Priorities

Policy Action

—  advocates for policies and practices

Colorado SB 191
Participate on the Council and Leadership Academy Board.  Keep track of what’s happening in the Council and the Leadership Academy Board in terms of professional development and respond to upcoming items by convening people and/or issuing a white paper.  Respond when a draft related to professional development has been issued by either committee and review/respond to it.

Federal Legislation
Connect with Jared Polis’s and Michael Bennet’s offices so that when something happens with the professional development legislation, Learning Forward Colorado can respond.  Be attuned to Learning Forward’s work on the federal level and how Learning Forward Colorado can help.
Have Jared Polis address Learning Forward Colorado about federal priorities regarding professional development.

Effectiveness
The definitions of teacher effectiveness and principal effectiveness (especially in regard to evaluation) need to be carefully constructed.  Learning Forward Colorado needs to be part of that process.

— networks learning and learners

Colorado SB 191
Convene Learning Forward Colorado members to discuss and draft white papers related to professional development issues brought up through the Council and Leadership Academy.

Turnaround Process
Consider convening members of the 11 districts and 13 schools that are undergoing the turnaround process to share what they are learning and need.

— engages schools, districts, organizations

Denver Public Schools Gates Initiative
Participate on  the design team convened to consider professional development

Turnaround Process
Discover what is needed through Learning Forward Colorado members who are serving as facilitators of the turnaround process in one of the 11 districts or 13 schools that are receiving services.
Connect with CDE in terms of offering professional development assistance.

— strengthens communities of practice

Turnaround Process
Consider convening members of the 11 districts and 13 schools that are undergoing the turnaround process and helping them build communities of practice.

Effectiveness

— focuses on results and evidence

Discover from CEA and CDE – and our own board and membership -- which schools and districts are emerging as leaders in terms of results of professional learning; contact those schools and districts to learn about those results and evidence of success.  Broadcast results – prize?  Conference?  Online?  Other?

Action

Rationale (Why Is This A Good Action to Take?)

Logistics:  Who, With/For Whom, When, Where, How

Expected Results

Serve on the SB 191 Council

This is the heart of what’s happening in terms of professional development in the state – tied into teacher effectiveness.

Linda is staffing this from CEA; she will keep track of what is happening and contact the rest of the team and, if necessary, the Learning Forward Colorado board and membership.

A voice for effective professional development.
White papers to guide the council on issues related to professional development.
Reactions to published drafts of Council work regarding professional development.

SB 191:  Serve on the Leadership Academy Board

This board is considering leadership effectiveness – for principals, especially, and related to evaluating teachers.

Linda is a member of this board; she will keep track of what is happening and contact the rest of the team and, if necessary, the Learning Forward Colorado board and membership.

A voice for effective professional development.
White papers to guide the board on issues related to professional development.
Reactions to published drafts of board work regarding professional development.

Participate in the Denver Public Schools design team on professional development related to the Gates grant.

Large, urban school district, which has received Gates funds and has 5 design teams, one of which focuses on professional development.  Learning Forward Colorado
Can affect the design of the work.

Lois will serve in June; Linda will serve afterwards – or the two of them may continue to serve.

A design that represents the best that is known about effective professional development and helps educators help all student learn.  Bringing Learning Forward Colorado to the attention of the district.

A meeting to give feedback to the Leadership Academy Board, June 13, 1:00 – 3:00 at CEA.

The Leadership Academy is providing a facilitator (Laura Lefowitz) and is looking for focus groups.  Learning Forward Colorado can have an effect on the work of the Leadership Academy Board.

Linda will contact Laura to schedule.  Once the meeting is scheduled, Lois will contact the board – the trustee meeting planned for that day will occur before/after the focus group.

Effect on how the Leadership Academy Board proceeds and what it does regarding professional  development.  Bringing Learning Forward Colorado to the attention of the Board.

Alert trustees and board to be ready to convene in some way regarding the work of the Council and the Leadership Academy Board.

We need to be ready to respond to whatever the Council and Board are doing with regard to professional development.

Linda will alert the trustees; the trustees will decide what to do in terms of convening the Learning Forward Colorado board or as many of the membership as can participate.

White papers in advance of Council and Board work; reviews of drafted Council and Board work.

Learning Forward Expectations

Questions Related to the Learning Forward Expectations

What Your Group Will Do

1. Understanding and communicating the Learning Forward purpose.

How is your affiliate informing its members, other educators, and key policy makers and opinion leaders about the rationale for this purpose?

Work through the SB 191 Council and Leadership Academy Board to focus on the Learning Forward and Learning Forward Colorado purpose.  Work through the DPS design team to do so.
Continue work with Jared Polis’s office.
Work with the turnaround districts and schools through Learning Forward Colorado membership and through any convening of representatives from these schools and districts.

2.  Gathering and examining evidence.

How is your affiliate gathering and examining local evidence and using national evidence to make the case for professional learning?

Work with CEA and CDE and membership to identify schools and districts that are engaged in effective professional development and are getting results.
Broadcast the news in various ways:  prize, conference, online, news releases, etc.

3.   Supporting and sharing effective practices.

How is your affiliate showcasing examples of effective professional learning and supporting those who want to increase the effectiveness of their professional learning to improve student success?

Work through the SB 191 Council and Leadership Academy Board to focus on the Learning Forward and Learning Forward Colorado purpose.  Work through the DPS design team to do so.
Continue work with Jared Polis’s office.
Work with the turnaround districts and schools through Learning Forward Colorado membership and through any convening of representatives from these schools and districts.

4.  Outreach and influence.

How is your affiliate leveraging your influence with thought leaders and decision-makers who impact professional learning?  How are you changing the conversation about professional learning?

Work through the SB 191 Council and Leadership Academy Board to focus on the Learning Forward and Learning Forward Colorado purpose.  Work through the DPS design team to do so.
Continue work with Jared Polis’s office.
Work with the turnaround districts and schools through Learning Forward Colorado membership and through any convening of representatives from these schools and districts.

5.  Affiliate organization and structures.

How are you organizing and developing affiliate leaders and services to ensure uninterrupted attention to your strategic plan and the greatest benefits from your expertise?

The Board engaged in an all-day retreat in May and has developed a 21st century model of the work Learning Forward Colorado should do.  The 2010-2011 school year is a year of refinement and gradual implementation of the vision of Learning Forward Colorado’s future.  By May 2011, Learning Forward Colorado will be restructured according to this vision and engaging in effective practices to provide services related to professional development across the state.
All current committees are planning their work this year according to the vision and according to the Learning Forward expectations.