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The Learning First Alliance Names Richard W. Riley as its First Education Visionary Award Winner
05/12/2011

Former U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley heralded as a leader in education reform

Washington, D.C. –  May 12, 2011 – The Learning First Alliance (LFA), a partnership of 17 national education associations representing more than ten million parents, educators and policymakers, has bestowed its first Education Visionary Award on Secretary Richard W. Riley. Secretary Riley served as the U.S. Secretary of Education under President Bill Clinton and is a long-time champion of public education reform.

The Learning First Alliance is honoring Secretary Riley for his work in public service and for his leadership which has benefitted all the constituencies LFA organizations serve. .  While serving as governor of South Carolina he raised important funding and support for education through the Education Improvement Act, which has been called the “most comprehensive educational reform measure in the United States” by the RAND Corporation.  He also served two terms as the U.S. Secretary of Education and made it a priority to raise academic standards, improve teaching and increase education grants to help disadvantaged children attend college and reach success beyond the classroom.  In 2008, Time Magazine named Riley as one of the “Top 10 Best Cabinet Members” of the 20th century.  

Today, he has three colleges named after him, the Richard W. Riley College of Education at Winthrop University, the Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership at Walden University and the Richard W. Riley Institute at Furman University, where he serves as a Distinguished Professor of Government, Politics, and Public Leadership. He is also a Distinguished Professor of Education at the University of South Carolina.

Honorees of the 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
  • Flexibility in engaging the corporate community as partners in public education improvement
  • 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

“Secretary Riley embodies so many of the principles that the Learning First Alliance stands for,” said Cheryl Williams, executive director of the Learning First Alliance. “It is our hope that the Education Visionary Award will identify our nation’s most influential educational leaders, help to promote effective models of leadership in support of public schools and pave the way for the future leaders to come.”

About the Learning First Alliance:

The Learning First Alliance is a partnership of 17 leading education associations with more than 10 million members dedicated to improving student learning in America's public schools. Alliance members include: the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, American Association of School Administrators, American Association of School Personnel Administrators, American Federation of Teachers, American School Counselor Association, Association of School Business Officials International, International Society for Technology in Education, Learning Forward (formerly National Staff Development Council), National Association of Elementary School Principals, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Association of State Boards of Education, National Education Association, National Middle School Association, National School Public Relations Association, National PTA, National School Boards Association and Phi Delta Kappa International. The Alliance maintains www.learningfirst.org, a website that features what’s working in public schools and districts across the country.

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Joins Learning First Alliance to Drive Awareness of Technology’s Contribution to Innovation in Schools
02/28/2011

Washington, D.C. – March 1, 2011 – Learning First Alliance (LFA), a partnership of 17 national education associations representing more than ten million parents, educators and policymakers, welcomes the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE®) as its first education technology association member.  ISTE will add perspective on technology’s contribution to education innovation in the broader school reform message of the alliance.

“We welcome ISTE to membership in the Learning First Alliance, and look forward to their experience in advocacy for appropriate technology to strengthen schools adding to the knowledge base and innovative outreach of our alliance members,” said Cheryl Williams, Executive Director, Learning First Alliance.

The Learning First Alliance is dedicated to improving student learning in America's public schools and does so by sharing examples of success, encouraging collaboration at every level, and working toward the continual and long-term improvement of public education based on solid research.

“Our membership in the Learning First Alliance allows us to bring a technology message to the broader education reform conversation,” said Don Knezek, CEO of ISTE.  “We stand strongly behind the Alliance’s mission and look forward to helping everyone in the U.S. understand the important role technology plays in learning and in students’ lives.”

About ISTE

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) is the premier membership association for educators and education leaders engaged in improving learning and teaching by advancing the effective use of technology in PK-12 and teacher education.

ISTE represents more than 100,000 education leaders and emerging leaders throughout the world and informs its members regarding educational issues of national and global scope.  

About the Learning First Alliance:

The Learning First Alliance is a partnership of 17 leading education associations with more than 10 million members dedicated to improving student learning in America's public schools. Alliance members include: the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, American Association of School Administrators, American Association of School Personnel Administrators, American Federation of Teachers, American School Counselor Association, Association of School Business Officials International, Learning Forward (formerly National Staff Development Council), National Association of Elementary School Principals, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Association of State Boards of Education, National Education Association, National Middle School Association, National School Public Relations Association, National PTA, National School Boards Association and Phi Delta Kappa International. The Alliance maintains www.learningfirst.org, a website that features what’s working in public schools and districts across the country.

Education Leader Cheryl Williams Named Executive Director of the Learning First Alliance
11/30/2010

WASHINGTON – Cheryl Williams, an education industry leader with more than 30 years of experience including executive roles at associations, non-profits and commercial companies, has joined the Learning First Alliance as Executive Director. The Learning First Alliance, a partnership of 16 national education associations representing more than ten million parents, educators and policymakers, will benefit from Williams’ broad knowledge of federal, state and local education initiatives, as well as her expertise in technology implementation for school districts.

“Williams was selected for this role because of the diverse and successful leadership qualities she has demonstrated throughout her career,” said Richard Bagin, executive director of the National School Public Relations Association and chair of the Learning First Alliance (LFA). “Her experience at the local education level, combined with her work with national associations and corporate outreach programs, are an enormous asset to LFA. And, her expertise in education technology will bring a new component to the LFA leadership team,” Bagin noted.

Williams began her professional life as a secondary English teacher and adult education instructor and her career has included leadership roles with the American Association of University Women, the National School Boards Association, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Teachscape, Inc. She has also held roles in the National Coalition for Technology in Education and Training (currently serving on the Board of Directors), the International Society for Technology in Education, the Consortium for School Networking and the American Society for Association Executives, among others.

“The Learning First Alliance is in the unique position to focus leadership at both the national and state level on the issues affecting schools today and to provide them with models for improvement,” said Williams. “I feel my experience with education nonprofits and corporations will help the Alliance broaden its mission to provide effective leadership for school change.”

Major Education Associations Call for Rigorous and Fair School Accountability Systems

07/29/2010

WASHINGTON – Today, the Learning First Alliance, a partnership of 16 national education associations representing over ten million parents, educators and policymakers, released the following statement:

The Learning First Alliance supports the goal of rigorous and fair accountability systems for schools and districts. These accountability systems should accurately measure student and school performance and support continuous improvement of schools. Therefore, we recommend that the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act promote improved accountability systems that:

  • Include measures of student growth.
  • Require the use of multiple sources of evidence of student achievement (such as writing samples, portfolios and capstone projects) and school performance that more fully determine student and school progress than do standardized assessments alone.
  • Reward progress and provide intensive support to struggling schools rather than automatically and systematically punishing shortcomings.
  • Promote interventions that are based on the best available research or evidence, including locally designed interventions that are research based.
  • Distinguish between school performance categories. The most comprehensive interventions should be directed to the schools most in need of improvement. More targeted interventions should be available for the lowest performing students or subgroups in a school or district. These interventions should be positive supports developed locally and based on the specific improvement needs and capacity of the school and community in question.
  • Focus on building capacity for immediate and sustained improvement.
  • Target interventions to the precise problems of a particular school, barring sanctions that apply all-or-nothing measures such as the arbitrary replacement or reassignment of staff and forced alternative governance, unless a review of specific improvement needs warrants such steps and local capacity supports them.
  • Acknowledge shared accountability for student success. Teachers, administrators, other school and district staff, parents, policy makers, community members, lawmakers, states and the federal government all share responsibility for ensuring that all children have excellent, equitable educational opportunities.