More than 70 professional learning leaders and Title II grant managers gathered for Learning Forward’s first Title IIA Symposium Feb. 29-March 1 in Arlington, Virginia. Participants represented 13 states and Washington, D.C.

Heather Sauers, Edvance Collective CEO and Title IIA expert, and Machel-Mills Miles, Learning Forward vice president of standards implementation & outreach, facilitated two days of learning to strengthen participants’ understanding of the reach of Title IIA to improve teaching and learning as well as how to align Title IIA compliance with district priorities and the Standards for Professional Learning. They also explored how to evaluate the impact of professional learning programs and leverage evaluation data to advance strategy.

Additional symposium topics included identifying critical components of the comprehensive needs assessment, using a strategic matrix to prioritize program goals, and engaging in improvement cycles.

Attendees reported that the symposium provided valuable learning. One said, “The big picture overview and the clear connection between all topics discussed worked well for helping us gain a deeper understanding of Title II. (The symposium) provided a nice balance between hearing info, having time to collaborate with others, and having time to get our specific questions answered.”

Additional Title IIA symposia are being planned for late spring and throughout 2024-25. Learning Forward also provides ongoing support on Title IIA planning, implementation, and evaluation. For more information, visit services.learningforward.org