Alexandria, Va., Feb. 22, 2024 – Public Schools Week is an annual, week-long celebration to honor the invaluable contributions and achievements of educators, administrators, board members, and support professionals in our public schools and the communities they serve. Led by the Learning First Alliance (LFA), a coalition of 13 national education groups with a collective membership exceeding 10 million, Public Schools Week 2024 (#PSW24) invites the education community, parents, families, lawmakers, and others to join us in spotlighting our nation’s public schools and the dedicated individuals behind them.
Research consistently demonstrates that parents and community members are largely supportive of their local public schools, recognizing the vital role educators play in preparing children for success in an evolving world. #PSW24 aims to showcase the dynamic things happening in public schools, how they are responding to current challenges, and the invaluable lessons learned, ultimately contributing to the ongoing improvement of K-12 education.
“Public Schools Week 2024 is a beacon of recognition for the unwavering dedication and resilience of our educators and school communities. It’s a moment to spotlight the remarkable efforts shaping our kids’ futures and the future of our communities.” – Richard Long, executive director of the Learning First Alliance.
The weeklong #PSW24 celebration includes two live webinars and a Twitter chat.
- Tuesday, Feb. 27, 4-5:30 pm ET, Webinar: “Current Challenges: How Schools Are Responding.” Moderated by Jill Cook, executive director of the American School Counselor Association, with presenters including David Schuler, executive director of AASA, The School Superintendents Association; Kathryn Benheim, National Student Support Accelerator; Paul Fleming, Chief Learning Officer, Learning Forward; Yvonne Johnson, president of the National PTA; Dr. Weade James, vice president, organizational advancement, American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE); Diane Doersch, Chair, CoSN; and April Knight, NAESP VP & Principal, Avondale Elementary School, Ohio.
- Wednesday, Feb. 28, 7-7:30 pm ET, X (Twitter) Chat: “Engaging Your Community:” In this best practice exchange of ideas, parents, educators, school, and education professionals will engage in an online conversation about promising approaches to strengthen family, school, and community engagement. Use #PSW24 to join the chat.
- Thursday, Feb. 29, 6-7:30 pm ET, Webinar: “Portrait of A Learner: How Schools are Preparing Students for Success.” Moderated by Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, with presenters including James Lane, CEO, PDK International; Trent Allen, APR, President, NSPRA; Milan Aranda, National Student President, Educators Rising; Joe Gothard, 2024 National Superintendent of the Year; Kristi Swett, President NSBA & School Board Member, Salt Lake City School District.
Parents, families, educators, and the entire education community are invited to sign our public statement of support for public schools and the passionate individuals helping drive their success. Visit www.publicschoolproud.org for more information about #PSW24 and to view our toolkit, which contains social media messages and graphics to help show your support for public schools.
Another resource for the education community is “Strengthening Public Education: A Unified Call to Action,” an op-ed authored by Susan Moore, 2023 CoSN CTO of the Year; Rodney Walker, Maryland’s 2023 National Distinguished Elementary School Principal of the Year; Diana Virgil, 2024 School Counselor of the Year; Milan Aranda, National Student President, Educators Rising; and Ashley Aldridge Wilson, 2023 National Blue Ribbon Elementary School Principal.
#PSW24 is supported by members of the Learning First Alliance; leading education groups, representing more than 10 million members, including the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education; AASA: The School Superintendents Association; American Federation of Teachers; American School Counselor Association; Consortium for School Networking; Learning Forward; National Association of Elementary School Principals; National Association of Secondary School Principals; National Education Association; National PTA; National School Boards Association, and National School Public Relations Association.
Joining the #PSW24 celebrations are organizations including Discovery Education, the Association of School Business Officials International, the Council of Administrators of Special Education, the National Superintendents Roundtable, and the Association of Education Service Agencies.
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About the Learning First Alliance
The Learning First Alliance is a partnership of leading education organizations with more than 10 million members dedicated to improving student learning in America’s public schools. Alliance members include American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education; AASA: The School Superintendents Association; American Federation of Teachers; American School Counselor Association; Consortium for School Networking; Learning Forward; National Association of Elementary School Principals; National Association of Secondary School Principals; National Education Association; National PTA; National School Boards Association, National School Public Relations Association, and PDK International.
