Alliance For Excellent Education

Guests Dana Castine, Director for Math, Science, and Technology, Florida Union Free School District (NY) (@DanaCastine) Adam Phyall, Director of Technology and Media Services, Newton County School System (GA) (@AskAdam3) Thomas C. Murray, Director of Innovation for Future Ready SchoolsⓇ, Alliance for Excellent Education (moderator) (@thomascmurray) Seemingly overnight, the COVID-19 global pandemic forced schools to adapt to the reality of teaching remotely. The stay-at-home orders from governors turned students’ homes into their classrooms, amplifying preexisting equity issues while scaling additional privacy concerns. At the height of the pandemic, educational technology companies began rapidly launching free services to support teaching and learning, while simultaneously raising additional privacy questions and concerns about access to student information. With remote learning being a critical component to the majority of return-to-school plans in the fall, it’s imperative that school districts have detailed plans and provide the proper training to support educators to start the coming school year. Regardless of the details of each district’s plan, remote learning must be conducted in a manner that respects students’ personal information and complies with the many privacy and data security laws and regulations that impact how education technology should be utilized in the teaching and learning process, both while at school and while at home. In this video, guests shared ways in which their technology departments are preparing for remote learning this fall; recommendations for ways to keep cybersecurity a priority as part of the remote learning plan; tools and resources to support districts in this area; and training staff on district policies and procedures.

Guests Martha Bongiorno, President-Elect of the Georgia Library Media Association and Middle School Library Media Specialist, Fulton County Schools (GA) Liz Wiemann-Doll, 4-8th Grade Teacher Librarian, Pen Argyl Area School District (PA) Kim Habruner Borden, Elementary Librarian, Plainfield Elementary School, Pen Argyl (PA) Shannon McClintock Miller, Future Ready Librarian Spokesperson, K–12 District Teacher Librarian, Van Meter Community School (IA)(@shannonmmiller) Mary Manee – K-6 Library Clerk Woodrow Wilson Elementary, Corona Norco Unified School District (CA)  Returning to school this fall is guaranteed to look very different and in many districts and schools, the plans are yet to be determined. Future Ready Librarians are leading beyond the library and collaborating working with schools and district leaders to support school and district’s vision and strategic plan for digital learning and fosters a culture of collaboration and innovation to empower teachers and learners. Future Ready Librarians are creating plans that support learning on campus and online. These plans are grounded in the Future Ready Librarians framework and support personalized student centered learning. The guests discussed and shared: Return to learn plans and reopening guidelines being created and shared by state and local organizations The return to learning plans being created by librarians and schools How the plans were created and who was involved How the return to learn plans will be shared with the school community and beyond Next steps and how you can lead from the library in the reopening guidelines and return to learn plans for your district too!

Guests Anthony Jackson, EdD, Superintendent, Vance County Schools (NC) (@VanceCoSchools) Michael Abensour, Executive Director, Kramden Institute (@Kramden) Avril Smart Goggans, PhD, Research and Engagement Manager for Future Ready Schools®, Alliance for Excellent Education (moderator) (@DrAvrilSmart) Strong family-school-community partnerships are critical when transitioning to student-centered learning. The relationship between the school and the community can strengthen, support, and transform the learning process for students. Through the Future Ready Schools® (FRS) framework, specifically the community partnerships gear, schools and districts are encouraged to create formal and informal connections with families, local businesses, and organizations to advance the development of their student-centered learning initiative. It is important for schools to embrace their role as a pivotal component of the community and develop a shared vision with all stakeholders, including partners that operate outside of the school walls. During this time when student learning is remote, these relationships are even more important as students often do not have the same resources at home as they do when in school. Now is the time to revive community partnerships to play a more active role in the education of students. In this webinar, our guests Dr. Anthony Jackson and Michael Abensour shared two perspectives on creating and participating in school-to-community partnerships for student-centered learning, specifically as they relate to providing greater access to learning resources. From developing interest to sustaining relationships, these leaders described what it takes to generate buy-in from educators and the community to work toward a mutual goal. Our guests discussed the following topics: the importance of school-to-community partnerships; the role of community organizations in addressing digital equity; integrated student services and learning environments outside of school; generating buy-in among local nonprofit organizations and businesses; and creating sustainable relationships with families and communities. This webinar was a great opportunity to learn from the expertise of leaders who successfully navigate their roles to support partnerships with schools and families. Please direct questions concerning the webinar to ldossin@all4ed.org. If you are unable to watch the webinar live, please register to receive the video archive directly in your inbox. Future Ready Schools® is a project of the Alliance for Excellent Education (All4Ed), a Washington, DC–based national policy, practice, and advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring that all students, particularly those underperforming and those historically underserved, graduate from high school ready for success in college, work, and citizenship. all4ed.org Follow FRS on Twitter (twitter.com/FutureReady) and Facebook (facebook.com/futurereadyschools) or visit our website at futureready.org.

Guests Traci Chun, Teacher Librarian, Vancouver Public Schools (WA) (@TraciChun) Jeremy Tortora, Associate Principal and Athletic Director, Vancouver Public Schools (WA) (@MrTortoraVPS) Mark Ray, Future Ready Librarians® Lead (@_TeacherX) Deron Durflinger, Superintendent, Van Meter Community School District (IA) (@DeronDurflinger) Shannon McClintock Miller, Future Ready Librarians® Spokesperson and K–12 District Teacher Librarian, Van Meter Community School District (IA) (@shannonmmiller) Future Ready Librarians® lead beyond the library, collaborating not only with teacher colleagues, but with building and district leaders to prepare future ready learners. Creating exciting and dynamic opportunities for future ready learners requires shared leadership among librarians, instructional coaches, principals, technology leaders, and district administrators. During this unprecedented time when students are learning from home, one of the most important partnerships is the one between librarians and administrators. During this webinar, our guests with explain how librarians and administrators can work together to benefit students and teachers and ensure continuity of learning. Our guests will discuss current and future needs of students and schools during the pandemic; opportunities for new or sustained collaboration between librarians and administrators; stories and examples of partnership and collaboration; and strategies for effectively engaging and partnering with teachers and administrators. Collaborative leadership is the key to success. Please direct questions concerning the webinar to ldossin@all4ed.org. If you are unable to watch the webinar live, please register to receive the video archive directly in your inbox. Future Ready Schools® (FRS) is a project of the Alliance for Excellent Education (All4Ed), a Washington, DC–based national policy, practice, and advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring that all students, particularly those underperforming and those historically underserved, graduate from high school ready for success in college, work, and citizenship. all4ed.org Follow FRS on Twitter (twitter.com/FutureReady) and Facebook (facebook.com/futurereadyschools) or visit our website at futureready.org. Follow Future Ready Librarians® on Facebook (facebook.com/groups/futurereadylibrarians) and Twitter (#FutureReadyLibs).

Guests Doug Henderson, Director of STEAM and Career and Technical Education, Val Verde Unified School District (CA) (@dhenderson_sci) Michael McCormick, Superintendent, Val Verde Unified School District (CA) Tom Murray, Director of Innovation for Future Ready Schools®, Alliance for Excellent Education (moderator) (@thomascmurray) Future Ready SchoolsⓇ (FRS) believes that every child, no matter the child’s zip code or family income, can graduate from high school and deserves access to a clear pathway to postsecondary success and robust learning experiences that prepare students for an increasingly technology-driven workforce and world. Districts around the country are doing this by creating innovative career and technical education (CTE) opportunities to provide students with technical skills, academic skills, and employability skills. According to SkillUSA, CTE is important for all students “regardless of whether students are headed for college or the workforce. [T]his type of education will help them prepare for the future. In fact, college-bound students can get job experiences to help them define their career plans, identify an appropriate course of study, and help pay for tuition.” In this webinar, Superintendent Michael McCormick and Doug Henderson, director of STEAM and CTE, shared how Val Verde Unified School District (VVUSD) in California “provid[ed] students with a comprehensive education that includes critical thinking and problem-solving skills to prepare them with technical, academic, and employability skills for success in the workplace and in postsecondary education.” VVUSD’s students choose an interest-based CTE pathway. Panelists provided an overview of why and how they developed the CTE program; showed how labor market information drives CTE pathways; shared the VVUSD CTE pathways; discussed program successes and the importance of industry-recognized certifications; shared how all of the district’s CTE courses satisfy California’s A–G requirements for admission to the University of California and California State University systems; discussed strategies for increasing the number of CTE teachers and the role of student choice in pathway selection; and explained how the district expanded its CTE pathways across grades K–12. This webinar is made possible with the support from Konica Minolta | All Covered. Learn more about the unique opportunities available for district partnerships. Please direct questions concerning the webinar to ldossin@all4ed.org. If you are unable to watch the webinar live, please register to receive the video archive directly to your inbox. Future Ready Schools® is a project of the Alliance for Excellent Education (All4Ed), a Washington, DC–based national policy, practice, and advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring that all students, particularly those underperforming and those historically underserved, graduate from high school ready for success in college, work, and citizenship. all4ed.org Follow FRS on Twitter (twitter.com/FutureReady) and Facebook (facebook.com/futurereadyschools) or visit our website at futureready.org.

Guests: Jeremy Wood, Senior Network Engineer, Newburgh Enlarged City School District, NY Kyle Pace, Director of Technology, Grain Valley Public Schools, MO Eujon Anderson, Technology Director, Troy City Schools, AB Amy Storer, Instructional Coach, Montgomery ISD, TX Moderator: Brianna Hodges, Future Ready Instructional Coaches Advisor, Future Ready Schools®, @bhodgesEDU Now more than ever instructional coaches and tech leaders are collaborating to provide leadership and support to teachers and students learning from home. These Future Ready leaders share a belief all students deserve equitable access to high quality digital resources, and innovative learning environments. Working together, they are able to collaborate, assess, rethink, and redesign traditional learning to support remote learning. In this webinar, our guests will share their stories on how their collaborative partnerships are supporting teachers, students and the community through these unprecedented times. They will share successes and challenges as they quickly shifted instruction from a traditional school building to home. Also, they will discuss how they are planning for the start of the new school year with the possibilities of continued social distancing requirements. Panelists will share: Detail how their districts redesigned traditional learning to support remote learning, literally overnight. Discuss how collaborative efforts help to support students, teachers and the community. Describe challenges experienced during remote learning. Share successes of remote learning. Reimagine the future of a traditional school experience. Please direct questions concerning the webinar to ldossin@all4ed.org. If you are unable to watch the webinar live, please register to receive the video archive directly in your inbox. Future Ready Schools® is a project of the Alliance for Excellent Education (All4Ed), a Washington, DC–based national policy, practice, and advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring that all students, particularly those underperforming and those historically underserved, graduate from high school ready for success in college, work, and citizenship. all4ed.org Follow FRS on Twitter (twitter.com/FutureReady) and Facebook (facebook.com/futurereadyschools) or visit our website at futureready.org.

Guests Leslie DiChiara, Assistive Technology Specialist, Instructional Technology Specialist, North Bellmore School District (NY) (@lrdichiara) Sharon Plante, Chief Technology Integrator, The Southport School (CT) (@iplante) Ace Parsi, Director of Innovation, National Center for Learning Disabilities (@ncldorg) Avril Smart Goggans, PhD, Research and Engagement Manager for Future Ready Schools®, Alliance for Excellent Education (@DrAvrilSmart) Future Ready Schools® (FRS) stands firm in the belief that all students deserve access to learning environments that support personalized learner-centered strategies that meet the diverse needs of various learning styles and learning differences. Students with learning differences often have unique challenges to learning and need the support of personalized learning solutions; however, some educators do not have the capacity to meet those needs. In this webinar, our guests Sharon Plante and Leslie DiChiara shared how they work with teachers and students across curriculum areas and classrooms to prioritize the learning needs of  students with disabilities. From coaching, mentoring, and coteaching to using adaptive technology hardware and software, educators can personalize learning for their students. Also, joining us was Ace Parsi, a spokesperson for the National Center for Learning Disabilities,who shared how advocacy and research can improve outcomes for people with learning and attention issues and other disabilities. Mr. Parsi offered his perspective about how to shape local and national policy to reduce barriers and ensure opportunity and access for all students. Our guests explored the following questions: How can educators enhance what they already do to support students with learning disabilities? What new adaptive technology can they incorporate into their current work? What challenges can students with disabilities experience in these environments and how can schools proactively address these challenges? What are some strategies to coach and mentor content-area teachers for supporting students with disabilities? How do content teachers and special education teachers work together to create and implement lessons that support the universal design learning principles? What federal policies should educators keep in mind when they want to increase their knowledge on the rights of students with disabilities? During this time of national crisis, what should educators do to ensure they apply the latest and greatest strategies to support students? This  webinar was a great opportunity to have one of the most important conversations about remote learning for students with learning disabilities. This webinar is made possible with the support from Konica Minolta | All Covered. Learn more about the unique opportunities they offer for district partnerships. Please direct questions concerning the webinar to ldossin@all4ed.org. If you are unable to watch the webinar live, please register to receive the video archive directly in your inbox. Future Ready Schools® is a project of the Alliance for Excellent Education (All4Ed), a Washington, DC–based national policy, practice, and advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring that all students, particularly those underperforming and those historically underserved, graduate from high school ready for success in college, work, and citizenship. all4ed.org Follow FRS on Twitter (twitter.com/FutureReady) and Facebook (facebook.com/futurereadyschools) or visit our website at futureready.org.

Guests Michael Coats, Systems Infrastructure Manager and Cloud Solutions Architect, Southwest MiTech Dr. Travis Paakki, Senior Director, Portland Public Schools (OR) Thomas C. Murray, Director of Innovation for Future Ready Schools®, Alliance for Excellent Education (@thomascmurray) School and district leaders often are asked to do more with less, particularly when it comes to technology and classroom modernization. Leaders must ensure that every dollar spent on technology and innovation improves accessibility and operations, enriches learning, and prepares students to join the future workforce. Fortunately, districts and schools can leverage transformative cloud technologies that maximize security, lower costs, and help measure student outcomes. However, the cloud journey requires strategic vision, an ongoing cycle of review, and a hardware replacement plan that ensures both short- and long-term sustainability while simplifying the needed infrastructure. In this webinar, Michael Coats from Southwest MiTech, and Dr. Travis Paakki from Portland (OR) Public Schools shared how they leveraged cloud technology to create sustainable digital learning environments with measurable successes, maximized security, and lowered costs. Our guests shared their strategic thinking, process, and vision; their unique plans for long-term growth and sustainability; how they manage their respective organizations’ transformation; and lessons learned from implementation. This webinar is made possible with support from Amazon Web Services (AWS).

Building Strong Partnership to Support Future Ready Schools Guests Jerry Almendarez, Superintendent, Santa Ana School District (CA), @JerryAlmendarez Chip Slaven, Chief Advocacy Officer, National School Boards Association @NSBAPublicEd Mary Ann Wolf, Ph.D., Sr. Director of the Professional Learning and Leading Collaborative,The Friday Institute at NC State University @maryannwolfed, @FridayInstitute Moderator Thomas C. Murray, Director of Innovation, Future Ready Schools®, Alliance for Excellent Education @thomascmurray On March 31st, 2020, Future Ready Schools? (FRS) held a webinar providing an overview of our latest leadership strand, Future Ready School Boards. FRS School Boards will provide a suite of tools and free resources to help school board members connect with their communities, support a culture of innovation within their schools, and promote a vision for teaching and learning that is student-centered, forward thinking, and designed to meet the vast needs of today’s learners. In this webinar, Superintendent Jerry Almendarez and school board member Mary Ann Wolf, Ph.D. described the FRS School Boards framework, which will help school board members forge a visionary and systemic path to support long-term academic, financial, pedagogical, and political sustainability. Included in the framework are eight “gears” focused on personalized instruction for students; ongoing and job-embedded professional learning; robust infrastructure; strategic fiscal planning; community partnerships; the use of data to transform instruction and support students; support for anywhere, anytime learning; and collaborative leadership. This framework affirms the belief that all students, regardless of where they live, should have access to opportunities that maximize their unique gifts and abilities. Panelists will discuss four elements of the framework: Collaborative Leadership: The importance of collaborating with district administrators to plan, implement, measure, reflect, and refine systems and structures to sustain high-quality teaching and learning. Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment: How curriculum, aligned to state standards, can ensure deeper learning outcomes connected to real-world applications and prepare learners for future success. Community Partnerships: The importance of collaborating and engaging community members, including students, parents, businesses, organizations, and taxpayers without children in schools. Data and Privacy: How the adoption of clear policies and support practices on the use of student data will ensure high levels of data privacy and security that adhere to state and federal laws. This webinar is made possible with support from Konica Minolta | All Covered. Learn more about the unique opportunities Konica Minolta offers for district partnerships. Please direct questions concerning the webinar to ldossin@all4ed.org. If you are unable to watch the webinar live, please register to receive the video archive directly in your inbox. Future Ready Schools® is a project of the Alliance for Excellent Education (All4Ed), a Washington, DC–based national policy, practice, and advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring that all students, particularly those underperforming and those historically underserved, graduate from high school ready for success in college, work, and citizenship. all4ed.org Follow FRS on Twitter (twitter.com/FutureReady) and Facebook (facebook.com/futurereadyschools) or visit our website at futureready.org.

Hearts and Minds: Building Capacity Around Social and Emotional Learning Panelists Mary Ann Wolf, Ph.D., Sr. Director of the Professional Learning and Leading Collaborative, The Friday Institute at NC State University Roxann Sykes, Principal, Dillard Drive Elementary (NC) Karen Falato, Special Educator, Bristol Township (PA) Moderator Avril Smart Goggans, Ph.D., Research and Engagement Manager, Future Ready Schools While some argue we have been educating the “whole child” for generations, recent research demonstrates that we have overlooked students’ Social and Emotional Learning skills (SEL), a key aspect of the foundation for academic learning. In practice, this means that educators are not forced to “choose” between SEL and academic instruction — time spent building students’ social and emotional skills is time spent building capacity for their academic and lifelong success. SEL also has demonstrated impact on several indicators of academic success. For example, research shows that students with SEL training “scored 13 points higher academically than their peers 3.5 years later, had 6 percent better high school graduation rates, and could even reap lifelong monetary benefits for their healthy adult lifestyle.” In this webinar, four leaders and practitioners who are actively working to support the growth and development of SEL skills in schools discussed experiencing and applying research-based ideas and strategies to support SEL in their respective educational contexts.  The panelists were excited to share their insights and experiences. In this webinar, our guests discussed: The connection between SEL and student achievement Building classroom and school capacity for SEL The connection between SEL and equity Professional learning opportunities to support SEL in schools Please direct questions concerning the webinar to ldossin@all4ed.org. If you are unable to watch the webinar live, please register to receive the video archive directly in your inbox. Future Ready Schools® is a project of the Alliance for Excellent Education (All4Ed), a Washington, DC–based national policy, practice, and advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring that all students, particularly those underperforming and those traditionally underserved, graduate from high school ready for success in college, work, and citizenship.  www.FutureReady.orgFollow FRS on Twitter (twitter.com/FutureReady); Facebook (facebook.com/futurereadyschools); Future Ready Librarians Facebook group (facebook.com/groups/futurereadylibrarians); and #FutureReadyLibs on Twitter. If you are interested in renting the Alliance’s facilities for your next meeting or webinar, please visit our facilities page to learn more.

The National Urban League and the Alliance for Excellent Education Invite You to a Webinar on Implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act Standards of Equity and Excellence: School Improvement Under ESSA Presenters: Susie Feliz, Vice President for Policy and Legislative Affairs, National Urban League Phillip Lovell, Vice President for Policy and Government Relations, Alliance for Excellent Education Robert Balfanz, Director, Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University Continuing the discussion on how ESSA implementation is working – and not working – for historically underserved students, the National Urban League and the Alliance for Excellent Education are hosting a webinar to discuss progress on school improvement. ESSA requires states to identify schools with low-performing subgroups of students for support and improvement.  Only those schools that meet each state’s definitions for targeted and comprehensive support under ESSA are eligible to receive federal school improvement resources.  Susie Feliz will share the National Urban League’s findings from their report, Standards of Equity & Excellence: A Lens on ESSA State Plans, which evaluates state plans on whether they are meeting the law’s school identification requirements.  All states have now identified at least one cohort of schools, so the impact of state policy choices on which schools – and therefore students – will receive extra support is becoming clear.  Phillip Lovell will share new analysis on school identification in ten states. We are also beginning to see how school improvement strategies are working for identified schools.  Dr. Robert Balfanz manages a network of states collaborating on transforming low-performing high schools.  Bob will share lessons his member states are learning about essential elements of successful school turnaround. Please direct questions concerning the webinar to jowens@nul.org. If you are unable to watch the webinar live, an archived version will be available at http://www.all4ed.org/webinars 1–2 business days after the event airs. The Alliance for Excellent Education (All4Ed) is a Washington, DC-based national policy, practice, and advocacy organization committed to improving educational outcomes—and lives—of students, with a focus on those in middle and high school. We embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion and specifically advocate on behalf of all students who are historically underserved or marginalized. all4ed.org Follow All4Ed on Twitter (twitter.com/all4ed); Facebook (facebook.com/all4ed); and “High School Soup” blog (all4ed.org/blog). If you are interested in renting the Alliance’s facilities for your next meeting or webinar, please visit our facilities page to learn more.

Building a Stronger Future for Evidence-Based Improvement in ESSA Implementation Panelists Maria Ferguson, Executive Director, Center on Education Policy Anne Hyslop, Assistant Director, Policy Development and Government Relations, Alliance for Excellent Education Seng-Dao Yang Keo, Director, Office of Student and School Supports, Nevada Department of Education Candice McQueen, Chief Executive Officer, National Institute for Excellence in Teaching Diane Stark Rentner, Deputy Director, Center on Education Policy On January 28, 2020, The Center on Education Policy (CEP) at The George Washington University and the Alliance for Excellent Education held a webinar to better understand CEP’s implementation research on the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).  This webinar included CEP’s latest report A Stronger Future for Evidence-Based School Improvement in ESSA.  It focused on the challenges and opportunities for states and districts as they implement evidence-based interventions to support low-performing schools under ESSA. Unlike the policies that preceded it, ESSA does not require identified schools to adopt a particular set of strategies to improve. But it does require that the interventions schools choose be backed by evidence of their effectiveness. While this is a more flexible approach, the new requirement to rely on evidence-based strategies has created its own set of implementation issues. This webinar discussed how states, districts, external partners and vendors, researchers, and education advocates have responded to ESSA’s evidence requirements and the systems, capacity, supports, and other resources districts need to find, develop, and implement evidence-based approaches. Please direct questions concerning the webinar to alliance@all4ed.org. If you are unable to watch the webinar live, an archived version will be available at all4ed.org/webinars. The Center on Education Policy is a national, independent source for research and information about public education. The Center helps Americans better understand the role of public education in a democracy and the need to improve the academic quality of public schools. cep-dc.org/ The Alliance for Excellent Education (All4Ed) is a Washington, DC-based national policy, practice, and advocacy organization committed to improving educational outcomes—and lives—of students, with a focus on those in middle and high school. We embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion and specifically advocate on behalf of all students who are historically underserved or marginalized. all4ed.org Follow All4Ed on Twitter (twitter.com/all4ed); Facebook (facebook.com/all4ed); and “High School Soup” blog (all4ed.org/blog). If you are interested in renting the Alliance’s facilities for your next meeting or webinar, please visit our facilities page to learn more.

Innovation Includes Sustainability  Panelists Julie Mitchell, Superintendent, Rowland Unified School District (CA), @_JulieMitchell_ Marlon Styles, Superintendent, Middletown City School District (OH), @MCSDSuper Thomas C. Murray, Director of Innovation for Future Ready Schools®, Alliance for Excellent Education, @thomascmurray (moderator) On January 23, 2020, Future Ready Schools® held a webinar exploring the idea that innovation must include sustainability.  Each year, districts across the country embark on new initiatives, or look to broaden existing ones, often purchasing curricular materials, technologies, or equipment in the process. As school and district leadership teams work diligently to seek innovative new practices, some initiatives thrive long-term, while others flame out almost as quickly as they began.  Future Ready Superintendents Julie Mitchell and Marlon Styles both understand that sustaining innovative practices means districts must put a vision in place, incorporate professional learning, involve the local community, and ensure that the financial components add up. It’s not simply about dollars and cents.   In this webinar, our panelists discussed evaluating the total costs of new initiatives;  looking past costs and including aspects such as professional learning and staffing needs;  including the community’s voice as a core component of the vision of sustainability;  evaluating the performance and effectiveness of the initiative; and  replicating lessons learned.  Future Ready Schools® would like to thank Allovue, one of our Future Ready partners, for sponsoring this webinar.  Please direct questions concerning the webinar to ldossin@all4ed.org. If you are unable to watch the webinar live, please register to receive the video archive directly in your inbox.  Future Ready Schools® is a project of the Alliance for Excellent Education (All4Ed), a Washington, DC–based national policy, practice, and advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring that all students, particularly those underperforming and those traditionally underserved, graduate from high school ready for success in college, work, and citizenship.  www.FutureReady.org Follow FRS on Twitter (twitter.com/FutureReady); Facebook (facebook.com/futurereadyschools); and the FRS Leadership Hub (futureready.org/hub). If you are interested in renting the Alliance’s facilities for your next meeting or webinar, please visit our facilities page to learn more.

Personal & Authentic: Designing Learning Experiences that Impact a Lifetime Panelists Thomas C. Murray, Director of Innovation, Future Ready Schools®, Alliance for Excellent Education Deb Delisle, President, Alliance for Excellent Education “What will happen today that has your kids running back tomorrow?” That’s just one of the thought-provoking questions best-selling author Thomas C. Murray asks in his latest book, Personal & Authentic: Designing Learning Experiences that Impact a Lifetime. Just in time for the holidays, Personal & Authentic is the perfect holiday gift for the educator in your lives. In the book, Murray reveals how recent work in the learning sciences has helped paint a detailed picture of what kids need to thrive. Grounded in relationships and built upon a culture for learning, personal and authentic experiences respect the hidden stories within each child and are learner-centered by design. These experiences are filled with moments of awe and the learning is inherently relevant and contextualized. Appropriate levels of flexibility in pace and path are granted so that agency can develop while authentic feedback ensures fidelity in the learning process. To support the personal and authentic experience, spaces and tools are leveraged in evidence-based, meaningful ways. On January 16, 2020 Tom and All4Ed President Deb Delisle held this webinar to discus how educators have the power to leave a legacy by: making students’ learning experiences personal and authentic; ensuring that the culture around you is personal and authentic; developing and nurturing personal and authentic relationships; and being personal and authentic. The work is hard, but our kids are worth it! Please note: Registrants who cannot watch the webinar live will receive the archived video after the webinar airs. Please direct questions concerning the webinar to jamos@all4ed.org. The Alliance for Excellent Education (All4Ed) is a Washington, DC-based national policy, practice, and advocacy organization committed to improving educational outcomes—and lives—of students, with a focus on those in middle and high school. We embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion and specifically advocate on behalf of all students who are historically underserved or marginalized. all4ed.org If you are interested in renting the Alliance’s facilities for your next meeting or webinar, please visit our facilities page to learn more.

Dismantling the School-to-Prison Pipeline Panelists Tiffany Miller, Chief of Staff and Vice President of Policy, Communities in Schools Lucrieta Murphy, J.D., Ph.D., Senior Director, Jobs for the Future Jamal Tate, Managing Partner, Inspirational Insights Consulting Group and Formerly Incarcerated Student Robyn Harper, Policy and Research Associate, Alliance for Excellent Education (Moderator) It’s been sixty-five years since Brown vs. Board of Education, yet too many young people of color are still moving from behind a desk to behind bars. On any given day in the United States, nearly 50,000 young people are held in juvenile justice facilities. In 2015, 69 percent of the young people incarcerated were youth of color, and 73 percent were held for non-violent offenses. As a part of the Alliance for Excellent Education’s ongoing #OurHopeOurChallenge campaign to focus on the continuing needs of students—no matter their race, zip code, or background—sixty-five years after Brown, this webinar examined the role of educators and community leaders in preventing students from entering the school-to-prison pipeline. Our expert panel of education and community leaders discussed how influences both in and out of school contribute to students being put on a trajectory to incarceration, as well as the policies and practices that can steer students back toward success, whether in schools, juvenile justice education facilities, or re-integration programs. Robyn’s Presentation Tiffany’s Presentation The Alliance for Excellent Education is a Washington, DC–based national policy and advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring that all students, particularly those historically underserved, graduate from high school ready for success in college, work, and citizenship. http://www.all4ed.org Follow the Alliance on Twitter (www.twitter.com/all4ed); Facebook (www.facebook.com/all4ed); and the Alliance’s “High School Soup” blog (www.all4ed.org/blog). If you are interested in renting the Alliance’s facilities for your next meeting or webinar, please visit our facilities page to learn more.

 Adolescent Risk Taking, Rewards, and Relationships Panelists Shannon Anderson, Family & School Partnership Specialist, Fairfax County Public Schools, Virginia Adriana Galván, Professor of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles Anthony Terrell, Principal, Mount Vernon High School, Alexandria, Virginia Winsome Waite, Vice President, Alliance for Excellent Education (Moderator) On December 19, 2019 the Alliance for Excellent Education (All4Ed) held a webinar as part of its Science of Adolescent Learning initiative.  Ever wonder why teenagers are so quick to adopt Instagram, Snapchat, and other forms of social media? Or take up X Games sports such as skateboarding and snowboarding? According to the All4Ed report, Science of Adolescent Learning: Risk Taking, Rewards, and Relationships, adolescents’ mindsets about learning evolve as awareness of their social environments increases. During this developmental period, adolescents increasingly seek novel and thrilling experiences while their capacity for self-regulation is also maturing. The roles of peers and adults also shift, taking on new significance for the adolescent learner. In this webinar, our expert panel discussed how educators can ensure that school environments promote positive mindsets in adolescent students and motivate them to take risks associated with positive outcomes. Panelists also discussed how educators can: influence how adolescents engage in academic and social activities through the mindsets they encourage and the types of motivation they provide; and shape school environments to provide adolescents and their peers with opportunities to take risks together and to support them as they take greater responsibility for their learning. Supplemental Material. Please direct questions concerning the webinar to jamos@all4ed.org. The Alliance for Excellent Education (All4Ed) is a Washington, DC-based national policy, practice, and advocacy organization committed to improving educational outcomes—and lives—of students, with a focus on those in middle and high school. We embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion and specifically advocate on behalf of all students who are historically underserved or marginalized. all4ed.org Follow All4Ed on Twitter (twitter.com/all4ed); Facebook (facebook.com/all4ed); and “High School Soup” blog (all4ed.org/blog). If you are interested in renting the Alliance’s facilities for your next meeting or webinar, please visit our facilities page to learn more.

The Future Ready Librarians® Fireside Chat Let’s talk innovation, literacy, equitable digital access and more! Panelists Josh Stumpenhorst, 6-8 Learning Commons Director, Lincoln Junior High, Naperville Public Schools (IL), @stumpteacher Tom Bober, K-5 Librarian, RM Captain Elementary, School District of Clayton (MO), @CaptainLibrary Kathy Schmidt, Library Media Specialist, Coleman Middle School, Gwinnett County Public School (GA), @kathyfs24 Shannon McClintock Miller, Future Ready Librarian Spokesperson, K–12 District Teacher Librarian,?Van Meter Community School (IA), @shannonmmiller (Moderator) On December 12, 2019 Future Ready Librarians’ Shannon McClintock Miller held its last webinar of the year. She invited a few special guests to share favorite books, authors, technology, trends, ideas, advocacy tips, and other top things that have been happening in the library and within education in 2019. They examined our framework as Future Ready Librarians, they tied this essential work into the wedges of curation, empowered students as creators, literacy, equitable digital access and more. As they got ready for the holiday break, they also shared ways to keep students engaged and learning with resources and ideas to take back to your communities. Here are a few questions they pondered: What is the “hot” new technology you are using this year with your students in the library? What are the books (titles) that you just can’t keep on the shelf? What is it that your teachers have been coming to you with this year? What do you see as BIG things that are coming? What resources and programs do you share with your students as we go into the holiday and a new year? How do you keep connected? Please direct questions concerning the webinar to ldossin@all4ed.org. If you are unable to watch the webinar live, please register to receive the video archive directly in your inbox. Future Ready Schools® is a project of the Alliance for Excellent Education (All4Ed), a Washington, DC–based national policy, practice, and advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring that all students, particularly those underperforming and those traditionally underserved, graduate from high school ready for success in college, work, and citizenship.  www.FutureReady.org Follow FRS on Twitter (twitter.com/FutureReady); Facebook (facebook.com/futurereadyschools); and the FRS Leadership Hub (futureready.org/hub). If you are interested in renting the Alliance’s facilities for your next meeting or webinar, please visit our facilities page to learn more.

Scaling Up Deeper Learning Approaches in Public Schools Panelists Linda Darling-Hammond, President, Learning Policy Institute, and Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education Emeritus, Stanford University Deb Delisle, President and Chief Executive Officer, Alliance for Excellent Education Laura Hernández, Senior Researcher and Co-Lead of the Deeper Learning Team, Learning Policy Institute Julie Kessler, Supervisor, Innovation and Design, San Francisco Unified School District Jim May, Chief Schools Officer, New Tech Network Sonn Sam, Ed.D., Regional Director, Big Picture Learning On December 11, 2019, the Alliance for Excellent Education and the Learning Policy Institute held a Webinar to discuss the scaling of Deeper Learning appraoches in public schools. Deeper learning approaches help students to develop the critical thinking, collaboration, and communication skills alongside academic skills that are necessary for success in college, career, and citizenship. These approaches have been in use for decades, but effective ways to sustain and scale up these learning approaches remains elusive. This is especially true in underserved and under-resourced schools, which serve the highest numbers of low-income students and students of color. These schools often rely on narrow curriculum focusing on basic skills and content knowledge with fewer opportunities for students to engage in meaningful learning. This webinar featured experts from the field and researchers who discussed the challenges and opportunities educators and district leaders face in expanding deeper learning. The discussion featured new research from the Learning Policy Institute that highlights how three networks— Big Picture Learning, Internationals Network for Public Schools, and New Tech Network—have partnered with traditionally structured public school districts to create systems and processes that spread deeper learning models in ways that advance equity and result in greater success for traditionally marginalized students. Panelists shared insights from their efforts in the field and discussed how they have leveraged policies, professional learning, and partnerships to establish and grow deeper learning in different settings. As decision makers at the school, district, and state level look for ways to immerse all students in deeper learning environments, this webinar shed light on promising approaches that can support the spread of equitable, student-centered learning in U.S. schools. Please note: Registrants who cannot watch the webinar live will receive the archived video after the webinar airs. Please direct questions concerning the webinar to jamos@all4ed.org. The Alliance for Excellent Education (All4Ed) is a Washington, DC–based national policy, practice, and advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring that all students, particularly those underperforming and those historically underserved, graduate from high school ready for success in college, work, and citizenship. @all4ed The Learning Policy Institute conducts and communicates independent, high-quality research to improve education policy and practice. Working with policymakers, researchers, educators, community groups, and others, the Institute seeks to advance evidence-based policies that support empowering and equitable learning for each and every child. Nonprofit and nonpartisan, the Institute connects policymakers and stakeholders at the local, state, and federal levels with the evidence, ideas, and actions needed to strengthen the education system from preschool through college and career readiness. @LPI_learning If you are interested in renting the Alliance’s facilities for your next meeting or webinar, please visit our facilities page to learn more.

Standards of Equity and Excellence: Are States Considering Subgroup Performance? Panelists Susie Feliz, Vice President for Policy and Legislative Affairs, National Urban League Phillip Lovell,Vice President of Policy Development and Government Relations, Alliance for Excellent Education On November 20, 2019 the National Urban League and the Alliance for Excellent Education held a Webinar on the Implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).  This webinar served as a follow up to the National Urban League’s report Standards of Equity and Excellence: A Lens on ESSA State Plans, this webinar focused on how state accountability systems are, and are not, taking into account the performance of student subgroups. ESSA requires states to disaggregate and report data on the performance of student subgroups on all indicators in their accountability systems, including achievement in reading and math, high school graduation rates, and the progress of English learners toward English language proficiency. All states are in the process of implementing their ESSA plans and the results of the first year of states’ new accountability systems are now public, including school ratings and the identification of schools for support.  As the impact of state policy choices on historically underserved students is becoming clear, it is important for stakeholders to understand the data and maintain engagement with their state and local education agencies. Please direct questions concerning the webinar to jowens@nul.org. If you are unable to watch the webinar live, an archived version will be available at http://www.all4ed.org/webinars 1–2 business days after the event airs. The Alliance for Excellent Education (All4Ed) is a Washington, DC–based national policy, practice, and advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring that all students, particularly those underperforming and those historically underserved, graduate from high school ready for success in college, work, and citizenship. all4ed.org Follow All4Ed on Twitter (twitter.com/all4ed); Facebook (facebook.com/all4ed); and “High School Soup” blog (all4ed.org/blog). If you are interested in renting the Alliance’s facilities for your next meeting or webinar, please visit our facilities page to learn more.

Think Differently About Professional Learning Creating High-Quality Personalized Professional Learning that Works Panelists: Dr. Montra Rogers, Officer of Secondary Curriculum and Development, Houston ISD (TX), @montra_rogers Dr. Joe Sanfelippo, Superintendent, Fall Creek School District (WI), @Joe_Sanfelippo Moderator: Brianna Hodges, Future Ready Instructional Coaches Advisor, Future Ready Schools, @bhodgesEDU On November 19, 2019 Future Ready Schools® held a webinar on personalized professional learning. Future Ready Schools® is proud to add this topic to its ongoing professional learning opportunities for school leaders. Future Ready school leaders model effective professional learning by offering choice and voice when leading teachers; they also empower teachers to lead throughout the process. Both are critical to promoting self-directed learning as well as inciting action and inspiring agency. Similarly, effective school leaders embed professional learning needs into the school schedule and each teacher’s day so that on-going professional learning is part of day-to-day practice, fostering conditions necessary for educators to transfer and apply new skills and strategies scaffolded by a strong system of support. The educational environment is most effective when it is explored and experienced, driven by personal interests and readiness. In this webinar, we examined how two districts are empowering educators to grow their pedagogical craftsmanship, hone their instructional leadership, and improve student learning outcomes through personalized professional learning. Dr. Montra Rogers and Dr. Joe Sanfelippo teamed up to discuss the trials and triumphs of transforming stale, sit-and-get professional development into uniquely personalized and appropriate professional learning opportunities for educators, regardless of the role they hold in their districts. Underscored with a common goal of meaningful personalized professional learning, they highlighted how to: create a culture of continuous learning, foster capacity and shared agency, and design for and be mindful of scalability and sustainability, so as to increase the efficacy of implementation Please direct questions concerning the webinar to ldossin@all4ed.org. If you are unable to watch the webinar live, please register to receive the video archive directly in your inbox. Future Ready Schools® is a project of the Alliance for Excellent Education (All4Ed), a Washington, DC–based national policy, practice, and advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring that all students, particularly those underperforming and those traditionally underserved, graduate from high school ready for success in college, work, and citizenship.  www.FutureReady.org Follow FRS on Twitter (twitter.com/FutureReady); Facebook (facebook.com/futurereadyschools); visit the FRS Leadership Hub (futureready.org/hub). If you are interested in renting the Alliance’s facilities for your next meeting or webinar, please visit our facilities page to learn more.