Learning Forward supports you in all aspects of planning, design, and implementation of high-quality professional learning.
Our learning designs and approaches to professional learning services are customized to align to your district’s strategic plan, improvement goals, timeline, and scheduling preferences.
What Sets Us Apart
Four additional aspects of our approach set us apart from other providers:
1
Every program we design and facilitate is deeply rooted in, and models implementation of, the Standards for Professional Learning.
As the creators and holders of the Standards for Professional Learning, no organization is more familiar with the standards than Learning Forward. We are responsible for periodically convening an industry-wide group of experts who review a specially commissioned meta-analysis of recent research on professional learning. Based on this meta-analysis, the standards group performs the knowledge-brokering function of diving deeply into the meta-analysis findings to glean their application to real-world educational challenges. Working collaboratively with Learning Forward staff, they streamline the research findings into the Standards for Professional Learning. The strong research foundation of the standards ensures that professional learning efforts aligned to the standards are the most current research and evidence-based best practices.
2
We take a strengths-based approach to our partnerships.
We help districts leverage existing successes and investments by supporting the refinement and expansion of existing professional learning structures and practices rather than trying to impose a new model or approach.
3
We meet districts where they are, customizing learning programs to provide a level of support that best recognizes in-district expertise while supporting the deepening of understanding and improvement.
During our early conversations, district leaders and Learning Forward representatives will determine the appropriate level of support to foster success, whether that means leading the work, collaborating with district leaders to design and facilitate learning, or “coaching into” district leaders thinking during planning and assessment of professional learning.
4
We believe that it is through high-quality professional learning that all leaders and all systems learn their own way to improve outcomes.
With this belief in mind, our goal from the start of a service contract is to build the internal capacity of a district to sustain improvement by advancing leaders’ understanding of how to design and lead high-quality professional learning systems.
What others are saying
"Working with Learning Forward completely reshaped the way we design and deliver professional learning. Their consultants took the time to understand our needs, priorities, and context and guided us in creating strategies that genuinely support educator growth. The process was collaborative, research-based, and practical. As a result, we have stronger alignment across our learning initiatives, clearer goals for professional growth, and measurable improvements in educator practice. Learning Forward helped us build the capacity to continue this work effectively on our own."
— Professional Learning Director, Learning Forward Consulting Partner
Customized support
Below are some of the designed-for-you services we are frequently asked to lead:
Don’t see what you’re looking for here? Scroll down to read about our bespoken professional learning programs.
Bespoke programs
Because some challenges are truly unique to the organization, we also specialize in crafting professional learning programs designed to foster success in meeting those unique challenges. Our bespoke programs are designed in response to the client organization’s preferences, timelines, and scaling needs. Like our other programs, professional learning is designed in partnership with the client to provide learning that supports the organization’s existing level of expertise and is designed to foster leadership and structures that ensure sustained implementation and growth. Examples of Learning Forward’s bespoke professional learning include:
Identifying human resource needs across a network of charter schools to ensure that teachers and leaders are placed in positions where their skills will most benefit students.
Developing customized walk-through and feedback protocols for observations that lead to productive coaching conversations that result in action and change.
Supporting districts in developing portraits of leaders and district-wide leadership competencies and development programs that included all staffing areas.
Working with PLCs of art teachers across a large urban district to develop and investigate problems of practice at cross discipline-and campus-levels.
Supporting implementation for state-wide professional learning initiatives by developing a series of in-person and virtual support programs.
Designing and facilitating a year-long learning series for state and nation-wide campus and district leaders in role-alike groups.
Supporting district with the attainment, implementation, and assessment of state-funded grants for improvement initiatives
Everything we do is customized to meet the needs and timeline of our district partners, and our efforts are grounded in the Standards for professional learning.
With over 50 years of experience in professional learning, we are uniquely positioned to support districts in building systems and processes that sustain continuous learning to sustain continuous growth.
Meet with us to learn more
Learning Forward contracts with districts and states to provide high-impact professional learning services and tools to transform professional learning, increase educator capacity, and improve student achievement.
