Educational Leadership - February 2011

Stephanie Hirsh, executive director

national Staff Development Council is Learning Forward

National Staff Development Council (NSDC), the organization that sets the standards for professional development in collaboration with other professional education associations, has changed its name to Learning Forward. The name change reflects not only the association’s growth over its 41-year history, but also better represents the vision of the association as a powerful advocate for educator and student learning. Learning Forward is a nonprofit, international membership association of learning educators focused on increasing student achievement through more effective professional development. Learning Forward’s members include teachers, teacher leaders, principals, district leaders, local, regional, state/ provincial, and federal education and technical assistance agencies, and for-profit and nonprofit education organizations and consultants throughout the world.

We placed learning first in our new name as a reminder that learning for educators and their students is at the heart of our purpose and that through learning we create our future. Learning Forward invites our members and others to join us as we move ahead to ensure effective professional learning that results in student achievement. Learning Forward expresses our call to action, actions our Board, members, and staff commit to each day to ensure effective teaching for every student. Our new name distinguishes us as both a membership association and an advocacy organization that marries research, policy, and practice.

Learning Forward continues to create the products and services that our members have relied upon to serve them in their roles, whether they work as school leaders, technical assistance providers, administrators, instructional coaches, or consultants. Our conferences offer intensive learning opportunities with the leading voices in the field. Publications focused exclusively on professional learning build members’ knowledge base through a practitioner-oriented lens. Cutting-edge e-learning options extend learning throughout the year.

With the name Learning Forward, we found a match between our identity and our aspirations. As the name implies, we are looking forward. Educators’ professional learning today shapes the learning students experience in their classrooms, and the learning they experience today shapes their potential for future achievements. We keep our eyes on how educators today affect the generations of educators and students to follow. With learning as our core value and the promise of what lies ahead, we’re confident in our purpose.

In making the transition to a new name, we wanted to articulate clearly what the organization stands for. Given our commitment to our purpose, this step was simple. Our purpose — every educator engages in effective professional learning every day so every student achieves — drives our actions. This same purpose drives our members and thousands of our allies in the field as well.