The Learning First Alliance, a coalition of 17 national education associations, has released a statement supporting NSDC's definition of professional development and its inclusion in the reauthorized Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

The full statement reads:

"The Elementary and Secondary Education Act should make effective professional development a top priority. The federal government should support frequent, job-embedded professional development for teachers, principals and other school and district staff. It should offer dedicated funds for a comprehensive, sustained and intensive approach to improving staff effectiveness in raising student achievement. The National Staff Development Council's definition of and standards for staff development identify the characteristics of professional development that are most likely to increase achievement."

Download the full press release here.

Along with NSDC, Learning First Alliance members include AFT, NEA, NAESP, NASSP, and others. See a full list of members here. The Alliance also maintains the Public School Insights site here.

This statement is one of the strongest endorsements yet of the role professional learning must play in our national conversation about increasing student achievement.

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Tom Manning is NSDC's Associate Director of Member Experience.