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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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 […] -
A window into teaching
In March 2019, Learning Forward’s Stephanie Hirsh interviewed Robert Pianta, who developed the evidence-based MyTeachingPartner 1:1 Video Coaching program (MTP). MTP is one of the few coaching models that meets the evidence requirements of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), based on studies of its effectiveness and efficacy. Rigorous research […] -
We're working to close the gap between research and practice
The importance of making educational decisions based on evidence has never been clearer. Recognizing this, policymakers have emphasized evidence and reporting requirements in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), and we are heartened to see more educators and nonprofit leaders using research and evidence to inform decisions about instructional and […] -
Writing instruction study benefits from teachers' insights
The debate about how to measure and quantify the impact of professional learning on teachers and students is often peppered with statements about how we don’t know what works. In fact, many studies that examine a specific strategy or program, often as a component of a larger professional learning system, […] -
Study examines teachers' perceptions of student achievement data
Conversations about effective professional learning communities often point to a focus on data as a way to get specific about differentiated instruction and maintain a focus on student progress. Policymakers recently have paid quite a bit of attention to the potential of data-driven decision-making to learn more about and potentially […]
