CHICAGO, IL. — July 22, 2016 — Learning Forward and the National Commission on Teaching & America’s Future (NCTAF) today announced winners from the 12 finalist teams in its Agents for Learning challenge, a nationwide call to action designed to engage educator teams in advocating for the best use of federal funding for professional learning under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
“At the National Board, we are proud of the work and leadership of National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs). By ensuring that ESSA implementation is led by practicing accomplished teachers, the instructional expertise and experience of educators will be reflected in policy,” said Peggy Brookins, NBCT and President and CEO of the National Board.
The National Board served as a key advisor during the challenge process, working with the challenge’s host organizations, Learning Forward and NCTAF. Seth Gerson, Director of Government Relations at the National Board also worked with the team to help it better understand changes under the law brought about by ESSA, as well as what implementation of the law could mean on the state, district, and school level.
“Of the 56 educators honored with being a finalist, 17 are Board-certified. That is an indicator of the leadership role that Board-certified teachers play in classrooms and communities around the country,” said Brookins.
As states and districts work to develop comprehensive plans to implement ESSA, Learning Forward and NCTAF believe it is critical that teachers’ expertise, experiences, and input are heard. “As one of our finalist teams noted, ‘teachers are an untapped resource to reform professional development,’ and through this challenge we are incorporating the expertise of our nation’s educators into the broader policy conversation,” said Melinda George, president of NCTAF. “The plans submitted by these teachers make it crystal clear that great teaching for all students will only happen when teacher voice is included at every level – school, district, state and national. Including their insight into what works for students, themselves and their colleagues makes the difference in successfully transforming teaching and learning.”
Visit Agents for Learning for more information on the challenge. For additional information or to request interviews or credentials to cover the event in Chicago, please send an email to teacheragencycompetition@learningforward.org.