DALLAS—January 21, 2013—Learning Forward announces the release of Professional Learning Policy Review: A Workbook for States and Districts. The workbook is the latest product to be released as part of the organization’s ongoing initiative to develop a comprehensive system of professional learning that spans the distance from the statehouse to the classroom. The initiative, Transforming Professional Learning to Prepare College- and Career-Ready Students: Implementing the Common Core is supported by Sandler Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and MetLife Foundation.
The 85-page, web-based workbook presents a six-phase process for self-guided review of professional learning policies 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 a wide array of resources, such as recommendations for the leadership team members, meeting agendas, protocols, analysis guides, report outlines, and follow-up timelines.
The workbook was designed to assist states and districts in conducting a self-guided review of current professional learning policies. The key goal of the review process provided in the new workbook is to identify strengths and gaps of the current professional learning policies, assess the effectiveness of them, and to recommend improvements in them to create and sustain a comprehensive professional learning system that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students.
“The policy review workbook is a valuable tool for state and district leaders,” said Learning Forward executive director Stephanie Hirsh. “In order to develop and promote effective practice of professional learning, we need to establish strong policy, and that is what the workbook aims to help state and district leaders do.”
