Advancing the Field
We are at the forefront of shaping national, state, and local policy, and advocating for powerful professional learning that ensures every student experiences great teaching every day. Through our work with partners including the Wallace Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and MetLife Foundation, we are committed to increasing awareness of the need for quality professional learning, directly affecting the work of educators at the school, district, and state levels, and ensuring the inclusion of a powerful new definition of professional development in the reauthorized No Child Left Behind Act.
Status of Professional Learning
Read reports from two of three phases of Learning Forward’s multiyear research initiative examining the effectiveness of professional learning in the United States. Conducted with researchers from the Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education (SCOPE), the latest report indicates that the nation is making some progress in providing increased support and mentoring for new teachers. However, the study also reveals that teachers’ opportunities for the kind of ongoing, intensive professional learning that research shows has a substantial impact on student learning are decreasing.
PD Definition
Working with our allies and advocates, we have created this formal definition of professional development for use in the reauthorized version of NCLB.
THE PRINCIPAL STORY
THE PRINCIPAL STORY is a national broadcast film and media outreach project, commissioned by The Wallace Foundation. Its purpose is to raise the visibility of leadership as a lever for school improvement, especially in our most challenging schools. We were honored to contribute to this comprehensive initiative about the importance of the role of school principal. Produced by NSDC, THE PRINCIPAL STORY Field Guide accompanies the film and Clip Reel.
