Learning Forward has been recognized as a Power of Associations Silver Award winner by the American Society of Association Executives for its field-leading advocacy initiative.

The advocacy initiative takes a multi-faceted approach to marshalling bipartisan support for high-quality professional learning for all educators. This includes rallying for full funding of federal Title II-A Supporting Effective Instruction state grants, the $2.19 billion (FY 2024) federal program supporting over 2 million teachers and leaders (2022-23). Ongoing strategies to secure and maintain professional learning funding include mobilizing Learning Forward’s extensive network of members and partners, fostering collaborative partnerships with other educational excellence organizations, and regularly hosting policy forums.

In January 2025, in response to a new presidential administration’s call for structural changes to education program funding and service delivery, Learning Forward rekindled its popular A-Team and is hosting a monthly virtual federal education policy forum that draws hundreds of educators together to hear updates and share ideas for moving forward amid uncertainty.

As the steward of the Standards for Professional Learning, Learning Forward played a key role in authoring the definition of professional learning now embedded in federal statute. States, districts, and education systems nationwide use the definition and the standards to design and facilitate ongoing, job-embedded professional learning to improve teaching practice and student outcomes.

Frederick Brown, president and CEO of Learning Forward, says, “It’s incredibly rewarding to hear from educators about how great professional learning has made a difference in their skills and knowledge, ability to reach students, and, especially, to improve student learning. The heart of our advocacy work is encouraging educators to tell their professional learning stories, because they can capture hearts and change minds around why it’s vital to invest in teachers and leaders.”

Other notable advocacy strategies have included:

• Policymaker of the Year award, with the honored policymaker invited to speak at the Learning Forward Annual Conference
• Capitol Hill briefings featuring state and district education leaders
• Dedicated, action-oriented advocacy website and Action Alert emails that equip educators to reach out to Congress members and other elected officials
• Digital resource hub, Why Professional Learning Matters, with downloadable fact sheets, data graphics and articles from The Learning Professional, Title II-A stories, and a list of supporting research showing effective professional learning can improve teacher practice and student outcomes.

To learn more about Learning Forward’s advocacy work, visit learningforward.org/advocacy. To become part of the A-team, go to tinyurl.com/yxd3jrkr.