DALLAS—December 22, 2008—The National Staff Development Council (NSDC) will help The Wallace Foundation advance its ten-year initiative to improve education leadership in the United States. NSDC will use a $250,000 grant from Wallace to draw attention to new research and information about building leadership capacity in the nation’s schools to help leaders better guide instructional improvements needed to raise student achievement.
As part of the grant, NSDC will:
- Draw from the knowledge base the Foundation has helped create to offer new information and materials to NSDC members about the conditions, policies, and practices that can lead to transformational leaders. Information will be disseminated through NSDC’s quarterly magazine, newsletters to educators and policymakers, web site, and other resources;
- Organize leadership sessions and speakers at NSDC’s 2009 Annual Conference and produce related materials aimed at NSDC members and conference attendees; and
- Develop and disseminate materials related to a comprehensive study of the state of professional development in the U.S.“Research supported by The Wallace Foundation has provided valuable new information about the role leaders play in improving teaching and learning and what can be done to accelerate school improvement efforts,” said Stephanie Hirsh, executive director of NSDC. “We look forward to working with Wallace to share emerging knowledge about how the nation can support and strengthen leadership to improve instruction, make best practice everyday practice, and raise achievement.”
The grant will extend over two years from December 1, 2008 through January 31, 2010. NSDC hopes to expand the audience for Wallace knowledge through speaking engagements, presentations, and broader circulation of print and electronic publications and articles.
