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Awards Program

This annual awards program recognizes and rewards the exemplary work of professionals in the field of professional learning. This page offers information about upcoming awards, deadlines, and past award winners. For questions about the awards program, please contact Jacqueline Kennedy at 972-421-0900 or jacqueline.kennedy@learningforward.org.

The Shirley Hord Learning Team Award honors excellence in professional learning. Based on Learning Forward's definition of professional learning, the award recognizes a school team that successfully implements the cycle of continuous learning for professional learning that results in student achievement. Read more specific details on how to apply for this award. The nomination deadline is April 13, 2012.

Use the links below to view past award winners.

• 2011 Award Recipients
• Previous Award Winners

2011 Awards Recipients

The winners for this year are:

• Contribution to the Field:

  Carl A. Cohn, co-director of the Urban Leadership Program and clinical professor, School of Educational Studies, Claremont Graduate University

• Susan Loucks-Horsley Award:

  Kathy DiRanna, statewide director, WestEd's K-12 Alliance

• Distinguished Service:

  Karen Anderson, Mesquite, Texas
  Kathy Kee, Shady Shores, Texas

• Best Research:

  Building Leadership: The Knowledge of Principals in Creating Collaborative Communities of Professional Learning
  
  Chad Dumas, director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment, Hastings Public Schools, Neb.

• Shirley Hord Learning Team Award:

  Third-grade team at Clinton Elementary School, Lancaster, S.C.

Watch the 2011 Learning Forward Awards video

Watch the 2010 Learning Forward Awards video

Previous Award Winners

Best Research Award

• Bradley A. Ermeling - 2010
• Ronald Gallimore - 2010
• Claude N. Goldenberg - 2010
• William M. Saunders - 2010
• Mistilina Sato - 2009
• Ruth Chung Wei - 2009
• Linda Darling-Hammond - 2009
• Charles M. Achilles - 2008
• Christopher H. Tienken - 2008
• Brad W. Kose - 2006
• Judith L. Slinger - 2005
• Christine Lowden - 2004
• Nancy Iverson - 2003
• Julie Giardino - 2002
• Dana Suzanne Leeper Selzer - 2001
• Patricia Rose Roy - 2000
• Joseph Senese - 1999
• Jay Paredes Scribner - 1998
• Karen L. Hayes - 1997
• Carole Schmidt - 1996
• Susan M. Tauer - 1995
• RoseAnn O'Brien Vojtek - 1994
• Henry Kiernan - 1993
• Pam Robbins - 1992
• Mary E. Schroff - 1991
• Ranny Singiser - 1990

Best Evaluation of Professional Development

• Marco A. Muñoz, Thomas R. Guskey, and Jennifer Aberli - 2008
• Joseph Shields - 2005 (Texas Education Agency)

Contribution to the Field

• Andy Hargreaves - 2010
• Douglas Reeves - 2010
• Thomas Guskey - 2009
• Shirley Hord - 2009
• Ellen Moir - 2008
• Karen Seashore Louis - 2007
• Dennis Sparks - 2006
• Beverly Daniel Tatum - 2005
• Theodore Sizer, Coalition of Essential Schools - 2003
• Peter Senge - 2002
• Hayes Mizell - 2000
• Kati Haycock - 2000
• Robert Garmston - 1999
• Linda Darling Hammond - 1998
• Ron Brandt - 1997
• Judy-Arin Krupp - 1995
• Michael Fullan - 1995
• Susan Loucks-Horsley - 1993
• Carlene Murphy - 1991
• Madeline Hunter - 1989
• Arthur Costa - 1989

Susan Loucks-Horsley Award

• Peg Smith - 2010
• Page Keeley - 2009
• Judy Mumme - 2008
• Francena Cummings - 2007
• Nancy Love - 2006
• Susan Mundry - 2006
• Harold Pratt - 2005
• Shirley Hord and Gene Hall - 2004
• Dennis Sparks - 2003

Learning Forward Distinguished Service Award

• Deborah Childs-Bowen - 2010
• Marti Richardson - 2009
• Rob and Kathy Bocchino - 2008
• Audrey Hobbs Johnson - 2007
• Diana Raney Williams - 2005
• Rick DuFour - 2004
• Sandee Crowther - 2003
• Dale Hair - 2003
• Gayle Moller - 2002
• Kathryn Blumsack - 2002
• Cathy Berlinger-Gustafson - 2001
• Thomas Swenson - 2000
• Shirley Hord - 1999
• Ann Delehant - 1996
• Sybil Yastrow - 1994
• Jim Henkelman - 1992
• Susan Ellis - 1990
• Sue Schiff - 1989
• Sarah Caldwell - 1988
• Shirley Havens - 1987
• Fred Wood - 1986
• Jim Metzdorf - 1986
• Steve Wlodarczyk - 1985
• Lynne Chidley - 1985
• Pat Zigarmi - 1984
• Betty Dillon-Peterson - 1984

Shirley Hord Learning Team Award

• Third-grade team at Clinton Elementary School - 2011
• Rocklin Academy - 2010

We no longer present awards in the following categories.

Staff Development Book of the Year

• Parry Graham and William M. Ferriter - 2010 (Building a Professional Learning Community at Work: A Guide to the First Year)
• Michael Fullan and Andy Hargreaves (Editors) - 2009 (Change Wars)
• Nancy Fichtman Dana and Diane Yendol-Hoppey - 2008 (The Reflective Educator's Guide to Professional Development: Coaching Inquiry-Oriented Learning Communities)
• Karla Reiss - 2007 (Leadership Coaching for Educators: Bringing Out the Best in School Administrators)
• Marilyn Tallerico - 2006 (Supporting and Sustaining Teachers' Professional Development: A Principal's Guide)
• Glenn E. Singleton and Curtis Linton - 2006 (Courageous Conversations About Race )
• Alan M. Blankstein - 2005 (Failure Is Not an Option)
• Eleanor Drago-Severson - 2004 (Helping Teachers Learn)
• Roland Barth - 2003 (Lessons Learned: Shaping Relationships and the Culture of the Workplace)
• Joyce Kaser, Susan Mundry, Katherine Stiles, and Susan Loucks-Horsley - 2003 (Leading Everyday)
• Michael Fullan - 2002 (Leading in a Culture of Change)
• Peter Senge, Nelda Cambron-McCabe, Timothy Lucas, Bryan Smith, Janis Dutton, Art Kleiner - 2001 (Schools That Learn)
• Thomas Guskey - 2000 (Evaluating Professional Development)
• Linda Darling-Hammond and Gary Sykes - 2000 (Teaching as the Learning Profession)
• Robert Garmston and Bruce Wellman - 1999 (The Adaptive School: A Sourcebook for Developing Collaborative Groups)
• Phillip Schlechty - 1998 (Inventing Better Schools)
• David Collins - 1998 (Achieving Your Vision of Professional Development)
• Linda Lambert - 1998 ( Constructivist Leader)
• Thomas Guskey - 1996 (Professional Development in Education)

Shirley Havens Support and Classified Staff Development

• DeKalb County School System, Atlanta, Ga. - 2009
• St. Vrain Valley School District, Longmont, CO - 2008
• Reesa Fickett - 2007
• Northbrook School District 27, Northbrook, Ill. - 2006
• Jan Nobuto - 2005
• Peggy Mueller - 2003
• Marsha Owen - 2002

Policy Maker of the Year

• Sen. Jack Reed, Rhode Island - 2008

Ambassadors for High-Quality Professional Learning Award

• Blanch & John Linton, School Improvement Network - 2006

Mentor of the Year

• Sue Showers - 2004
• Jerry Boyle - 2002
• Kathryn Blumsack - 2000
• Kay Shaw - 1998
• Shirley Hord - 1997

Exemplary Use of Technology

• TELUS Learning Connection Project Edmonton, Alberta, Canada - 2004
• Learning Connection Online - 2003 (Joseph Felix and Michael White)
• Teacher Leadership Project - 2002
• Active Learning with Technology - 2001
• Inspiration Software, Inc. - 2000

Outstanding NSDC Affiliate Newsletter

• Staff Development Council of British Columbia - 2004
• Kansas Staff Development Council - 2003
• Texas Staff Development Council - 2002
• Staff Development Council of Ontario - 2001
• Pennsylvania Staff Development Council - 2000
• Texas Staff Development Council - 1999
• Florida Association of Staff Development - 1998
• Georgia Staff Development Council - 1997
• Staff Development Council of Ontario - 1996
• Florida Association for Staff Development Newsletter - 1995
• Kansas Staff Development Council Newsletter - 1994
• Washington State Staff Development Council Newsletter - 1993

Outstanding Department/Staff Development Newsletter

• Independence School District Independence, Missouri - 2004
• Thompson R2-J School District, Loveland, Colo. - 2003
• Center for Innovations in Special Education - 2002
• Indiana Principal Leadership Academy - 2001
• South Central Regional Professional Development Center - 2000
• Broward County Public Schools HRD/Nova Center - 1999
• UFT Teachers Center Professional Development Support Program - 1998
• York Region Board of Education, Staff Development Center - 1996
• Howard County (MD) Staff Development Center - 1994
• UFT Special Educator Support Program - 1993

Best Non-Dissertation Research Award

• Thomas Guskey - 2003
• Linda Munger and Laurie Stevahn - 2001
• Cathy Caro-Bruce, Ken Zelchner, Robin Marion - 1998
• Maryanne Roesch/Dr. Jane White - 1994
• James Donovan, David Sousa - 1990

Outstanding New Staff Developer

• Julie Blaine - 2003
• Kathleen Swann - 2002
• Steven Zickafoose - 2001
• Laura Gschwend - 2000

Outstanding Staff Development Article

• Jon Marshall and Ruie Pritchard - 2003(Professional development in 'healthy' vs 'unhealthy' districts)
• Thomas Guskey - 2002 (Does It Make a Difference)
• Thomas Guskey - 1999 (The Age of Our Accountability)
• Thomas Guskey - 1996 (Results-Oriented Professional Development: In Search of an Optimal Mix of Effective Practices)

Outstanding Achievement in Professional Development (In Collaboration with AASA)

• Hattiesburg Public School District - 1991
• The Network for Educational Development - 1990
• Richmond County Public Schools - 1990
• Deer Valley Unified School District - 1989
• Ft. Knox Community Schools - 1989
• Montgomery County Public Schools - 1989
• South Windsor Public Schools - 1989
• West Orange Public Schools - 1989