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Learning First Alliance Authors FRONTLINE’s ‘Middle School Moment’ Discussion Guide
09/24/2012

Guide facilitates community screenings of DVD to help audiences understand the national dropout crisis and what they can do to take action

Washington, D.C. – September 24, 2012 – Hundreds of thousands of students drop out of high school each year. To address this extremely concerning issue and to offer a call to action for individuals and communities, the Learning First Alliance (LFA), a partnership of 16 leading education associations with more than 10 million members dedicated to improving student learning in America's public schools, was chosen by FRONTLINE, a production of WGBH, Boston, to author a community screening guide for their segment, Middle School Moment.

The DVD and accompanying guide are part of FRONTLINE’s Dropout Nation community engagement campaign supported by the CPB’s American Graduate: Let’s Make It Happen public media initiative to help local communities across America address the dropout crisis. “The support students receive in middle school greatly impacts their success in – and graduation from – high school,” said Anne O’Brien, deputy director of the Learning First Alliance and author of the guide. “The DVD and guide help to raise awareness of the dropout issue and encourage communities and adults to start a dialogue and take action, all of which are essential to drive student achievement and lower the dropout rate.”

Middle School Moment explores the work of Dr. Robert Balfanz, a leading education researcher at Johns Hopkins University, who has uncovered a series of indicators that he says can predict how likely a student is to drop out of high school and that suggest the make-or-break moment for high school dropouts may actually be in middle school.  Audiences are encouraged to use the DVD and discussion guide to raise community awareness about the national dropout crisis, the dropout issues in their communities and the importance of the middle grades and the vulnerability of students in them. In addition, Middle School Moment is intended to increase community engagement in supporting local schools and youth.

To receive information about hosting a screening and to receive the free DVD and discussion guide, visit FRONTLINE’s Dropout Nation website.

To learn more about efforts to help students graduate, watch FRONTLINE’s latest installment on Dropout Nation, on Tuesday, September, 25, 2012, on PBS.  Check local listings for broadcast time.

Reading the complete release here.

Learning First Alliance Executive Director Shares Reflections as Part of Pearson Foundation’s ‘Five Things I’ve Learned’ Project
07/16/2012

Cheryl S. Williams joins esteemed education leaders in sharing personal and practical reflections on learning, teaching and helping others

Washington, D.C. – July 16, 2012 – Cheryl S. Williams, an education industry veteran and executive director of the Learning First Alliance (LFA), a partnership of 16 leading education associations with more than 10 million members dedicated to improving student learning in America's public schools, recently shared her reflections and insights as part of the Pearson Foundation’s Five Things I’ve Learned media project. Launching with 54 contributors from across education, the project chronicles personal lessons learned from these individuals’ decades of real-world experience and shares proven practice and wisdom about learning, teaching and helping others.

The Five Things I’ve Learned series extends the Pearson Foundation’s mission to share the best practices of the innovators shaping education today. By bringing their individual voices together, the Pearson Foundation hopes to better showcase these leaders and to surface the many hard-won experiences that shape effective policy and practice—both within formal and informal education.

In her contribution, Williams covers various topics including the importance of time versus money, continual learning, asking good questions and more. “Our collective knowledge is enhanced when individually we ask good questions about things we don’t know and share the information we do hold in a way that supports wise decision-making and effective action steps,” said Williams in one of her responses.

Five Things I’ve Learned will add new voices each week to the website, with the goal of extending the dialogue around what works for young people, teachers and the school systems and community organizations that support them. Cheryl S. Williams will be featured on the home page beginning on July 16th.

Reading the complete release here.

National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) Executive Director Named Learning First Alliance Chair
07/02/2012

Gail Connelly brings more than 25 years of leadership in public education to LFA

Washington, D.C. –  July 2, 2012 – The Learning First Alliance (LFA), a partnership of 16 leading education associations with more than 10 million members dedicated to improving student learning in America's public schools, has named Gail Connelly, the National Association of Elementary School Principals’ Executive Director, as the 2012/13 chair of LFA’s Board of Directors. Connelly has served on the NAESP executive team for almost 30 years and has been the organization’s executive director since 2007.

During Connelly’s tenure with NAESP, the association has more than doubled in size to become the largest advocacy organization dedicated solely to serving elementary- and middle-level school leaders in their commitment to all children. Connelly led the development of NAESP’s (1) Vision 2021: Transformations in Leading Learning and Community; (2) The progression of Leading Learning Communities and Leading Early Childhood Learning Communities: What Principals Should Know and Be Able to Do; (3) National Mentor Certification Program; (4) National Distinguished Principals Program; and (5) the National Principals Resource Center.

Beginning as an English teacher, Connelly’s career has encompassed all levels of organizational leadership, development, and management for educational nonprofits, including a U.S. Presidential Advisory Council on Innovations in Education, the American Council on Education, and the Florida Mental Health Association. She has served as a strategic planning, management, and fundraising consultant for several national and state organizations, including the National PTA.

“Gail Connelly embodies so many of the qualities that are of paramount importance to our organization,” said Cheryl Williams, executive director of the Learning First Alliance. “Over the past 30 years she has built invaluable expertise in working with educational leaders, communities, parents and schools toward the common goal of improving our nation’s public education system and guaranteeing every child a quality education. We look forward to Connelly’s leadership on our board.”

Read the complete release here.

The Learning First Alliance Names Jack Jennings as its 2012 Education Visionary Award Winner
05/17/2012

Center on Education Policy Founder Jack Jennings honored as a long-time champion of public education reform

Washington, D.C. –  May 17, 2012 – The Learning First Alliance (LFA), a partnership of 16 national education associations representing more than ten million parents, educators and policymakers dedicated to improving student learning in America's public schools, is honoring Jack Jennings as its 2012 Education Visionary Award winner. Jennings is the founder of the Center on Education Policy, one of the most influential education groups in the United States.

Jennings founded the Center on Education Policy, a national, independent advocate for more effective public schools, in 1995. From 1967 to 1994, he served as subcommittee staff director and then as a general counselor for the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Education and Labor. In these positions, he was involved in nearly every major education debate held at the national level, including the reauthorization of such important legislation as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the Vocational Education Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Higher Education Act, and the National School Lunch Act.

Jennings is currently a member of the National Academy of Education and has served on the board of trustees of many organizations, including the Educational Testing Service, the Title I Independent Review Panel and the Pew Forum on Standards-Based Reform. He has received awards from dozens of organizations for his work in education, and most recently was the recipient of awards for distinguished public service from the American Education Research Association and from Phi Delta Kappa International.

Jennings has written a book on the politics of national education standards, edited four volumes on federal education policy, and writes a blog for the Huffington Post. He holds an A.B. from Loyola University and a J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law, and he is a member of several legal bars, including the U.S. Supreme Court.

Honorees of the Learning First Alliance Education Visionary Award are individuals who exhibit:

  • Exceptional leadership in bringing groups who have a variety of points of view together to work collaboratively
  • Tenacity in focusing on the needs of children from all environmental and economic backgrounds
  • Respect for professional educators and a belief that they too have the best interests of children as the focus of their work
  • A demonstrated belief that public education is the cornerstone of our democratic way of life and should be nurtured for the benefit of every American

“Jack Jennings has spent his career working tirelessly to improve public education and embodies the very essence of this award,” said Cheryl Williams, executive director of the Learning First Alliance. “Through the Center on Education Policy, his influence and reach will have an ongoing impact on our nation’s schools, and pave the way for the next generation of educational leaders to come.”

Read the complete release here.