Press Releases and
Position Statements
2000 – Present
February 2008
New Website
Offers a Fresh Vision for America's Public Schools
The Learning First Alliance announced the launch of Public
School Insights, a website that presents a fresh, 21st-century vision
for public schools, with real examples of what's working in public schools
and districts across the country. The site features imaginative strategies
that are helping students succeed, insights from extraordinary people
on public education's front lines, and interviews with leading thinkers.
Site visitors can also tell stories about success in their own public
school or district.
August 2007
Education Alliance
Commends American Federation of Teachers Report on Staffing Hard-to-Staff
Schools
The Learning First Alliance (LFA) today applauded the American Federation
of Teachers' efforts to address the challenge of attracting and retaining
qualified teachers in hard-to-staff schools. The AFT’s new report,
Meeting the Challenge: Recruiting and Retaining Teachers in Hard-to-Staff
Schools, calls for policies and programs that have proven effective,
including: strategies to maintain safe and orderly schools, more and
better professional development, better recruitment and hiring practices,
and district and state policies.
August 2007
Education Alliance
Announces Election of New Chair
Plans Focus on Strengthening Public Schools
The Learning First Alliance announced that John Wilson, executive director
of the National Education Association, would be its 2007/2008 chair.
Wilson assumes the chair from Anne Bryant, executive director of the
National School Boards Association.
January 2006
Closing the
Staffing Gap; And Ensuring Effective Teaching for the Students Who Need
It Most.
LFA commentary published in Education Week. LFA's
members have collaborated to create strategies to guarantee all students
access to effective teachers and school leaders. Read this recent Education
Week commentary to learn more.
September 2005
Leading
Education Associations Urge Federal Hurricane Relief and Reconstruction
Funds for Districts and Schools. LFA sends the President,
Congress and the Secretary of Education a letter urging assistance for
children and schools affected by Hurricane Katrina.
June 2005
Leading Education
Associations Collaborate to Improve Staffing in Needy Schools. LFA
releases new report A Shared Responsibility:
Staffing All High-Poverty, Low-Performing Schools with Effective Teachers
and Administrators.
February 2004
Statement on National
PTA Poll. Executive Director Judy Wurtzel comments on new
poll results indicating that public education funding is parents' top
concern.
March 2003
Leading Education
Organizations Call for Districtwide Strategies to Raise Student Achievement.
LFA releases new report Beyond Islands
of Excellence: What Districts Can Do to Improve Instruction and Achievement.
October 2002
Ensuring the
Success of Children & Youth in American Communities.
Read the Joint Position
of the National League of Cities, Learning First Alliance, and National
Collaboration of Youth.
Fall 2001
A call for mid-course corrections to state and national
standards and accountability policies. Executive
Summary | Full Statement
November 2000
National education groups promote research-based strategies
for reading professional development. The Alliance announces the release
of Every Child Reading: A Professional
Development Guide.
Spring 2000
Statement on TIMSS-R Benchmarking
Study. Alliance leaders call on educators and policymakers to increase
their investment in math instruction.
Past Releases and Statements