Julie Blaine, executive director of the Central Regional Professional Development Center at the University of Central Missouri, began her term as president of Learning Forward at the conclusion of the association's annual conference in Dallas, Texas, on December 11, 2013.

Learning Forward announces the release of a new workbook aimed at helping state education agencies and school system leaders make informed, bold decisions about their current investments in professional learning and repurpose resources to support preparing students for college and careers.

In a new brief, Learning Forward examines how states, districts and schools can use a more comprehensive educator induction process to build the capacity of teachers and principals to successfully implement the new college- and career-ready content standards, as well as the related student assessments and educator effectiveness systems.

State education leaders should take the lead in efforts to create more coherent, comprehensive, and sustained statewide professional learning systems that help educators at every level meet the promise of the Common Core, according to a new policy brief released today by Learning Forward.

Learning Forward and Corwin announced the eighth-grade math team at Santa Fe Junior High School in Santa Fe, Texas, as the winner of the Shirley Hord Learning Team Award. This award is given to a team of teachers that demonstrates Learning Forward's definition of professional learning in action.

Learning Forward announces the release of Establishing Time for Professional Learning, a workbook designed to guide districts and schools as they develop, assess, and implement recommendations for increasing collaborative learning time for educators.

Learning Forward announces the release of School-Based Professional Learning for Implementing the Common Core, a set of four web-based professional learning units for school and district leaders.

Today's release of the MetLife Survey of the American Teacher: Challenges for School Leadership provides valuable information about teacher and principal needs, highlighting the increasing importance of high-quality professional learning.

Learning Forward announces the release of Professional Learning Policy Review: A Workbook for States and Districts. The workbook is the latest product to be released as part of the organization’s ongoing initiative to develop a comprehensive system of professional learning that spans the distance from the statehouse to the classroom. The initiative, Transforming Professional Learning to Prepare College- and Career-Ready Students: Implementing the Common Core is supported by Sandler Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and MetLife Foundation.

Learning Forward is proud to announce a new initiative, Transforming Professional Learning to Prepare College- and Career-Ready Students: District, State, & Affiliate Networks, to strengthen the capacity of large urban school districts, state education agencies, and Learning Forward state affiliates to advance Common Core State Standards (CCSS) implementation through transformed professional learning systems.