Learning Forward Announces Release of School-Based Professional Learning for Implementing the Common Core

DALLAS—March 6, 2013— Learning Forward announces the release of School-Based Professional Learning for Implementing the Common Core, a set of four web-based professional learning units for school and district leaders.

The units are designed to help school-based leadership teams develop a shared body of knowledge about the procedures, processes, and structures involved in effective learning for educators and to develop the skills needed to facilitate job-embedded, school-based professional learning.

The online tools are supported by MetLife Foundation, and are the latest products released as part of Learning Forward’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 also supported by Sandler Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The units address the following essential topics for improving professional learning: managing change, facilitating learning teams, learning designs, and Standards for Professional Learning.

Each unit includes background readings, protocols to use with learning teams, recommended processes and strategies to accomplish the school’s improvement plan through effective professional learning, and other resources for school-based leadership teams to use to support their efforts to implement effective teaching and learning for full implementation of Common Core State Standards.

The units come at a time when a majority of principals and teachers alike identify the implementation of Common Core standards as “challenging” or “very challenging,” according to the recently released MetLife Survey of the American Teacher: Challenges for School Leadership. The survey also found that 84% of principals say that, to be an effective school leader, it is very important to lead development of strong teaching capacity.

“The units will help guide me and my leadership team as we develop a plan of action to implement professional learning within our school,” said Bryant Gillis, principal at Tichenor Middle School of Erlanger, Ky. “We will begin by using the unit survey to self-assess our needs concerning professional learning.”

“This set of professional learning units is a valuable capacity-building tool for school and district leaders,” said Learning Forward executive director Stephanie Hirsh. “Teachers will need to engage in effective professional learning practices to bring the Common Core standards to life in their classrooms.”