Tool Kit
Resources
Communications Toolkit
In 2005, LFA produced a proprietary Communications Toolkit to help education leaders communicate more effectively about public education. Based on focus groups and polling LFA commissioned in 2004 and 2005, the toolkit offers original research findings on public opinion, a guide to promoting public schools, and language for op-eds and speeches. It includes:
- "Values, Vision and Performance: American's Hopes for Their Public Schools", a Power Point presentation on the results of LFA's original research on public opinion of public schools.
- The "Practical Guide to Promoting America's Public Schools," which is designed to help educators and others interested in education promote public education in their communities
- Sample Language for Written Materials, such as columns, articles and letters
- Sample Language for Speeches
Staffing High-Need Schools
In 2005, Learning First Alliance organizations came together to produce a common framework for ensuring all students access to highly effective teachers and leaders in their schools: A Shared Responsibility: Staffing All High-Poverty, Low-Performing Schools with Effective Teachers and Administrators".
District-Wide Improvement: Success Stories
In 2003, the Alliance examined five high-poverty school districts with a strong track record of improving achievement. The resulting report, Beyond Islands of Excellence: What Districts Can Do to Improve Instruction and Achievement in All Schools, identifies a set of practical steps that schools and districts can take to move beyond a few excellent schools to success across entire systems. You can download the full report here, or you can review these related materials:
- Beyond Islands of Excellence - A Leadership Brief
- Case studies of individual districts, including: the Aldine Independent School District; the Chula Vista Elementary School District; the Kent County Public Schools; the Minneapolis Public Schools; and the Providence public Schools
Reading and Mathematics
The Learning First Alliance's publications on mathematics and science remain perennial bestsellers. Over 30,000 have been downloaded from the internet in the past four years, and we have sold thousands more in hard-copy. These publications include:
- Every Child Reading: An Action Plan, which details the Alliance's agreement on the most effect reading instruction.
- Every Child Reading: A Professional Development Plan, which provides teachers strategies improving their skills as reading instructors.
- Every Child Mathematically Proficient: An Action Plan, which advanced four research-based strategies for bringing American students to world-class standards in mathematics.
- Math tips for parents, teachers, and schools.
Sign up
Sign up to receive updates on public school success.
Emerging Vision
On this website, educators, parents and policymakers from coast to coast are sharing what's already working in public schools--and sparking a national conversation about how to make it work for children in every school. Join the conversation! Learn more.
New Stories
Featured story
"Promoting Academic Success through Community Partnerships"
Historically, George Middle School (a very diverse school with 87% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch) has been known as one of the lower performing schools in the state. Now, after becoming a community school, the school is showing steady growth on academic indicators. In particular, student test scores are at or above the state average. Multnomah County's Schools Uniting Neighborhoods (SUN) initiative, together with the school's lead agency, Metropolitan Family Service (MFS), have been instrumental in providing the supports and resources necessary to make this happen.
Middle school is a particularly rough time for many young people, but George is using its community connections to make sure its students do not get discouraged...
The program can also point to impressive academic results for George's students...Read more
School/District Characteristics
Hot topics
- 21st Century Skills
- Assessment
- Community Based Learning
- Connected Community
- Data Driven Instruction
- District Wide Strategies
- Educator Preparation
- Empowering Professionals
- Engaging Environments
- Equity
- Family Involvement
- Flexible Schedules
- Healthy Kids
- Personal Attention
- Professional Collaboration
- Professional Development
- Respectful Behavior
- Rich Curriculum
- Safe Great Places
- School Community Communication
- Standards That Matter
- Technology And Learning
Visionaries
Hear featured Public School Insights interviews with extraordinary education advocates.