional Learning: The Revolution Begins and 3,383 people attend.
  • NSDC’s membership is 10,139 and its annual budget is 4.6 million.
  • Tracy Crow is hired as NSDC’s web editor.
  • NSDC receives a four-year grant from The Brande Foundation to develop a cadre of leadership coaches. GE Foundation awards NSDC a grant for a math and science audit.
  • NSDC launches its first summer conference for teacher leaders and the administrators who support them in Chicago, Illinois. The conference theme is Teachers + Leadership + Learning = Student Success. Seven hundred and eleven participants attend this inaugural conference. Teachers Teaching Teachers, an electronic newsletter for teacher leaders and coaches, launches in the fall.
  • NSDC’s Board of Trustees began a substantial revision of NSDC’s policies and procedures, revised by-laws, and established sub-committees to accomplish its work.
  • NSDC awards the first Best Evaluation of Staff Development Award to Joseph Shields. Nebraska Staff Development Council became NSDC’s 38th affiliate.
  • Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation awards a second grant to extend Results Skills for School Leaders.
  • Hurricane Katrina struck the cost of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama killing over 1800 people and displacing hundreds of thousands of citizens of coastal communities. NSDC launched a support program to assist members of its New Orleans-based Staff Development Academy in relocation.
  • Alberta and Saskatchewan celebrate their centennials.

2006

  • Nashville, Tennessee, once again hosted the annual conference under the leadership of Janice Shelby. Staging Noteworthy Performances is the conference theme, and conference attendance exceeded all previous conferences at 3,732.
  • NSDC’s annual budget is $6.3 million and membership reaches an all time high of 12,494.
  • NSDC’s summer conference was held in Washington, D.C., with the theme Power up Your Learning. Eleven hundred forty–seven participants attended the conference.
  • Dennis Sparks announces his retirement, and NSDC initiates a search for a new executive director. Cathy Owens becomes NSDC’s second director of learning.
  • NSDC receives grants from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation.
  • NSDC names Blanche and John Linton recipients of its Ambassadors for High-Quality Professional Learning Award.
  • The NSDC Academy program is redesigned to become a problem-based, inquiry-driven model and graduating classes, beginning with the Academy that began in 2006 are now known by their graduating year. The Academy that began in July 2006 is called Class of 2008.
  • Stephen Harper is sworn in as the 22nd Prime Minister of Canada.
  • Cuban president Fidel Castro transfers authority to his brother Raul.
  • Pluto is eliminated as one of the planets in the solar system and demoted to a dwarf planet.

2007

  • NSDC returns to Dallas for its annual conference. Mark Diaz served as chair of the Host Committee. The conference theme is Imagine, and the conference has a record-breaking attendance of 3,866.
  • The summer conference was in Denver, Colorado. The theme is Converging Forces and 1,318 people attend.
  • NSDC’s annual membership is at a record high of 12,569, and the annual budget is $6.1 million. NSDC received grants from the MetLife Foundation, the Wachovia Foundation, GE Foundation and Wachovia Foundation.
  • Stephanie Hirsh becomes the second executive director in NSDC’s history. Dennis Sparks becomes emeritus executive director. Joellen Killion is named deputy executive director. Carrie Freundlich becomes NSDC’s conference and meetings manager.
  • NSDC launches Advancing Quality Professional Learning Through Collective Bargaining and State Policy: A National Examination with the support of NEA, AFT, and CCSSO to explore state policies and collective bargaining language that supports effective professional learning.
  • Executive offices open in Dallas, Texas, to house the Dallas staff. NSDC hires Joel Reynolds as executive assistant to the executive director and secretary to the Board of Trustees.
  • NSDC publishes The Learning Educator: A New Era in Professional Learning, but Stephanie Hirsh and Joellen Killion, a decade after A New Vision for Staff Development, outlining the next decade of focus for professional learning.
  • Nancy Pelosi is the first woman selected as speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
  • Boris Yeltsin, former Russian president during the Cold War, dies. Former U.S. president, Gerald Ford, dies.

2008

  • Ted Haynie served as the chair of the Host Committee for NSDC’s 40th Annual Conference in National Harbor, Maryland. The conference theme is Step Up, Speak Out and another record-breaking attendance of $3,911 people attend.
  • NSDC’s fourth Summer Conference met in Orlando, Florida. Its theme is Creating a World of Wonder and 953 people attend.
  • NSDC’s membership is 12,665 and its annual budget is $6.7 million. NSDC receives grants from MetLife Foundation, Gates Foundation, GE Foundation, and Wachovia Foundation, and enters into an agreement with College Board.
  • NSDC debuts its definition of professional development, a recommended addition to the reauthorization of ESEA. The definition was developed in collaboration with other professional associations.
  • NSDC launches its Policy Maker of the Year Award and grants it to U.S. Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island.
  • Senate Bill 1979 advocating for effective professional development is introduced by Senator Jack Reed.
  • Carol Francois becomes NSDC’s director of learning and Christine Stevenson as its marketing manager. Shirely Hord becomes NSDC’s scholar laureate. Suzanne Siegel becomes learning programs manager.
  • Barack Obama is elected president of the United States.
  • Summer Olympic games are held in Beijing, China. Michael Phelps breaks Mark Spitz’s record for the number of gold medals in a single Olympics.
  • Fidel Castro announces his retirement as president of Cuba.

2009

  • NSDC’s Annual Conference returns to St. Louis for its 41st conference with Kathy Blackmore as chair of the Host Committee and 40th birthday celebration. The conference theme is Gateway to Learning.
  • Boston was home to NSDC’s fifth Summer Conference with 1,531 people in attendance. The conference theme is Going the Distance.
  • NSDC’s membership is 13,419 and its annual budget is $8 million. NSDC received grant from the MetLife Foundation.
  • Thomas Manning is hired as NSDC’s associate director of member experience and NSDC launches the NSDC Learning Exchange for online communities, learning, and member support. Sarah Lesko becomes NSDC’s new media specialist. Tracy Crow becomes associate director of publications.
  • NSDC publishes the first of three studies on the state of professional learning. Professional Learning in the Learning Profession: A Status Report on Teacher Development in the U.S. and Abroad, conducted by the School Renewal Network at Stanford University led by Linda Darling-Hammond. The team of Stanford researchers begins the second study.
  • NSDC launches Policy Points, a newsletter funded by College Board, for federal legislative education aides.
  • With support of multiple associations, NSDC’s definition for professional learning is introduced by representative Jared Polis, Colorado.
  • NSDC launches the Learning School Alliance, a network of over 40 schools committed to learning with and from each other within facilitated communities of learners. NSDC publishes Becoming a Learning School as a resource for the Learning School Alliance and to support schools in implementing NSDC definition of professional development.
  • New England Staff Development Council became the 40th NSDC affiliate.
  • Sonia Sotomayor is the first Hispanic woman confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
  • International Olympic Committee awards the 2016 Summer Olympics to Rio de Janeiro, marking the first time the Olympics will be held in South America.
  • Swine flu reaches epidemic proportions worldwide.


2010

  • NSDC changes its name on Sept. 1, 2010 and becomes Learning Forward. The new name signifies a growing international presence, a stronger focus on educator learning to support student learning, and the increasing influence of the association among policy makers, decision makers, and practitioners. With the new name came a new logo and tag line.
  • Learning Forward's Annual Conference returns to Atlanta with Rhonda Baldwin as chair of the Host Committee. The conference theme is Dream, Dare, Do.
  • Seattle was home to NSDC's (still NSDC in July) sixth Summer Conference with 1,300 people in attendance. The conference theme is Charting the Course for School-based Professional Learning.
  • Learning Forward's membership is 12,235 and its annual budget is $9 million. Learning Forward received grants from the MetLife Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Wallace Foundation, and the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations.
  • Jacqueline Kennedy is hired as the associate director of special projects.
  • M. René Islas is hired as the director of the Center for Results at Learning Forward.
  • NSDC publishes the second and third phases of three-phase studies on the state of professional learning, Professional Development in the United States: Trends and Challenges and Teacher Professional Learning in the United States: Case Studies of State Policies and Strategies. The studies were conducted by a team of researchers the Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education supported by Linda Darling-Hammond.
  • Learning Forward publishes Change Lead Succeed: Building Capacity with School Leadership Teams by Linda Munger and Valerie von Frank and Life-Cycles of Leadership: How to Survive and Thrive in Today's Schools by Stephen Uebbing and Mike Ford.
  • Washington State revived the Washington State Staff Development Council and later changed its name to Learning Forward Washington.
  • A devastating earthquake kills thousands in Haiti.
  • The 2010 Winter Olympics are held in Vancouver, BC, the location of Learning Forward's 2016 Annual Conference.
  • Deep Water Horizon oil platform explodes in the Gulf of Mexico killing 11 and causing one of the largest oil spills in history.
  • 2010 FIFA is held in South Africa with Spain as the winner.
  • Learning Forward, in partnership with Corwin Press, gives the first Shirley Hord Learning Team Award to Rocklin Academy in Rocklin, Calif.
  • The International Space Station surpasses the record for the longest human occupation in space.
  • Scientists at CERN trapped antihydrogen atoms marking the first capture of antimatter.
  • Earthquakes and tsunamis kill hundreds in Indonesia.
  • The first total lunar eclipse occurs on the same day as the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere and the summer solstice in the Southern Hemisphere since 1638.

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