Learning Forward’s Transforming Professional Learning to Prepare College- and Career-Ready Students: Implementing the Common Core is a multidimensional initiative focused on developing a comprehensive system of professional learning that spans the distance from the statehouse to the classroom. With an immediate focus on implementing Common Core State Standards and new assessments, the initiative provides resources and tools to assist states, districts, and schools in providing effective professional learning for current and future education reforms.


You're invited: Advancing Common Core: State Strategies For Transforming Professional Learning

Join us on May 22 in Washington, DC, to explore how states are working together to create a coherent system of professional learning that prepares educators to meet the promise of the Common Core State Standards, educator effectiveness systems, and new assessments of student learning.

Learning Forward and the Council of Chief State School Officers will bring together top education experts to discuss what they have learned through a seven-state professional learning initiative designed to change policies and practices to better support the needs of educators. Learn more and RSVP.


Policy brief urges coordinated professional learning strategy

Seizing the Moment: State Lessons for Transforming Professional Learning

Explore this first look at lessons learned through Learning Forward's ongoing initiative to develop a comprehensive system of professional learning that spans the distance from the statehouse to the classroom. This policy brief underscores the importance of a coordinated state professional learning strategy, the adoption of professional learning standards, the value of assessing the quality of professional development being used, and strategies for leveraging state leadership to drive improvements at the regional and district level.

School and District Tools

Establishing Time for Professional Learning

Finding time for job-embedded professional learning is one of the most frequently cited challenges with implementing the Common Core State Standards. The processes and tools in this workbook will provide educators, parents, and community leaders with resources to increase or refine the use of time for educator collaboration to achieve goals associated with any key initiative.

School-based Professional Learning for Implementing the Common Core

Explore four units created to help principals and teacher leaders develop their capacity to facilitate school-based collaborative professional learning. Complete with background information, tools, slides, and handouts, the four modules cover key topics in leading professional learning tied to implementing content standards: Managing change, Facilitating learning teams, and Learning designs, and Standards for Professional Learning.

Guiding District Implementation of Common Core State Standards: Innovation Configuration Maps

These Innovation Configuration maps were developed by a task force of Kentucky educators with support from Kentucky Department of Education, Appalachia Regional Comprehensive Center at Edvantia, and Learning Forward to align with the four pillars of Kentucky’s Leadership Networks. They are offered as a model for other states and districts to use to develop their own Innovation Configuration maps to support district implementation of Common Core State Standards, educator effectiveness, and student assessment.

Professional Learning Policy Review: A Workbook for States and Districts

Designed to assist states and districts in conducting a self-guided review of current professional learning policies, this workbook presents a six-phase process for the review and includes 29 tools to facilitate the entire process as well as links to resources for accessing and studying professional learning policies. The tools include recommendations for leadership team members, meeting agendas, protocols, analysis guides, report outlines, and follow-up timelines.

Policy Briefs

Meet the Promise of Content Standards: Tapping Technology to Enhance Professional Learning

More stakeholders are turning to technology to advance the professional learning required to support new standards and evaluation systems. Yet how technology is used will determine its potential to influence educator practice and results for students. This brief outlines how technology can enhance professional learning, offers examples of how technology is being used to meet the demand generated by Common Core standards, provides guidelines for selecting and using technology as a resource for professional learning, and identifies common challenges and ways to avoid them.

Meet the Promise of Content Standards: The Principal

Explore the critical role the principal plays in implementing the Common Core standards. In addition to outlining five key priorities principals address in any transformational change, the brief describes the specific actions principals take in standards implementation and the district support they require. The brief concludes with the challenges principals face and highlights recommendations for actions at the state, system, and school levels to ensure relevant policies, resources, and cultures are in place.

Meet the Promise of Content Standards: Investing in Professional Learning

This brief details the critical attributes of professional learning necessary to achieve the vision of Common Core standards, and addresses the need for long-term commitment and resource investments from the nation and each state to achieve that vision. The brief explores calls attention to the urgent need for schools, districts, states, regional and national education agencies, and education vendors to change the allocation and application of professional learning resources. It also recommends new investments for states, districts, and school leaders to make in professional learning.

Meet the Promise of Content Standards: Professional Learning Required

An informative brief on the critical role that professional learning plays in implementing content standards. Outlining a vision for educators supported through high-quality professional learning, the brief describes elements of effective professional learning as well as recommendations for action for educators at the federal, state, system, school, and individual level.