Dean Shareski shared the above tweet in October 2021 that sparked robust debate, with educators of all levels sharing opinions on the topic. Learning Forward is keenly interested in Shareski’s question, so we reshared his tweet and posed this question to teachers earlier this year. We received more than 100 responses across Twitter and LinkedIn,…

For those who support teachers, it can feel like there are myriad urgent needs, especially when educators are stretched thin and students are struggling, as many are now. How do you prioritize your support, and where do you start? The effort-to-impact matrix is a simple but valuable tool that can help instructional coaches, teacher teams,…

On March 9, President Biden unveiled his budget request for fiscal year 2024. The major disappointment is that the administration included no increase for Title II-A, the only federal program devoted exclusively to supporting professional learning activities. The administration’s budget signals that Title II-A is not a priority. This does not set us up well…

In support of Public Schools Week 2023, President of Learning Forward Mississippi Betty Wilson-McSwain participated as a panelist in a webinar titled “The Language of Connection to Build Community Relationships.” Facilitating the webinar was Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers. Their exchange highlights the importance of leaning into data and articulating hope…

How are you celebrating Public Schools Week? This week, I will spend time both in reflection and action, grateful for the excellent professional learning I’ve engaged in and eager to spread that kind of meaningful learning to all educators. Public Schools Week inspires me to reflect on my experiences as a student, teacher, and principal…

I still cringe when I remember my first year as a special education teacher at a suburban high school. I met my assigned mentor during the whirlwind week of meetings leading up to the start of school and learned that she was also mentoring two other teachers in addition to having a full teaching schedule…

A new slate of guest columnists is lined up to write for The Learning Professional in 2023. February’s journal will debut pieces by Kathy Perret and Val Brown, who address the issue’s educator retention theme through their unique lenses – Perret’s as a veteran instructional coach, author, and consultant and Brown’s as an adult learning…

Before concluding the 117th Congress, federal lawmakers passed a $1.7 trillion fiscal year 2023 omnibus spending bill, which included significant increases for all major K-12 education programs. Learning Forward is pleased that Title II-A continued on its upward funding trajectory by receiving a $20 million boost in that final bill, but disappointed that the increase…

At Learning Forward, our blog posts tend to feel more like lively conversations with our colleagues, partners, and clients. The blog is a space where Learning Forward staff members and guest authors endeavor to share timely and highly relevant insights for the benefit of our readers to keep them connected to resources and tools that…

On Tuesday, Dec. 20, lawmakers released their highly anticipated $1.7 trillion government funding package for fiscal year 2023. Both chambers must act fast to pass the omnibus to avert a government shutdown on Friday, with the Senate expected to consider the package as early as Wednesday and the House to follow suit quickly thereafter. Significantly…