Elizabeth Foster
Senior Vice President, Research and Strategy
Elizabeth Foster is the senior vice president of research and strategy at Learning Forward. She leads the organization’s research efforts for partnerships, programs, and fundraising. Elizabeth co-wrote the Standards for Professional Learning (2022) with Tracy Crow and now facilitates learning sessions about the standards and develops resources that support their use and implementation. She contributes to the design, facilitation, and evaluation of networks. Prior to Learning Forward, Elizabeth was the vice president of strategic initiatives at the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future (NCTAF) where she led a major research investigation about educator support systems that resulted in a report entitled What Matters Now (2016) and a successful three-year improvement network with Learning Forward. Her published work includes studies on teacher recruitment, preparation, and professional learning, urban teacher shortages, community college teacher preparation, professional learning communities, and the demographics of the education workforce. Elizabeth started out with an operating foundation in New York City that supported public education innovation projects, then worked in middle school special education in Boston and staffed a research project about inclusion with the Harvard RALLY project. Elizabeth enjoys spending time with her two incredible daughters, as well as other family and friends – especially on the beach.
All Articles
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A new network for a changed world
Among the things we’ll remember about the year 2020 are phrases like “You’re still on mute” and “Can I share my screen?” They are emblematic of how educators have been challenged to navigate uncharted waters of remote learning and overnight technological adaptation. To quote another phrase that we’ll remember as […] -
Crisis creates opportunity. Will we seize it?
The Learning Professional recently interviewed Mehta about how the COVID-19 pandemic is changing teaching and learning and how to seize opportunities for improving schools moving forward. Our conversation has been condensed and edited. Q: Since last spring, you have been studying schools’ reactions to the crisis and the implications for […] -
Program inspires students’ civic engagement
It is a longstanding goal of schools to educate individuals to participate in a democratic society. But recent events, including the storming of the U.S. Capitol and disinformation campaigns around the U.S. presidential election, have made it clear that we need to improve the way students understand history, government, and […] -
High-quality mentoring increases teacher effectiveness
The Study: Goldhaber, D., Krieg, J., & Theobald, R. (2018, November).Effective like me? Does having a more productive mentor improve the productivity of mentees? (Working Paper No. 208-1118-1). CALDER. caldercenter.org/sites/default/files/CALDER%20WP%20208-1118-1.pdf Mentoring is a popular strategy for building the capacity of new teachers, as evident in articles throughout this issue. Qualitative […] -
Access, knowledge, and culture limit teachers’ use of research
Educators at all levels are regularly asked to use research to inform their instructional choices and practices. For example, the Standards for Professional Learning advocate for understanding and using research about effective professional learning as a habit of mind and a design approach. However, the process of identifying, selecting, and […] -
Study explores ways to support meaningful inclusion
Learning Forward has hosted a series of webinars focused on teaching and learning during the COVID-19 realities of school building closures and remote classes. Throughout the series, no matter what the topic, participants have asked presenters how they are addressing the needs of students with disabilities and special needs. This […] -
Strength lies in combining curriculum with professional learning
In a recent meta-analysis, researchers Lynch, Hill, Gonzalez, and Pollard found that instructional improvement programs — an approach combining professional learning and curriculum or instructional materials — had a positive impact on student outcomes. The impact was greater than either professional development or introducing new materials alone. Amidst a lot […] -
Researchers offer evidence of lesson study’s benefits
Lesson study is a time-tested approach to professional learning that exemplifies the Standards for Professional Learning: It is ongoing and sustained, embedded in classroom practice, focused on student outcomes, and occurs in professional learning communities. In this approach, teachers collaboratively observe and discuss classroom lessons by analyzing data they collect […] -
Survey sheds light on the state of coaching
Coaching is a popular and promising form of professional learning, with research evidence of its effectiveness for teachers and students (Kraft, Blazar, & Hogan, 2018). Surprisingly little is known, however, about the current landscape of coaching. To close this knowledge gap, Learning Forward recently partnered with Digital Promise to survey […] -
Study pinpoints success factors when teachers learn from peers
California’s Instructional Leadership Corps (ILC), a peer-led, ongoing professional learning initiative operating since 2014, has served more than 32,000 educators in 2,000 schools and 495 districts across California. An additional 30,000 educators participated in ILC-related conferences and presentations, and 38,000 more trained as instructional coaches. ILC is focused on developing […]
