AUSTIN, TX ―On September 22-24, some of the nation’s most innovative educators will gather in Austin to explore and expand opportunities for teachers to take leadership over issues of policy and practice to benefit student learning and the profession. Teach Plus is the co-host of the Texas Teach to Lead Summit, a joint initiative of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, ASCD, and the U.S. Department of Education.
“Both Teach to Lead and Teach Plus are committed to providing great teachers with opportunities to develop and exercise leadership, whether it’s in the classroom over issues of practice or at the Capitol over education policy,” said Lindsay Sobel, Executive Director of Teach Plus Texas. “We’re thrilled to co-host the Teach to Lead Summit in Austin, and look forward to three days of invigorating workshops and discussions with teacher leaders who are driving impact for students in their schools, districts, and states.”
Teach to Lead received nearly seventy applications from across the U.S. to participate in the Texas Summit and twenty-nine teams were selected as participants. Over the three days, the teacher leaders will present impact projects on a range of topics from recruiting and retaining teachers of color to improving how teachers are prepared for their jobs. The ultimate goal for the teachers and other educators is to share ideas and expertise, and come away energized and inspired by their colleagues. Twenty Teach Plus teachers are participating, working in six different teams on six distinct projects.
“Our leadership idea aims to address the lack of professionalization of teaching as a career. If teachers are held to a higher standard and have rigorous certification opportunities, respect of the profession will grow. This will lead to more professionals joining the ranks of educators,” said Dallas teacher and Teach Plus Texas Policy Fellow Laura Laywell, whose team is working to improve teacher preparation.
In addition to Teach Plus teachers, Teach Plus President and CEO Roberto Rodríguez and founder Celine Coggins will make appearances at the Summit. During the Friday opening reception, Mr. Rodríguez will moderate a panel of teacher leaders. On Saturday, Ms. Coggins will deliver a talk to introduce her new book, How to Be Heard: Ten Lessons Teachers Need to Advocate for their Students and Profession.
About Teach Plus:
Teach Plus empowers excellent, experienced teachers to take leadership over key policy and practice issues that affect their students’ success. Teach Plus programs are designed to place highly effective teachers at the center of improvements in schools as leaders of their peers and outside schools influencing policy decisions that affect their classrooms. The programs develop excellent teachers into leaders who achieve change and mobilize others in their school, district, state, and across the nation to bring change to scale. Since its inception in August 2007, Teach Plus has grown to a network of more than 26,000 solutions-oriented teachers across the country. teachplus.org
