Join award-winning principal and best-selling author Pete Hall in an exploration of the top five reasons kids disengage, struggle, and drop out of school. Examine the highest-yield strategies for connecting, supporting, and altering the trajectory of our most precious and fragile students. Explore a case study of your own, propose the use of one of the strategies you’ve learned, and hypothesize the successful outcomes.

Participants will:

• Identify the underlying causes of kids struggling in school;
• Analyze an array of strategies for building connections, igniting curiosity, and/or enhancing the relevance of education for students who struggle; and
• Apply your learning to a case study student from your own setting to create a proactive plan that matches the student’s needs.

Much of the resistance to grading reform can be anticipated and addressed by uniting stakeholders in collaborative change efforts. Learn about critical aspects of the change process, including how to engage stakeholders as partners and how to gather meaningful evidence of impact. Leave with evidence-based strategies for successfully implementing fair and accurate grading policies and practices for all students.

Participants will:

• Explore the advantages and shortcomings of different grading methods and their implications for classroom policy and practice;
• Learn evidence-based strategies for implementing grading and reporting reforms that ensure stakeholders’ support and make grades fairer, more accurate, more meaningful for all students; and
• Develop guidelines for implementing effective standards-based and competency-based grading policies and practices at all grade levels.

Visualize the worst presentation that you have ever been a part of as an adult learner. Now visualize the best one. No doubt there is a considerable difference between the two professional learning opportunities. Learn the answers to three basic questions: What are strategies that I can use to make my professional development experience unforgettable? What are techniques that result in sustained adult behavior change? What are 10 things that keep adults living well beyond the age of 80?

Participants will:

• Ascertain why it can be so difficult for adults to change their behavior and determine the order of change when asking adults to implement new behaviors;
• Examine six principles of adult learning theory to use with faculty and staff in professional learning;
• Experience 10 characteristics of quality professional learning to apply when implementing professional development; and
• Plan your next professional learning experience using an original template while incorporating brain-based strategies that take advantage of how all adult and student brains learn best.

Draw upon research from brain science, social sciences, education, and 30 years of practice within schools to uncover the positive impact of a belonging community on students and staff. Understand how a student’s sense of belonging promotes resilience, academic engagement, and attendance while reducing behavior problems. Leave with strategies that can be implemented immediately to create a belonging community for children and staff in your classroom and school.

Participants will:

• Identify the specific ways belonging can enhance student achievement and staff and student well-being;
• Describe systemic causes for the erosion of belonging in school for both students and staff;
• Reflect on individual and school-based practices that impact student and staff experiences of belonging; and
• Implement tangible strategies to increase student and staff belonging in schools.
   

Explore how gamification transforms Check-In Check-Out into a student-owned, relationship-driven Tier 2 system. Learn how missions, levels, choice, and progress tracking increase engagement while maintaining strong multi-tiered system of supports data practices. Apply practical strategies from the SPACE framework to strengthen relationships, improve behavior outcomes, and build Tier 2 supports students and staff believe in.

Participants will:

• Understand how gamification principles strengthen Check-In Check-Out by increasing student ownership, motivation, and consistency;
• Identify why traditional Tier 2 systems lose momentum and describe specific design elements that reengage students and staff;
• Learn to apply practical strategies such as missions, levels, reflection, and progress tracking to redesign or enhance existing Check-In Check-Out systems; and
• Implement a gamified Tier 2 framework using SPACE as a model to improve relationships and support sustainable behavior outcomes and collective success in your own school context.
   

Data is only as powerful as the instruction it informs. Examine how a middle school building coach, math specialist, and district math coach partner with grade-level teams to transform assessment data into actionable instructional decisions. Participants explore high-impact, replicable routines for collaborative meetings that support targeted small-group instruction and lead to measurable student growth.

Participants will:

• Learn to interpret formative and summative middle school math assessment data in ways that prioritize standards and clarify instructional next steps;
• Be able to use data visualization to identify trends, group students by learning needs, and design differentiated small-group instruction aligned to targeted standards;
• Understand how to analyze data patterns over time to determine whether core instructional programs are meeting student needs or whether instructional adjustments and supplementation are needed; and
• Know how to apply a replicable planning routine that supports ongoing progress monitoring, instructional coherence, and improved alignment between data and instruction.
   

Explore a fresh approach to understanding and improving classroom instruction through product collections. Find out how these sets of student work provide a window into actual learning and provide meaningful feedback for continued success. Leave with a clear process for collecting and using student work to guide instruction, practical ideas for piloting this approach on your own campus, and strategies for fostering reflective conversations that strengthen teaching and learning.

• Analyze sample collections, discuss strategies for implementation, and see how this practice connects directly to high-impact instructional techniques;
• Learn how to collect and use real student work to see what’s actually happening in your classroom; and
• Apply this approach to identify learning patterns, guide targeted feedback, and support teacher reflection and growth.

Coaching is a powerful form of professional learning that strengthens educator practice and advances collective responsibility for student learning. Explore coaching in the presence of difference, emphasizing how unique characteristics, perspective, and context shape coaching interactions. Examine how intentional awareness and collaborative inquiry deepen learning, strengthen relationships, and support continuous improvement for all educators and students.

Participants will:

• Learn to apply coaching strategies that intentionally attend to self, coachee, and context, recognizing that coaching is not neutral and must be responsive to the cultural, organizational, and relational environments in which educators and learners work;
• Identify common roadblocks to coaching across differences and use data, reflection, and collaborative inquiry to move coaching beyond surface-level compliance toward deeper instructional and organizational change, reinforcing shared responsibility for improving learning; and
• Assess how high-quality coaching impacts both the coach and the coachee, and identify specific coaching skills that require ongoing refinement to strengthen professional practice and improve outcomes for educators, students, and the communities they serve.
   

Explore key principles from the science of learning to bridge research and practice, equipping teachers with evidence-informed strategies that strengthen instruction, improve student outcomes, and transform systemwide practices. Examine foundational findings from cognitive science, apply them in real classrooms, and learn how to empower teachers, cultivate a strong educator workforce, and create a high-impact learning environment that attracts, develops, and retains top talent.

• Articulate a simple model of the mind to ground their understanding of how learning occurs;
• Identify key learning science principles that support instructional effectiveness;
• Analyze components of successful evidence-to-practice implementation in teacher induction and professional learning; and
• Develop a theory of change plan outlining initial steps to build capacity for evidence-informed professional learning in their school or district.

Explore how school leaders can move beyond traditional attendance campaigns to build systems that increase student engagement and daily attendance. Examine practical strategies that combine culture, incentives, data monitoring, and relationship-driven leadership to address absenteeism. Leave with a framework and ready-to-use tools that help schools strengthen belonging, improve attendance habits, and create sustainable systems that support student success.

Participants will:

• Identify key factors that influence student attendance and engagement in elementary and secondary school settings;
• Analyze attendance data to recognize patterns of absenteeism and determine targeted intervention strategies;
• Design a practical, school-based attendance framework that integrates incentives, relationships, and culture-building practices; and
• Apply leadership strategies to implement sustainable attendance systems that promote student belonging and improve daily attendance habits.

Explore protocols, structures, and resources to strengthen leadership effectiveness and foster collaborative, professional learning networks within your own educational organization. Evaluate systems that facilitate effective collaboration, high-quality professional learning, and data-informed problem-solving. Through practical strategies and job-embedded examples, collaborate with peers to develop responsive professional learning and cultivate sustainable, collaborative cultures within your school or district.

Participants will:

• Engage with and apply ready-to-use protocols, tools, and strategies that strengthen collaboration and instructional leadership within your own school system;
• Assess the strengths and challenges of professional learning network structures to enhance the sharing of resources and ideas among a diverse group of educators, thereby strengthening organizational coherence; and
• Develop an actionable plan to implement or enhance collaborative cultures and professional learning networks in your own educational setting.

Explore how peer observations can serve as professional learning in action by helping beginning teachers learn from real classrooms in a supportive, nonevaluative way. Practice a clear peer observation cycle that includes preparation, observation, debrief, and next steps, supported by practical tools and reflection protocols. Leave with ready-to-use strategies that help new teachers notice effective instructional moves, connect learning to their own practice, and identify one actionable step for growth.

Participants will:

• Understand the full peer observation cycle and how it supports new-teacher growth through preparation, observation, reflection, and follow-up;
• Learn how to plan and schedule peer observations in partnership with campus leadership to ensure meaningful, growth-focused learning experiences;
• Use observation and reflection tools that help mentees capture key instructional look-fors and connect what they see to their own classroom practice; and
• Practice effective debrief strategies that guide new teachers to analyze their learning, identify one actionable next step, and apply insights to strengthen instruction over time.
   

Explore a four-level framework that can help your school move from a single-leader model to a shared leadership model, and learn how Texas districts have implemented redesigned roles to support growth and development for teachers. Discover how incorporating job-embedded professional learning into daily practice resulted in measurable gains in student achievement and significant improvements in teacher retention. Leave with strategies and tools to redesign leadership structures that prioritize continuous learning.

• Build an understanding of the four-level leadership framework to create a shared leadership model and how this work directly connects to the Learning Forward Standards for Professional Learning;
• Hear real world examples from Texas school districts that have piloted and scaled this model across their campuses to support teacher growth and student learning;
• Investigate the leadership levels at your own campuses to identify where improvements may be needed; and
• Gain tools, templates and strategies to thoughtfully redesign roles to better support teacher growth and student success.

Explore how Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools leveraged improvement science to strengthen math curriculum implementation through Learning Forward’s Curriculum-Based Professional Learning (CBPL) Network. Learn how CBPL helps educators fully utilize high-quality, standards-aligned instructional materials to maximize student access and opportunity. Learn about the Interrelationship Digraph and Change Idea Generator protocols.  See real examples of how they can help guide your nextsteps, make mid-course adjustments, and reflect on teacher and student impact.

• Learn how the Learning Forward CBPL Network and Metro Nashville’s Open Up Resources (OUR) Network use collaborative inquiry and improvement strategies to support curriculum implementation across varied educator experience levels;
• Examine how continuous improvement strategies strengthen curriculum-based professional learning and support effective implementation of high-quality instructional materials;
• Explore improvement science tools such as fishbone diagrams, interrelationship digraphs, change idea generators and practical measures; and
• Consider how improvement science tools can be applied to participants’ own professional learning contexts.
   

Explore classroom-tested tools for supporting teachers to reset their classroom culture. Assess classroom conditions, prepare strategies to improve target areas, and experiment with a student-facing reset script template that enables educators and students to collaboratively solve problems and improve classroom culture. Walk away ready to support colleagues and kids to create positive, productive classroom cultures in which everyone feels ownership and everyone succeeds.

Participants will:

• Assess current conditions in classrooms you support to determine focus areas and set goals for improving classroom culture;
• Explore strategies and experiment with scripts you can use with students to collaboratively improve classroom conditions; and
• Unpack opportunities to explore these tools with teachers you support in order to foster positive, productive classroom cultures.

Imagine a whole-school literacy approach that dramatically boosts student achievement while simultaneously improving attendance, behavior, and teacher collective efficacy. Discover how a Vermont district implemented a teacher-led secondary literacy leadership council to make this possible. Walk away with concrete action steps to take at the system and building level to replicate the district’s success, empowering your educators and transforming student outcomes through collaborative, coherent professional learning.

Participants will:

• Examine how secondary teachers of all subjects can identify and implement high-leverage reading, writing, and speaking routines to improve secondary literacy outcomes;
• Learn how to build teacher leaders through a literacy leadership council model to guide and refine teaching practices so that students read, write, and speak every day and in every class;
• Examine the steps instructional leaders at the central office and building level can take to create a culture where all teachers see themselves as agents for secondary literacy success; and
• Engage with structured protocols and authentic classroom videos to facilitate the teachers teaching teachers model, enabling practical, peer-led professional learning within your own schools.
   

Explore how an urban high school in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, redesigned professional learning around collaborative teacher teams focused on grade-level, challenging instruction for all students. Experience what these reinvented team meetings look like for teachers, coaches, and building leaders. Understand how this approach supports instructional improvement for all students and can be adapted in your own schools.

Participants will:

• Reframe collective success as the organizing principle for designing professional learning and improving instruction;
• Examine how a shared vision of grade-level, high-quality instruction can anchor district and school improvement efforts;
• Analyze how collaborative teacher teams use shared instructional work to learn, adapt, and improve practice together; and
• Experience and reflect on team-based processes for designing, testing, and studying instructional practices that can be transferred to your own context.
   

Power your team conversations! Analyze real classroom data to uncover what student performance reveals about instruction across proficiency levels. Facilitate powerful, structured team conversations to identify high-leverage Tier 1 strategies for common challenges while creating actionable plans that translate insights into targeted tiered instruction and support. Leave with a ready-to-use digital resource designed to streamline data compilation and amplify your analysis.

Participants will:

• Synthesize research through collaborative conversations to unify understanding of Tier 1 instruction within the multi-tiered system of supports framework;
• Experience collaborative, structured data conversations using a provided data protocol that highlights effective Tier 1 strategies and shared instructional challenges;
• Identify and align research-based instructional strategies using a Tier 1 resource to address common learning needs revealed through data analysis; and
• Strategize implementation of high-level instructional practices within the data analysis process.
   

Utilizing the 2026 edition of the National Association of School Principal's A Principal’s Guide to Early Learning and the Early Grades, build a strong foundation of knowledge to guide Pre-K and early childhood programs in alignment with K-3 learning. Deepen your understanding of developmentally appropriate practice, and strengthen instructional leadership while exploring practical strategies to support coherent, high-quality early learning experiences that meet the needs of young children and their families.

Participants will:

• Deepen your knowledge of high-quality early childhood practices to intentionally strengthen leadership, planning, and decision-making across Pre-K-3 settings;
• Explore research-based, ready-to-implement strategies that support principals and educators leading early childhood initiatives; and
• Learn how to engage with a network of principal leaders committed to elevating their voices and advancing effective early childhood practices in their schools and communities.
   

Drive greater retention by exploring a differentiated induction structure that supports both new educators and mentors. Examine how to navigate varied preparation pathways while addressing both instructional frameworks and interpersonal dynamics. Explore the essential components of a “true” induction program designed to sustain and support educators over time.

Participants will:

• Examine research-based induction practices that strengthen teacher efficacy and improve retention for new educators and mentors; 
• Apply differentiated coaching and support strategies that address varied educator preparation pathways, instructional needs, and professional dynamics; 
• Collaborate to design a scalable induction experience that can be implemented at the district, campus, or team level; and 
• Develop a practical blueprint for building a sustainable induction program that supports long-term educator growth and retention.

Explore the transformative power of cognitive ownership by reframing the instructional hierarchy to center student voice and agency. Analyze a spectrum of inquiry approaches to strategically shift the teacher’s role from information source to architect of student-led discovery. Develop scaffolds centered on serving all students as well as practical protocols that empower every learner to ask the "next" question and assume full ownership of their intellectual growth.

Participants will:

• Distinguish between direct, structured, guided, open, and discovery inquiry to select the most effective approach for specific learning targets;
• Apply research-based strategies to create a culture where student voice and agency, rather than mere compliance, power the learning experience;
• Master the art of the facilitated return knowing when to step in to guide the conversation and when to step back to let students lead the discovery; and
• Evaluate how inquiry scaffolds remove barriers for diverse learners, ensuring that student-led does not mean left to chance.
   

Explore the National Writing Project’s narrative writing-focused Coach.Teach.Write program, including information about instructional resources and coaching cycles. Hear from writing project coaches who have implemented this program in districts across the country, and find out how to implement the program in your district. Learn about program resources, and reflect on ways your organization uses coaching to support the implementation of new programs.

Participants will:

• Learn approaches for coaching teachers on effective writing instruction in a range of teaching contexts;
• Explore possibilities for integrating evidence-based writing practices into district curriculum; and
• Reflect on strategies for using narrative writing to increase student engagement.
   

Teacher sustainability starts with sustainable induction. Examine system-to-teacher aligned induction practices that foster teacher growth and boost student learning. Learn alongside districts of varying sizes, exploring concrete strategies, leadership levers, and implementation structures that strengthen induction, grow internal capacity, and create lasting impact from day one. Leave with practical ideas to build on existing work and make intentional moves that actually matter.

Participants will:

• Identify key features of effective teacher induction aligned to the Learning Forward Standards for Professional Learning and understand how strong induction supports educator growth, student learning, and district improvement;
• Examine real examples of induction practices from districts of different sizes and describe how these practices are implemented to improve teaching practice and teacher retention; and
• Plan a clear, actionable next step and simple measures you can use to monitor early impact on educator performance and student learning.
   

Examine a four-year district-partner collaboration that built sustainable and inclusive infrastructure through strategic investment in both external expertise and internal educator leadership. Experience key professional learning activities from inclusion and belonging modules, Saturday Academies, and Train-the-Trainer institutes while hearing directly from educators who evolved from participants to facilitators. Apply a replicable framework for securing funding, compensating educator leaders, and building lasting capacity in your own context.

Participants will:

• Analyze a multi-year framework for progressing from school-based student success teams to districtwide capacity building;
• Experience and evaluate key professional learning activities that develop culturally responsive dispositions and practices;
• Identify strategies for securing funding and compensating educators to lead and sustain work for all learners; and
• Assess organizational readiness and design an initial action plan for implementing sustainable and inclusive professional learning.

Embrace the role of coaching leader, catalyzing learning and growth to unlock the potential of others. Understand the leadership habits and mindset shifts you need to move from being the center of all decision-making to becoming the developer of other leaders. Distinguish between directive and inquiry-based leadership, gain clarity on when each is more effective, and learn to promote a collaborative culture of psychological safety, innovation and adaptive thinking.

Participants will:

• Cultivate your ability to create a collaborative culture and function as a coaching leader to develop and build leadership capacity in others;
• Apply core coaching skills including asking powerful questions, practicing active listening, and delivering constructive feedback to empower and develop others;
• Differentiate between directive and inquiry-based leadership and apply each approach effectively in context; and
• Create a personal action plan to integrate coaching strategies into your leadership practice.

Learn how instructional rounds create a shared, nonevaluative approach to improving teaching and learning across schools. Examine the core components of instructional rounds, including developing a problem of practice, observing instruction, and analyzing patterns of practice. Apply protocols and tools that support collaborative learning, strengthen instructional coherence, and inform next steps for school and district improvement.

Participants will:

• Understand what each part of the instructional rounds process entails and how collaborative analysis of findings leads to improved instructional coherence and student learning outcomes;
• Be able to develop a plan for effective implementation of all instructional rounds components to positively impact student achievement in your school or district; and
• Know how to utilize protocols, tools, and relevant texts when instituting instructional rounds to support shared learning, strengthen instructional coherence, and inform immediate actions for school and district improvement.

Discover how one district designed instructional impact teams to anchor a coherent professional learning system. Examine structures, protocols, and an instructional playbook that create time, tools, and culture for shared teacher and leader learning. Apply practical templates and design moves to strengthen collaborative teams, build collective efficacy, and document impact on instruction and student learning.

Participants will:

• Analyze how instructional impact teams function as the backbone of a coherent professional learning system that amplifies student and adult learning, and identify parallels and gaps in your own context;
• Learn how to design or refine a collaborative team structure, including time, roles, protocols, and use of an instructional playbook, to support ongoing, job-embedded learning for teachers and leaders; and
• Assess culture conditions (trust, psychological safety, clarity of purpose) needed to launch and sustain this work and plan concrete leadership moves to strengthen collective efficacy.
   

Teacher leaders are powerful levers for continuous improvement when their learning is intentionally designed as part of a coherent professional learning system. Examine a district-university partnership and the Utah Education Policy Center’s Leadership and Inquiry for Transformation (LIFT) series to see how research-informed inquiry cycles and job-embedded learning drive improvement. Leave with a research-informed draft design for teacher leader learning to support continuous improvement in your context.

Participants will:

• Understand how teacher leaders function as a critical system lever for advancing coherent professional learning and continuous improvement aligned to school and district improvement plans and the Learning Forward Standards for Professional Learning;
• Analyze how a district-university partnership intentionally designed the LIFT series using a research-informed framework to strengthen alignment, inquiry, and job-embedded learning for teacher leaders;
• Experience and apply an inquiry-based process used by teacher leaders to examine evidence, monitor implementation of improvement strategies, and facilitate instructional conversations that support educator practice and student learning; and
• Design an initial action plan to adapt tools, structures, and evidence-based practices from the LIFT model to strengthen teacher leader professional learning systems in your own school or district context.

Increase your effectiveness as a facilitator by extending your skills for managing energy, focus, and information flow in groups. Enhance your knowledge of group dynamics, facilitation, group engagement and group development. Acquire a repertoire of strategies for engaging groups and learn ways to help groups improve their capacity to get work done, do the right work, and manage change and adaptivity.

Participants will:

• Increase competence, confidence, and authenticity as a facilitator while acquiring a repertoire of strategies to engage participants in productive meetings;
• Learn how to use decision-making structures and developmental approaches to enhance group productivity and strengthen verbal and nonverbal communication; and
• Apply tips and tools for teaching, learning, and expanding group member capabilities, knowledge, skills, and overall effectiveness.
   

Consider six key steps to inclusive and learner centered school leadership. Discuss strategic implementation with a diverse group of colleagues. Develop a vision that can be easily articulated, grounded in research and district data, supported by curricula and instruction, and evaluated via a variety of data points.

Participants will:

• Consider six key steps in inclusive and learner centered school leadership;
• Consider how inclusive and learner-centered school leaders educate themselves, commit to the mission, develop professional learning plans, embrace resistance, elevate inclusive and learner-centered curricula and instruction, and evaluate their inclusive and learner-centered impact; and
• Identify the current state of your organization and how you can chart a path toward your desired state, which leads to more inclusive and successful outcomes for all students and their families.

Unite with the Hawaii Teacher Induction Center to examine a systemic induction model that connects state, district, and school leaders into a unified support network. Analyze concrete, data-driven tools and culturally responsive mentoring processes designed to foster educator belonging and collective success. Acquire actionable strategies to turn isolated mentoring into a comprehensive system to elevate instructional leadership, teaching practices, and student learning.

Participants will:

• Identify systemic support, from state-level advocacy to school-level implementation, necessary to unite stakeholders and build a sustainable continuum of expertise;
• Examine high-leverage mentoring tools and processes that advance instructional growth and develop teachers into instructional leaders;
• Design actionable strategies aligned with Learning Forward’s Standards for Professional Learning that incorporate cultural contexts to ensure educator belonging; and
• Analyze multimetric evidence, leveraging AI-assisted workflows to assess the impact of teacher leadership and inform continuous program improvement.
   

Explore a professional learning design cycle focused on priming, ushering, launching, socially constructing, and extending the learning loop beyond face-to-face engagements. Examine ways to promote social construction during professional learning and consider the integral role reflection plays in the growth process. Leave with comprehensive tools and processes to guide your professional learning planning and facilitation to craft true experiences, not just events.

Participants will:

• Utilize the PULSE (prime, usher, launch, socially construct, extend) professional learning design cycle to design and facilitate meaningful and personalized professional learning experiences;
• Examine and apply evidence-based strategies to advance social construction in professional learning, including collaborating with text and video, sharing strategies and examples, applying learning, and reflecting;
• Develop a comprehensive action plan for extending the learning loop between synchronous professional learning engagements through face-to-face, virtual, and individual reflection strategies; and
• Create a complete PULSE professional learning design for an upcoming session, refined through structured peer feedback.
   

Move beyond isolated acts of self-care and toward a collective, systemwide approach to educator wellness. Using Kanold and Boogren’s educator wellness framework, reflect on your own well-being, examine how adult wellness impacts professional learning. Leave with practical, team-friendly strategies that foster sustainable habits, deepen collaboration, and ultimately strengthen outcomes in schools and systems for adults, teams, and students.

Participants will:

• Deepen your understanding of how educator wellness serves as a catalyst for professional learning that is collaborative, sustainable, and systemwide;
• Identify practical strategies and microhabits within each dimension of wellness that teams can implement together to support one another, reduce burnout, and foster environments where educators feel energized to learn and grow collectively;
• Assess current wellness practices within your professional community, recognizing gaps, strengths, and opportunities to create a more united, wellness-centered adult learning culture; and
• Develop an action-oriented plan for integrating wellness practices into coaching, professional learning communities, and schoolwide learning structures.
   

Understand how institutional norms from an industrial-age model of public education have enabled a culture of teaching and learning that is often devoid of student thinking. Explore how the Building Thinking Classrooms approach transforms classrooms from places where students mimic to spaces where students think. Leave with resources to help you begin implementation (or support implementation) of the approach in your school or district.

Participants will:

• Understand what it takes to get students thinking in a math classroom.
• Recognize what thinking in a math classroom looks like.
• Be able to begin the process of building a thinking classroom.
• Be able to support teachers in building a thinking classroom.
   

Implementing new high-quality instructional materials is complex work that requires more than just sticking to the script. Move beyond lagging indicators (summative assessments) to design "right now" measures that inform weekly planning and facilitate solution-oriented collaboration. Leave with practical methods to monitor curriculum implementation and student response in real time.

Participants will:

• Be able to shift focus from judging teacher performance to learning about curriculum implementation;
• Develop a family of measures (process, outcome, and balancing) specifically for a unit of study or instructional shift; and
• Use run charts to track the fidelity of instruction and student engagement, facilitating data-driven discussions in professional learning communities.
   

Examine why traditional and standards-based grading practices often fall short in preparing students for learning beyond school. Engage with a practical framework that supports educators and systems in progressing toward competency-based grading through intentional, additive practices. Apply tools and learning designs that strengthen student agency, improve instructional decision-making, and support sustainable grading change within classrooms, schools, and districts.

Participants will:

• Analyze grading and assessment practices along a continuum from traditional to standards-based to competency-based, identifying leverage points for improving instructional coherence and student learning;
• Apply a progression framework to examine discrete, additive grading practices and participate in learning activities that model how educators and teams can advance competency-based grading within their own contexts;
• Design next-step strategies that support teachers and school leaders in implementing and sustaining grading practices that promote student agency, transfer of learning, and confidence beyond the classroom; and
• Identify how professional learning structures such as professional learning communities, collaborative inquiry, and shared tools can support consistent, system-level implementation.
   

Reimagine pedagogy across K-university and all content areas through a human-centered teaching framework grounded in voice and agency, dignity-driven systems, rigorous and relevant learning, and global citizenship and justice. Examine practical strategies for designing learning spaces that cultivate belonging, critical thinking, stamina, and ethical engagement. Leave with concrete tools to align curriculum, assessment, and AI integration to protect authorship, deepen rigor, and sustain joy.

Participants will:

• Understand and articulate the four domains of the human-centered teaching framework and how they apply across K-university and all content areas;
• Design or refine a lesson, assessment, or classroom routine that cultivates authorship, belonging, intellectual stamina, and disciplinary rigor while protecting dignity and curiosity;
• Apply deep listening and inquiry that centers dignity and belonging to examine how current classroom or institutional practices (e.g., grading, feedback, participation structures, AI use) either expand or constrain voice and agency; and
• Integrate human-centered approaches into daily practice by aligning curriculum, instructional moves, and technology use to foster critical thinking, ethical engagement, and meaningful learning in diverse educational contexts.
   

Examine the risks of using AI within teacher evaluation processes and how overreliance on AI can weaken trust and professional relationships. Explore practical ways AI can strengthen instructional coaching by supporting lesson analysis, feedback conversations, and preparation for difficult discussions. Engage in reflection and application activities focused on keeping human connection and professional judgment at the center of supervision.

Participants will:

• Identify challenges and risks associated with using AI in teacher evaluation processes;
• Describe the role of face-to-face coaching and multiple classroom visits in improving teaching and learning;
• Explore ways AI can support supervisors in preparing for difficult conversations, analyzing lessons, and summarizing feedback discussions; and
• Apply strategies for using AI to enhance coaching while maintaining trust, credibility, and professional relationships.

Examine how Mentor Gwinnett uses a districtwide mentoring and induction framework to accelerate new teacher effectiveness, improve retention, and strengthen student outcomes. Explore the role of Lead Mentors in coordinating school-based supports, professional learning, and collaboration for new educators. Apply practical strategies to design, strengthen, or scale induction programs that create sustainable systems of support for beginning teachers.

Participants will:

• Describe the key components of a districtwide induction and mentoring framework that supports new teacher effectiveness, retention, and student success; 
• Identify the roles and responsibilities of Lead Mentors and explain how teacher leaders can strengthen mentoring, professional learning, and collaboration within schools; 
• Analyze their current induction supports to determine opportunities for strengthening coordination, consistency, and impact; and 
• Develop an action plan for implementing or enhancing mentoring and induction practices that better support new educators in their own context.

Although principals often receive the same training and resources, leadership impact varies widely. Examine the unwritten leadership practices high-impact principals demonstrate and how leadership intentionally develops these behaviors through feedback, reflection, and targeted support. Explore climate and cultural implications and leave with practical tools to coach, monitor, and strengthen leadership practices.

Participants will:

• Identify key unwritten leadership practices that distinguish high-impact principals from their peers;
• Analyze how these practices influence school culture, instructional quality, and adult learning;
• Apply a leadership self-assessment tool to reflect on your own leadership behaviors and blind spots; and
• Develop strategies to intentionally teach and coach these practices with school leadership teams.
   

Learn the secrets behind building authentic leadership credibility. Explore actionable approaches that foster trust, strengthen communication, and create an atmosphere where staff feel inspired and empowered. Implement techniques that turn everyday leadership into something extraordinary.

Participants will:

• Be able to explain the connection between teacher credibility and leader credibility and why both matter for professional learning;
• Identify leadership behaviors that build or erode trust during professional learning initiatives;
• Learn to apply credibility-building strategies that increase engagement, clarity, and follow-through; and
• Reflect on your own behind-the-scenes leadership moves and their impact on adult learning, and plan one leadership action that strengthens credibility and supports collective efficacy.
   

Explore how effective leaders utilize advanced coaching skills to identify core issues and strategically scale their involvement when organizational challenges arise. Use interactive self-assessments, authentic coaching scenarios, and small-group discussions to master four advanced coaching skills designed to diagnose the appropriate level of intervention. Learn how this approach equips leaders to amplify their impact and empower their teams to drive sustainable solutions.

Participants will:

• Be able to strategically differentiate between a colleague’s genuine problem (requiring intervention) and a preference (an opportunity for advanced coaching);
• Using a decision tree, small group discussions, and case study, master using impactful metaphors, addressing the inner critic, aligning core values, and leveraging the power of permission; and
• Develop a personalized action plan to address a specific challenge, allowing you to apply your new coaching skills in an upcoming conversation.
   

Explore why alternative learning environments for Black male students often succeed where traditional systems fall short, particularly in fostering engagement, authentic relationships, and culturally responsive, affirming support. Analyze how these elements create conditions where these students are not merely retained, but empowered to thrive academically and socially. Confront common misconceptions surrounding alternative education, challenging deficit-based assumptions that frame these settings as last resorts rather than innovative pathways.

Participants will:

• Analyze how alternative education models disrupt deficit-based narratives and redefine success for Black male students through culturally responsive and relationship-centered practices;
• Identify key design elements of effective alternative learning environments, including instructional flexibility, restorative structures, and personalized supports, that contribute to improved engagement and academic outcomes;
• Evaluate common misconceptions about alternative education and distinguish between punitive placements and innovation-focused models designed to reach every student; and
• Develop a lens for policy and practice that prioritizes growth, dignity, and access to opportunity when serving Black male students.

Engage with leaders from Washington State University, Wisconsin’s Cooperative Educational Service Agency #4, Metro Nashville Public Schools, and the American Institutes for Research to learn how AI is being used to strengthen instruction and assessment, based on real classroom experience. Hear about research on AI’s impacts for teachers and students and gain tools, frameworks, and more to support implementing effective AI-enabled professional learning.

Participants will:

• Understand how AI-supported professional learning is being used across research, district, and regional service contexts to strengthen core teaching work, including assessment design, Tier 1 instruction, and lesson planning;
• Be able to explain practical, field-tested approaches for implementing AI responsibly, including how to define and evaluate evidence of student learning, support educator roles within AI-enabled systems, and avoid common pitfalls that limit engagement and adoption;
• Review examples of AI-enabled professional learning models such as structured assessment design workflows, district-led pilots, and yearlong teacher learning experiences to identify design features that support educator learning, collaboration, and application in practice; and
• Apply cross-project lessons learned to inform decisions about selecting, piloting, or refining AI-supported professional learning in your own school, district, or partner organizations with attention to scalability, educator experience, and instructional impact.

AI has forced educators to reflect on their teaching and learning practices, especially when it comes to academic integrity and student engagement. See how research-based, classroom-tested strategies for designing cheat-resistant assignments can foster sustainable cultures of academic integrity without sacrificing rigor. Case studies and activities provide practical strategies for designing and grading authentic, uncheatable assessments in classrooms of every grade level.

Participants will:

• Understand why students cheat and the ways traditional assessment strategies encourage academic dishonesty;
• Explore the role student agency, curiosity, and purpose plays in disincentivizing cheating, and what the practical application of these mindsets looks like in a class assignment;
• Know how to use multimodal, multimedia assignments to design uncheatable, student-centered assignments that reduce the desire to cheat; and
• Be able to design and grade your own authentic assignments including standards alignment, and develop rubrics and alternative grading methods.

Examining student work provides powerful evidence of how students think, learn, and make meaning. Engage in a type of curriculum-based professional learning that elevates everyday conversations about student work, strengthens instructional decisions, and improves both student learning and professional practice. Learn to use a structured, collaborative descriptive review process to analyze work against content standards and uncover implications for instruction. Leave the session ready to apply the protocol.

Participants will:

• Learn the alignment between curriculum-based professional learning and the Standards for Professional Learning (especially Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment; Culture of Collaborative Inquiry; and Implementation); 
• Collaboratively examine student work to reveal how students think, learn, and make meaning of content and process; 
• Apply a structured descriptive review protocol to analyze student work against content standards and identify instructional implications; and 
• Determine practical ways to implement the protocol within their own instructional context.

Unpack how to write about your professional learning insights, experiences, and journeys for publication. Identify writing goals and ideas, gain strategies and tips for communicating effectively and compellingly to an educator and/or policymaker audience, and practice writing in response to prompts. Examine submission processes and guidelines for The Learning Professional and other publications.

Participants will:

• Understand strate     gies for communicating insights, experiences, and stories about professional learning;
• Identify topics and messages specific to your work;
• Give and receive feedback from peers on quick-write drafts; and
• Explore publication venues, set a writing goal, and make an action plan for getting published.
       

Fuel your passion for professional learning by discovering the power of the Standards for Professional Learning. Learn how the standards point the way to improving student outcomes by drawing on research of system, school, and educator content and processes and conditions that lead to success. Understand how to connect the standards to real world scenarios and current educator practices while engaging in best practices for adult learning.

Participants will:

• Identify the key components of high-quality professional learning presented in the Standards for Professional Learning;
• Connect evidence-based theories to daily practices around professional learning; and
• Analyze how well your school or district’s current professional learning practices align with the standards.

Explore how educational neuroscience and Learning Forward’s Standards for Professional Learning equip instructional leaders, coaches, and teacher leaders to elevate teaching, learning, and professional development. Experience brain-based, adult-learning strategies that deepen understanding of how the brain learns from an educator-leader perspective and strengthens engagement, transfer, and achievement. Apply research-aligned practices to design and implement professional learning that accelerates educator effectiveness and drives school and district improvement.

Participants will:

• Understand core principles of educational neuroscience and their alignment to the Learning Forward standards, enabling leaders to make research-informed decisions that strengthen instructional design, professional learning systems, and schoolwide improvement efforts;
• Apply brain-based, experiential learning strategies to real instructional or professional learning scenarios, modeling high-quality adult learning that enhances educator performance, deepens engagement, and increases the transfer of learning to classrooms;
• Analyze current school or district practices through the lens of how the brain learns, allowing instructional leaders, coaches, and teacher leaders to identify system-level opportunities to advance student achievement and support sustained educator growth; and
• Develop actionable next steps for implementing brain-aligned learning environments and professional learning structures, including early indicators of impact and emerging data collection methods that support continuous improvement across classrooms, teams, and districts.

Explore a research-informed framework designed to transform educator fatigue into sustained energy while analyzing the consequences of exhausted educators on the learning environment. Apply the empowerment compass to foster efficacy and agency, building lasting resilience powered by reflection and coaching. Develop an action plan to turn everyday interactions into growth opportunities on your journey from exhausted to empowered.

Participants will:

• Analyze the systemic consequences of the exhausted state versus the fully empowered state to identify specific areas for growth within your setting;
• Evaluate your current school or district environment against the five essential conditions for growth (vision, commitment, leadership, structure, and collaboration);
• Learn and practice conversational coaching techniques, including deep listening and thoughtful questioning, to foster trust and collective capacity; and
• Develop an action plan using the empowerment compass to fuel a continuous journey of reflection and professional renewal.

Explore how professional learning can use AI to strengthen differentiation through empathy and intentional instructional design. Apply Tomlinson’s framework to generate, evaluate, and refine differentiated content, process, and products while preserving teacher judgment and learning for all. Design an AI supported instructional component that reduces planning burden and improves student access in your classroom or school.

Participants will:

• Analyze how empathy-driven differentiation supports Learning Forward standards by expanding access to rigorous, student-centered instruction;
• Apply Tomlinson’s Differentiated Instruction Framework and Learning Designs and Implementation standards by using AI to design differentiated content, process, and products that connect learning to the learner, foster belonging, and prioritize authentic learning experiences;
• Evaluate instructional decisions using evidence-based practices to ensure AI-supported differentiation strengthens instructional effectiveness, promotes inclusive learning environments, and advances reflection, agency, and expertise development; and
• Design a differentiated instructional component using AI that can be implemented in classrooms, professional learning communities, or district systems to improve student access, engagement, and achievement.

Explore how instructional coaches can use data and reflective questioning to shift conversations from informal check-ins to focused professional learning. Engage in tools and structures that support goal setting, noticing strengths, and identifying next steps for teacher growth. Practice these approaches through collaborative activities to prepare for coaching conversations that translate reflection into action.

Participants will:

• Facilitate conversations that move from relationship-building to intentional reflection on instructional practice and manageable next steps;
• Learn to use data, goal clarity, and structured reflection to guide conversations that increase teacher engagement and readiness to implement changes in practice;
• Analyze how strengths-based feedback can be leveraged to support areas of growth without increasing defensiveness; and
• Create a concrete plan for moving a current or upcoming coaching conversation toward implementation and instructional change.

Discover how districts can move from intention to impact by narrowing focus to goals that matter most. Experience how FranklinCovey and Maize Unified School District 266 in Kansas utilize the 4 Disciplines of Execution (4DX) to align building goals into a unified district vision. Explore the 4DX framework to overcome the whirlwind, focus on what matters most, and leave with tools to build team alignment and collective capacity for sustainable change.

Participants will:

• Distinguish between the “whirlwind” of urgent tasks and strategic priorities;
• Identify and select a Wildly Important Goal (WIG) that drives the greatest impact on student learning and organizational success;
• Apply lead measures and logic models to create actionable steps that monitor progress toward a WIG; and
• Develop next steps for building collective capacity and sustaining focused execution at scale.

Explore five research-based strategies to create conditions for novice educator success, including belonging, targeted professional development, mentorship, peer observation, and workload management. Examine practical structures for school-based mentoring and differentiated supports that address the diverse needs of new educators while uniting them for learning across roles and pathways. Learn to apply actionable tools and planning ideas to strengthen retention, instructional practice, and school culture within your own contexts.

Participants will:

• Identify the five key strategies for creating conditions for new educator success;
• Explore and share strategies for creating and supporting well-structured school-based mentoring programs;
• Brainstorm authentic supports specific to your location; and
• Understand the diverse needs of different types of new educators you may have in your school.

Well-being cannot thrive in silos. Explore how self-awareness, strong professional relationships, and shared ownership strengthen collective wellness across roles. Examine how understanding emotions and intentionally empowering educator well-being moves schools beyond fragmented initiatives toward coherent, aligned practices. Leave equipped to implement coherent wellness practices and cultivate a culture that supports whole-educator growth and teacher retention.

Participants will:

• Identify one actionable strategy to enhance professional relationships and foster collective ownership in your context;
• Learn to engage colleagues in dialogue that promotes emotional awareness, supports well-being, and encourages mutual accountability; and
• Take home practical tools and strategies to strengthen relationships, sustain collective well-being, and positively impact both teaching and learning outcomes across your school or district.

Imagine a school where every team is not just collegial but high-functioning and actually “United for Learning.” Clarify the role, responsibilities, assumptions, and mindsets necessary for teacher team leaders to be effective. Explore, practice, and plan for using simple go-to moves, techniques, and strategies to help teams get more done in less time and with greater joy.

Participants will:

• Clarify the role of a teacher team leader in creating a culture of collaboration and inquiry;
• Articulate the three responsibilities of a teacher team leader;
• Raise assumptions and frame mindsets that lead to increased teacher team leader effectiveness; and
• Explore simple ways to improve your practice and the effectiveness of your team.

Engage in a core set of student-centered instructional practices that are adaptable across grade levels and content areas and have contributed to improved student outcomes. Explore examples of how educators implemented and refined these practices within their unique contexts, monitored student learning alongside implementation data, and responded to challenges and unexpected outcomes throughout the process. Examine how adaptive integration and collaborative practice can strengthen instruction and support student growth as readers and writers.

Participants will:

• Explore student-centered instructional practices and identify ways to adapt them to meet the needs of diverse learners and instructional contexts; 
• Examine the research base supporting student-centered practices as drivers of student growth in reading and writing; 
• Reflect on the role of teacher collaboration in supporting instructional change and improving professional practice; 
• Identify multiple methods for assessing implementation and analyzing the impact of instructional practices on student learning and assessment outcomes.

Analyze seven core cognitive brain functions to bridge the gap between the science of learning and the classroom foundations of effective, daily instruction. Integrate sticky techniques including background knowledge, visuals, and storytelling to transform complex content into unforgettable student mastery that lasts long after the bell rings. Utilize AI-tools to design research-based mini-lessons that empower all teachers to deliver high-impact, engaging instruction in their classrooms the very next day.

Participants will:

• Be able to explain the seven core cognitive brain functions to understand how the science of learning dictates how students receive and store new information;
• Learn to transform passive lecture moments into active lessons by embedding impactful engagement structures that prevent cognitive fatigue and increase stickiness;
• Know how to build a bridge between immediate student engagement and long-term retention using research-based strategies that support learners at all readiness levels; and 
• Construct a strategic action plan using AI-powered tools and an instructional toolbox to refine lesson delivery, ensuring classroom routines prioritize student talk and visual processing for immediate next-day use.

Evaluate ways students and staff use AI for knowledge acquisition, writing, creative work, and monitoring then debate which uses go too far. Investigate AI-related legal cases to apply lessons-learned and develop effective policies. Generate action plans to engage with stakeholders and effectively navigate AI ethics and policy in your schools.

Participants will:

• Debate acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI for students and staff;
• Determine key components of AI-related legal cases; and
• Develop your own action plans to engage with key stakeholders to support AI discussions, guidance, and policies to effectively balance innovation and ethics in your school community.

Learn to lead teachers in using AI strategically to create mathematics lesson plans that guide practice and include differentiation tools and strategies while maintaining mathematical rigor. Develop lesson plans using structured templates, discovering where AI excels as a planning tool and where teacher pedagogical expertise remains essential. Leave with facilitator-ready templates, customizable prompts, and protocols you can use to lead collaborative lesson planning in your context.

Participants will:

• Understand AI strengths in generating examples and differentiation strategies, and the critical role of teacher judgment in maintaining cognitive demand, making pedagogical decisions, and addressing equity;
• Be able to use a structured lesson planning system with templates and enhancement prompts to create or refine mathematics lessons based on high-quality curriculum and facilitate this process with teachers in collaborative planning settings;
• Be able to evaluate AI-generated lessons using quality criteria (language clarity, reasoning opportunities, differentiation) and coach teachers in refining lessons through targeted prompting and collaborative revision; and
• Apply these tools and protocols to support ongoing mathematics professional learning in your context, including use in professional learning communities, coaching cycles, and curriculum implementation efforts.

Explore how a large district leveraged paraeducators as hidden experts to address professional learning presenter shortages while building a grow-your-own teacher certification pipeline. Examine the design of a paraeducator presenter academy that develops facilitation skills, builds professional expertise, and identifies future certified teachers. Apply a scalable framework to expand internal capacity, strengthen retention, and grow educators from within your own system.

Participants will:

• Understand how district leaders can intentionally develop paraeducators as professional learning leaders to expand presenter capacity while creating pathways into teacher certification and grow-your-own programs;
• Identify the leadership structures, systems, and conditions necessary to design and sustain a paraeducator presenter academy that is job-embedded, role-specific, and scalable across multiple campuses;
• Analyze how leveraging internal expertise strengthens collective efficacy, improves retention, and addresses both professional learning and teacher shortages in large and complex systems; and
• Apply a leadership planning framework to assess your own context and outline next steps for building internal leadership pipelines that grow professional learning capacity and future teachers from within.

Discover how one district intentionally redesigned teacher leadership roles to expand educator influence, expertise, and impact while keeping teachers in the classroom. Learn how a multi-year partnership with outside consultants helped the district align teacher and administrator leadership development with California local control and accountability plan priorities. Come away with insight into creating site- and district-based instructional leadership teams that support coherent professional learning and improve student outcomes.

Participants will:

• Examine how teacher and principal leadership structures can be reimagined to create coherent, sustainable instructional systems across sites;
• Explore proven leadership models and structures that can strengthen collaboration, clarify instructional focus, and support consistent practice across your district; and
• Identify practical, adaptable strategies to grow teacher leadership, increase instructional coherence, and improve student outcomes in your own context.

Learn how AI-supported professional learning can be used to develop learning strategies and identify barriers for neurodiverse students. Apply AI tools to generate suitable lesson plans and specially designed instruction that clarifies roles for multiple adults supporting classroom learning. Implement responsible AI practices that mitigate bias, serve all students, and ensure student privacy by preventing the entry of personally identifiable information.

Participants will:

• Learn to use AI tools to develop comprehensive learner profiles for differently abled students, enabling you to quickly identify student strengths, needs, and personalized supports that inform instructional decisions;
• Be able to leverage AI to produce specially designed instruction that benefits all learners, applying evidence-based professional learning strategies to differentiate instruction in K-12 classrooms;
• Explore how AI can generate lesson plans that clearly define roles for multiple adults in the classroom, improving collaboration among educators, paraprofessionals, and specialists to support student learning; and
• Learn key strategies to mitigate bias and safeguard student privacy by implementing technical safeguards that prevent personally identifiable information from being entered into AI systems.

Explore how the School District of Greenfield, Wisconsin, drives systemic change by shifting professional learning from administrative compliance to shared teacher ownership. Examine how the district’s professional learning and training team (PLATT) model distributes leadership to align district goals with individual teacher growth. Adapt specific tools, rubrics, and facilitation strategies to implement a high-quality, job-embedded learning ecosystem that measurably impacts student outcomes.

Participants will:

• Identify the strategic steps for creating a professional learning and training team to lead and implement professional learning aligned to districtwide areas of focus;
• Analyze a 4-layered framework for differentiating professional learning across a district, from new-teacher induction to expert-led action research;
• Examine key artifacts, including a professional learning playbook and site-based professional learning expectations learning library designed to ensure consistency and quality in all learning environments; and
• Adapt tools and protocols from the Greenfield playbook to build educator capacity and drive professional learning alignment with your own district’s strategic goals.

Explore how professional learning can be designed to occur in the flow of educators’ daily work, using AI as a human-centered support rather than a management tool. Examine practices that establish purpose, ethical guardrails, and shared language for AI use through real-time reflection, dialogue, and application to authentic instructional and leadership tasks. Apply practical strategies to reduce cognitive load, strengthen professional judgment, and incorporate job-embedded learning into everyday practice.

Participants will:

• Identify principles for embedding AI-supported learning into daily work;
• Examine how purpose, ethical guardrails, and shared language guide responsible AI use; and
• Apply job-embedded strategies to reduce cognitive load and support instructional practice that reaches each learner.

Explore how shifting from transactional practices to transformational, hospitality-driven leadership can improve teacher retention. Drawing on principles from the book Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect, examine research-based strategies that help educators feel valued, supported, and connected to purpose. Leave with practical, people-centered approaches for building school cultures where teachers feel their work matters and choose to stay.

Participants will:

• Understand the research connecting teacher retention to school culture, leadership practices, and feelings of value, belonging, and purpose, and how these align with the principles outlined in Unreasonable Hospitality;
• Identify the difference between transactional and transformational approaches to teacher support, and recognize everyday leadership behaviors that either contribute to burnout or foster long-term commitment;
• Apply hospitality-driven strategies to your own role by designing intentional practices that help teachers feel seen, appreciated, and supported beyond compliance and compensation; and
• Develop at least one actionable idea to shift your school or district culture toward a retention-focused model that prioritizes relationships, trust, and meaningful recognition.

Redesign middle school math collaborative planning using a research-backed tool that brings the formative assessment cycle to life, reducing grading time, lowering cognitive load, and turning data into actionable instruction. Experience data reports that surface student thinking, replacing lengthy data meetings with focused conversations about student needs. Transform team planning from curriculum-driven checklists into learning-centered collaboration where educators leverage collective strengths to create responsive learning pathways so every student feels seen.

Participants will:

• Lead a transformed model of collaborative planning in middle school math by guiding teams through the full formative assessment cycle, from designing purposeful tasks to using student evidence to plan responsive instruction;
• Coach teachers to design meaningful formative assessments that generate clear, actionable data, reducing grading load and replacing lengthy data meetings with high-impact instructional conversations;
• Use instruction-ready data reports to facilitate team dialogue focused on which students need what and why, shifting analysis from spreadsheets to instructional decision-making; and
• Leverage teacher expertise and instructional strengths to design responsive strategies and customized learning pathways that ensure students feel seen and supported.

Strengthen professional learning leadership and facilitation to build communities of practice focused on collective success through intentional accountability that facilitates representation. Examine and practice approaches to addressing harm, and explore reflection and mindfulness strategies that support relational trust. Gain concrete tools, facilitation protocols, and decision-making frameworks for immediate application to improve engagement, belonging, and learning culture in virtual and in-person community of practice settings.

Participants will:

• Differentiate between calling in and calling out and select appropriate approaches for addressing harm, assumptions, or misalignment in professional learning spaces; 
• Implement facilitation strategies that strengthen belonging, psychological safety, and shared accountability within communities of practice; 
• Use mindfulness-based facilitation techniques, including pausing, grounding, and intentional language, to respond constructively to challenging moments in group learning settings; and 
• Develop an actionable plan that includes facilitation language, meeting structures, and follow-up practices to improve engagement and relational trust in virtual, hybrid, or in-person professional learning contexts.

Meet the graduates of the Learning Forward Academy and discover how they transformed their systems! Skip the theories and dive straight into real-world results. Each poster showcases a powerful story of disciplined inquiry, targeted implementation, and hard evidence of change that advanced educator practice and boosted student learning. Come celebrate their journey and take home proven strategies!

Participants will:

• Analyze how Academy graduates used disciplined inquiry and evidence to address a clearly defined problem of practice;
• Identify implementation strategies and measures that demonstrate impact on educator practice and student learning; and
• Apply insights from the posters to strengthen your own professional learning design and continuous improvement efforts.

Much of today’s classroom practice is shaped by norms from an industrial-age model of education, often resulting in learning environments where students mimic rather than think. In this workshop, participants will explore over 15 years of research on transforming classrooms into spaces that foster deep student thinking. Through interactive experiences and practical examples, educators will learn strategies to move from task completion to meaningful engagement and critical thinking.

Participants will:

• Recognize what thinking looks like in a math classroom; 
• Understand what it takes to foster student thinking in math; 
• Begin the process of building a thinking classroom; and 
• Support teachers in creating and sustaining thinking classrooms.

Many teachers are simply and understandably burning out! The fire and passion that once sparked for teaching are simply becoming extinguished. Is it any wonder? All teachers are being asked to do is appropriately manage students while engaging the brains of those students in quality curriculum. They are also asked to meet the physical, social, and emotional needs of those same students and all while simultaneously attempting to maintain some semblance of a quality personal life. In this highly-engaging workshop, educators will not only learn how to restore their passion for teaching, they will also explore 12 brain-based principles for avoiding burnout, increasing optimism, and supporting physical well-being.

Participants will:

• Identify the factors that contribute to teacher burnout and learn how to determine purpose and restore the passion inherent in the profession;
• Discover the correlation between humor, optimism, games, and increased immunity;
• Value the importance of quality nutrition, exercise, and sleep to support physical well-being; and
• Create a classroom that engenders optimal student success. 

Examine how leaders can design schools that center voice, identity, and belonging while coaching for agency among both students and educators. Explore the Pedagogies of Voice framework and leadership strategies that cultivate agency and support participation for all in learning. Apply practical tools for professional learning and instructional leadership that help educators leverage the framework to build classrooms and school cultures where voice drives learning.

Participants will:

• Analyze how student voice, identity, and belonging influence agency and learning outcomes, and identify leadership moves that cultivate these conditions across classrooms and schools;
• Apply the Pedagogies of Voice framework to design professional learning and coaching structures that support educators in cultivating agency for both students and teachers;
• Develop practical strategies for coaching educators to strengthen disciplinary thinking and equitable participation through voice-centered instructional practices; and 
• Design actionable next steps for implementing voice-driven learning cultures within their own schools or districts.

Recommended book (optional): https://www.corwin.com/books/pedagogies-of-voice-288927

Support skilled teachers in mentoring colleagues by applying a structured Mentoring Cycle that strengthens new teacher practice. Examine and apply strategies for diagnosing mentees’ needs, providing targeted coaching, and monitoring progress to measure growth and impact. Learn and practice skills to build strong, trust-based relationships and communicate effectively with beginning teachers. Apply adult learning theory and insights into the new teacher mindset to the mentoring role, and design a mentoring support plan that accelerates knowledge, skills, and instructional growth.

Participants will:

• Learn the “why” behind mentoring and the impact mentoring can have on new teachers;
• Understand and apply mentor roles, responsibilities, expectations, and key attributes in their work with new teachers;
• Recognize and apply strategies from the Mentor Cycle framework for developing new teachers’ knowledge and skills; and
• Apply tools and strategies that establish trust between a mentor and a new teacher to build strong, learning-focused relationships.

The true power of coaching lies in coaching the person, not the problem. When coaches help clients surface and explore their deep-seated beliefs, they unlock meaningful insights and innovative thinking—leading to new approaches to challenges and lasting changes in behavior. Experienced coaches will strengthen their ability to consistently create high-trust conversations, recognize opportunities for shifts in thinking, and move beyond surface-level dialogue to foster meaningful changes in educator practice.

Participants will:

• Clearly articulate the concept of “coaching the person, not the problem” and its potential to foster meaningful changes in thinking and behavior; 
• Increase their ability to recognize opportunities to invite clients to examine underlying beliefs during coaching conversations; 
• Learn strategies for deepening safety and trust in coaching interactions to create a receptive environment for exploring limiting beliefs; and 
• Practice using safe, respectful language when challenging assumptions and beliefs.

Develop clarity on the purpose and foundational steps for instructional coaches, with an emphasis on the importance of building relationships through coaching to enhance teacher practice. Explore strategies to improve instruction, promoting student growth and achievement for all learners. Collaborate and reflect with others to gain confidence in establishing impactful coaching relationships and driving instructional improvement in your setting.

Participants will:

• Define the purpose and responsibilities of instructional coaches; 
• Identify initial steps for building coaching relationships and fostering trust;
• Explore strategies for enhancing initial instruction to boost student growth and achievement; and
• Increase confidence and clarity in navigating the coaching role within current systems.

Explore how partnership-based coaching conversations can reduce resistance, build trust, and support meaningful growth. Practice evidence-based communication strategies and use the Impact Cycle to clarify goals, guide improvement, and monitor progress. Develop practical approaches for making coaching a sustainable part of leadership and supporting continuous growth.

Participants will:

• Apply partnership principles and evidence-based communication strategies to build trust, foster collaboration, and facilitate educator reflection and growth;
• Implement the Impact Cycle to identify goals, develop improvement strategies, and monitor progress with educators;
• Collect and analyze relevant data to inform coaching conversations and support continuous improvement; and
• Develop an action plan for integrating coaching practices into their leadership work and sustaining continuous growth.

Gain step-by-step guidance to maximize collaborative learning time for teachers to solve specific student learning challenges by implementing a five-stage cycle of teacher-led professional learning. Examine a process for using student data to craft student and educator learning goals leading to learning plans, implementation steps, and progress monitoring. Focus on the role of learning teams in implementing high quality instruction and what that means for student and educator learning goals.

Participants will:

• Make the connection between collaborative, teacher-led learning and improved instruction and student learning;
• Take steps to launch a learning team cycle with five key stages and examine how to implement each with specific strategies and supporting protocols;
• Adapt the cycle to fit specific school and district calendars and initiatives; and
• Leave with a road map to focus on the day-to-day actions in classrooms among students, educators, and instructional materials for maximum impact.

Hard conversations and candid feedback are unavoidable in healthy schools - yet many educators feel unprepared to either give or receive feedback well. Build skills for engaging directly and productively, helping participants offer clear, professional feedback while receiving input with greater emotional regulation and less defensiveness.

Participants will:

• Prepare for and engage in hard conversations using clear, responsible, and professional communication strategies;
• Offer candid feedback in ways that maintain relationships while addressing concerns directly;
• Recognize and regulate emotional responses when conversations become challenging; and
• Receive feedback with less defensiveness and greater curiosity.

Using examples from the National Education Association, explore how educators designed and implemented AI micro-credentials. Learn how educators served as content designers, peer reviewers, and credential earners, ensuring the learning is relevant, rigorous, and grounded in authentic classroom practice.

Participants will:

• Identify design features of micro-credentials that support transfer to classroom practice;
• Explore how NEA AI micro-credentials can support both individual and system-level professional learning; and
• Generate ideas for integrating micro-credentials into existing professional learning structures.

Move beyond one-size-fits-all professional development. Explore innovative approaches to professional learning that drive sustained growth for teachers and leaders. Examine common challenges, discover practical solutions, and leave with actionable strategies to implement meaningful, results-driven learning in your organization.

Participants will:

• Explore the importance of making data-informed professional learning decisions;
• Examine ways to model professional learning as experiences for all; and
• Determine roles and responsibilities in determining, planning, delivering, and implementing professional learning.

Coaches, like teachers, face numerous decisions about which “talk moves” to use in each coaching interaction, yet there is little research-based guidance to support these decisions. Examine what current research and evidence reveal about these choices and how coaches can be supported in making intentional coaching decisions. Explore the Coaching Moves Framework, which synthesizes this evidence into a practical tool for coach reflection, planning, and program improvement.

Participant will:

• Identify connections between language use in coaching conversations and teacher development; 
• Interpret current research on coaching practice to inform coaching decisions and support continuous improvement; and
• Leverage the Coaching Moves Framework to reflect on, plan, and strengthen coaching practice and program effectiveness.

Engage in collaborative discussion on designing high-quality after-school programs aligned to school goals, with attention to staffing, training, and retention challenges. Examine core design elements including program structure, staff roles, student engagement, and instructional alignment. Explore practical strategies for preparing and supporting staff while applying a flexible design framework to strengthen program quality and long-term sustainability.

Participants will:

• Identify key components of effective after-school program design aligned to school goals and MTSS frameworks;
• Examine how after-school programs support Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 student needs;
• Apply strategies for training and retaining after-school staff as intentional design decisions; and
• Reflect on actionable design adjustments for their own school context.

Explore how a structured morning meeting routine strengthens classroom community, builds teacher–student relationships, and increases academic engagement. Examine a practical model that integrates daily prompts, interpersonal learning alignment, and student voice, grounded in findings from an eight-week action research study. Apply ready-to-use templates, survey tools, and discussion strategies to implement impactful morning meetings in classroom or school settings.

Participants will:

• Identify research-based evidence on the impact of structured morning meetings on student engagement, interpersonal learning, and classroom culture, and examine connections to Learning Forward Standards for Professional Learning and whole-school improvement; 
• Analyze practical implementation tools—including templates, daily routines, discussion prompts, and student survey instruments—to determine your role in strengthening relationships, increasing academic participation, and promoting equitable learning environments; 
• Design a preliminary implementation plan to integrate morning meetings into instructional practice using collaborative reflection, modeling, and evidence-based strategies; and 
• Apply strategies for using student perception and engagement data to monitor impact and inform instructional adjustments

Explore the Illinois SLD Support Project online learning opportunities, including on-demand webinars, microcredentials, learning pathways, and a fully virtual conference. Examine how these resources align with evidence-based practices for supporting students with specific learning disabilities and translate into classroom practice. Apply strategies to design personalized professional learning plans that strengthen instruction and improve outcomes for students with learning differences.

Participants will:

• Identify and differentiate among online learning opportunities offered by the Illinois SLD Support Project, including webinars, microcredentials, learning pathways, and virtual conferences; 
• Describe how these resources align with evidence-based practices for supporting students with specific learning disabilities and apply that understanding to instructional contexts; 
• Select appropriate learning options aligned to individual or team professional learning goals; and
• Develop a personalized professional learning plan that uses session content to support ongoing instructional improvement and student outcomes.

Discover practical strategies for supporting neurodiverse students through inclusive and engaging classroom practices. Explore how Universal Design for Learning (UDL), multisensory approaches, and technology tools can reduce barriers and personalize instruction for diverse learners. Engage in hands-on activities and leave with actionable ideas to strengthen learning experiences and support success for all students.

Participants will:

• Identify evidence-based strategies, including scaffolding and multisensory techniques, that support neurodiverse learners;
• Design an inclusive learning activity that incorporates UDL principles to increase engagement and accessibility;
• Select and apply digital tools that personalize instruction and support diverse neurocognitive profiles; and
• Develop practical approaches for creating more inclusive and responsive classroom learning environments.

Rethink school culture as a powerful ripple effect that shapes every aspect of a school community. Explore how culture can serve as either a unifying force or a barrier to student learning, staff well-being, and family engagement. Engage in reflection and dialogue about the beliefs, norms, relationships, and practices that influence achievement, morale, retention, and trust, and examine how misaligned cultures contribute to burnout, disengagement, and opportunity gaps.

Participants will:

• Explain the impact of school culture on staff outcomes, including job satisfaction, self-efficacy, collaboration, and retention, based on current research;
• Identify how school culture influences student outcomes such as academic achievement, engagement, behavior, and social-emotional development;
• Understand the role of school culture in shaping parent perceptions, communication, and engagement; and
• Analyze indicators of positive and negative school culture within their own contexts.

Explore a multicomponent model for adolescent reading instruction that strengthens Tier 1 literacy practices across all content areas. Examine how evidence-based strategies for word recognition, word knowledge, sentence analysis, and verbal reasoning work together to improve comprehension. Learn practical approaches for building background knowledge and student self-efficacy to make literacy instruction more accessible and effective for all secondary learners.

Participants will:

• Examine the foundational components of adolescent reading comprehension and their implications for school-wide literacy instruction;
• Describe the research base supporting evidence-based practices that strengthen adolescent literacy development; and
• Identify actionable strategies leaders can use to support effective Tier 1 instruction for struggling readers across content areas.

Explore the role vocabulary plays in comprehension and academic achievement across content areas. Examine research-based, high-impact instructional vocabulary strategies. Apply AI as an instructional support to design intentional, meaningful, and differentiated vocabulary lessons that deepen student understanding and increase engagement.

Participants will:

• Understand the role vocabulary plays in improving comprehension and student achievement across content areas and grade levels;
• Identify and apply research-based, high-impact vocabulary strategies to strengthen daily instruction;
• Design intentional vocabulary lessons using AI as a planning and differentiation tool to increase student access, engagement, and ownership of learning; and
• Apply practical AI-supported strategies to create scaffolds, examples, and practice opportunities that enhance vocabulary instruction while maintaining instructional rigor and teacher decision-making.

Discover how character-based storytelling can simplify complex Biology concepts while increasing student engagement, understanding, and retention. Explore practical classroom strategies that use narrative and visuals to make abstract STEM content more accessible and memorable. Learn how to design and adapt storytelling approaches that can be immediately applied to create more meaningful, student-centered Biology instruction.

Participants will:

• Explain how character-based storytelling supports learner-centered, equity-driven instruction that strengthens content understanding in Biology and STEM;
• Design and implement a structured storytelling process that can be applied to instruction and adapted across contexts;
• Apply storytelling techniques to improve instructional clarity, student engagement, and formative assessment opportunities; and
• Use classroom evidence and reflection to evaluate the impact of storytelling on student learning and identify adaptations for their own practice.

Explore why students often appear to understand content during instruction but struggle to retain or apply it over time. Drawing on cognitive science, examine how “false mastery” and predictable forgetting patterns emerge from common instructional design choices. Learn and apply small, high-impact adjustments to existing lessons that strengthen retention and support durable, long-term learning.

Participants will:

• Distinguish between observable performance during instruction and durable learning that supports retention and transfer;
• Identify instructional decisions that can create the appearance of mastery without long-term understanding;
• Analyze instruction and PLC discussions through a cognitive science lens to identify where learning breakdowns are likely to occur; and
• Apply small, high-impact instructional design changes that strengthen retention and durable learning.

Explore how school leaders can shift instructional monitoring from compliance-driven practice to a joyful, literacy-centered experience. Examine leadership behaviors and structures that make data collection meaningful, supportive, and motivating for teachers and students.  Engage in reflection, collaboration, and practical tools to reframe accountability as a catalyst for student engagement, agency, and a love of reading.

Participants will:

• Identify leadership behaviors that promote literacy-centered, student-engaged learning environments;
• Describe monitoring strategies that balance rigor with inspiration for teachers and students; and
• Analyze approaches to tracking student progress that strengthen engagement, agency, and literacy growth.

Master four leadership coaching tools designed to transform daily interactions into strategic coaching moments: the power of presence, reflection and de-escalation, framing with purpose, and impactful questioning. Engage in a practitioner’s lab applying these tools in both formal and informal leadership settings. Through diagnostic self-assessments and case studies, examine how these strategies are used in schools and departments. Explore three coaching mindsets to identify the most effective intervention for any situation. Build a personalized action plan to apply these skills to a real leadership challenge, with targeted feedback from an expert coach.

Participants will:

• Differentiate among three coaching mindsets to select appropriate interventions for varied leadership situations;
• Apply four high-leverage coaching tools—presence, reflection and de-escalation, framing with purpose, and impactful questioning—to strengthen everyday leadership interactions; and
• Develop and refine a personalized action plan to integrate coaching tools into daily leadership practice and address a real leadership challenge.

Explore how to move professional learning beyond one-time events into job-embedded systems that sustain instructional change. Examine coaching cycles, feedback loops, and collaborative structures that support ongoing implementation and continuous improvement. Apply a practical framework and reflection tools to redesign professional learning experiences that strengthen practice and improve outcomes.

Participants will:

• Identify design features of professional learning systems that support sustained instructional change, including coaching, collaboration, and feedback loops;
• Apply a practical framework to shift professional learning from isolated events to ongoing, job-embedded learning experiences;
• Analyze current professional learning structures to determine strengths and gaps in supporting implementation and continuous improvement; and
• Develop initial next steps for redesigning professional learning to better support lasting improvements in instructional practice and student outcomes.

Exploring ethics and values is essential to developing a strong sense of identity and understanding at any age. Often, individuals have not taken time to reflect on what they truly value, and many employees would be hard-pressed to identify their organization’s core values. Engage with hands-on tools and protocols designed to spark meaningful conversations about personal values, attitudes, and behaviors, fostering deeper understanding, collaboration, and trust. Clarify your own purpose and passions, move beyond superficial adherence to organizational values and instead build upon shared beliefs that strengthen culture and community. Leave empowered to positively influence organizational culture and collaborative environments.

Participants will:

• Identify and articulate personal core values and examine how those values influence attitudes, decision-making, and behavior in professional settings;
• Explore the connection between personal and organizational values, including how alignment impacts collaboration, trust, and workplace culture;
• Use structured tools and protocols to facilitate meaningful conversations about values, ethics, and behaviors with teams and students; and
• Develop actionable strategies to strengthen culture and collaboration by reinforcing shared values in daily routines, meetings, and student engagement practices.

Strong interpersonal and human-centered skills are more important than ever, yet educators often struggle to cultivate them without adding to an already full workload. Explore how to move from a model of compliance to a culture of connection by embedding interpersonal skill development into everyday classroom practice. Drawing on the R.E.D. (Releasing Emotional Drama) framework, participants will learn practical strategies to foster student ownership, engagement, and emotional regulation through Socratic storytelling, culturally relevant media, and home-school partnerships. Leave with ready-to-use tools and a sustainable approach to strengthening classroom culture and supporting student success.

Participants will:

• Explain the importance of intentionally developing students' interpersonal skills and advocate for an integrated approach within their school or district;
• Facilitate student-led discussions using visual storytelling strategies that promote empathy, critical thinking, and emotional regulation;
• Select and incorporate culturally relevant media to increase student engagement and strengthen classroom connections; and
• Implement home-school communication tools that support consistent relationship-building practices and family engagement.

Examine how professional learning often emphasizes compliance over capacity and identify design elements that limit instructional transfer. Experience a capacity-building professional learning framework grounded in adult learning principles that prioritizes inquiry, reflection, and application. Apply a practical redesign tool to strengthen instructional practice and support sustained change.

Participants will:

• Understand key differences between compliance-based and capacity-building professional learning, and how adult learning principles influence educator engagement and instructional transfer;
• Analyze current PD, PLC, or coaching structures to identify design elements that limit sustained changes in instructional practice;
• Apply a capacity-building professional learning framework to redesign an existing professional learning experience to include inquiry, reflection, rehearsal, and contextualized application; and
• Identify at least one actionable leadership move to strengthen professional learning at the classroom or school level and support transfer into instructional practice.

Explore how regional networks leverage Learning Forward’s Standards for Professional Learning to advance accomplished teaching and educator growth. Examine collaborative structures and practices that support reflection, leadership development, and aligned instructional expertise. Apply practical strategies to strengthen professional learning systems, support accomplished teaching, and scale data-driven impact across school districts, regions, and the state.

Participants will:

• Explore how Learning Forward’s Standards for Professional Learning align with the design of regional networks that promote accomplished teaching and sustained educator growth;
• Discuss practical, network-based strategies to strengthen professional learning systems and support accomplished teaching across districts, regions, and statewide networks; and
• Share data-driven approaches to scale the impact of collaborative professional learning across districts, regions, and statewide networks.

Intentional efforts to cultivate connection and belonging among early career teachers are essential to their retention and success. Learn strategies that helped Taylor Independent School District early career teachers feel valued, effective, and energized from their first day on the job through the end of their first year.

Participants will:

• Explore approaches for cultivating connection and belonging among early career teachers;
• Examine the role belonging plays in teacher retention, well-being, and self-efficacy; and
• Create an action plan to implement or adapt community-building strategies within their own districts or campuses.

Spark collaborative problem-solving through a survival game that reveals team strengths, workflows, and prioritization strategies for Professional Learning Communities. Compare and annotate PLCs, Professional Work Communities (PWCs), and Professional Learning using the Last Word protocol to craft a focused PLC action plan. Build team resilience through scenarios and coaching moves, then commit to one concrete action and a derailment response strategy to sustain purposeful PLC work.

Participants will:

• Distinguish PLCs, PWCs, and PL by identifying key characteristics and roles to accurately classify their current team and inform future meeting design;
• Demonstrate collaborative problem-solving skills by applying team roles and prioritization strategies from the survival game to real PLC tasks and decision-making;
• Create a clear, actionable PLC plan that specifies goals, the proportion of time allocated to PLC/PWC/PL, and concrete implementation steps for their school context; and
• Apply resilience strategies and coaching moves to anticipate and respond to derailments, sustaining momentum and continuous improvement within PLCs.

Demonstrate how a belonging-centered mentoring system supports new and alternatively licensed teachers in strengthening instructional practice and remaining in the profession. Examine how structured feedback, relational trust, and leadership development work together to improve teacher confidence and retention. Using practical tools and routines, explore how districts and schools can build sustainable mentoring systems for early career educators.

Participants will:

• Understand how belonging and mentoring function as connected levers for improving instructional practice, teacher confidence, and retention in high-need school contexts; 
• Analyze key components of a comprehensive mentoring program, including structured feedback cycles, relational check-ins, and leadership development supports for early career teachers; 
• Apply tools and protocols that support mentors and school leaders in building consistent, supportive systems for new and alternatively licensed teachers; and 
• Use evidence from a Restart school case to inform the design of mentoring and induction structures aligned to professional learning and teacher growth.

Examine research on how classroom conditions influence mathematics learning, with attention to outcomes for all students. Analyze the role of student-perception data and professional learning in strengthening instructional practice and improving classroom environments. Reflect on current efforts in your school or district, connect research-based insights to ongoing instructional improvement work, and identify opportunities and barriers to change.

Participants will:

• Learn how classroom learning conditions influence students’ mathematics outcomes; 
• Explain the importance of collecting and analyzing student-perception data to inform instructional improvement, including common barriers to implementation; 
• Reflect on current practices in their school or district in relation to research findings; and 
• Identify opportunities to strengthen classroom conditions through professional learning and improved data use.

Engage coaches, teacher leaders, and administrators in examining a shared problem of practice related to coaching effectiveness, with a focus on supporting teachers at varied levels of pedagogical readiness. Analyze authentic coaching scenarios, reflect on your own contexts, and engage in structured peer dialogue. Apply reflection, data use, differentiated coaching, and collaborative inquiry to strengthen instructional practice and professional learning systems.

Participants will:

• Design and refine coaching practices that support educators at varied levels of readiness;
• Apply a structured coaching process that integrates reflection, data analysis, and collaborative inquiry to identify high-leverage instructional needs and next steps for teacher growth;
• Analyze authentic coaching scenarios to select coaching goals and match strategies within instructional frameworks; and
• Use peer feedback and reflection to strengthen coaching decisions and improve instructional impact.

Explore how instructional coaches can support science teachers in implementing the new Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) through 3D learning. Experience a short phenomenon-based lesson, analyze key instructional moves, and connect them to effective coaching practices. Leave with practical strategies to support integration of Scientific and Engineering Practices (SEPs), Recurring Themes and Concepts (RTCs), and content through purposeful coaching conversations.

Participants will:

• Understand the components of 3D science instruction, including phenomena, SEPs, RTCs, and content integration; 
• Identify instructional look-fors and student evidence that signal effective TEKS-aligned 3D learning; 
• Apply coaching strategies that support teacher reflection, lesson refinement, and instructional shifts; and 
• Use coaching tools and conversation stems to strengthen science instruction in coaching cycles, PLCs, and classroom observations.

Build capacity to intentionally support teacher resilience, well-being, and retention. Explore strategies that strengthen commitment and effectiveness by promoting balanced, sustainable professional systems. Gain actionable leadership tools and mindsets to cultivate resilient school cultures, support educators, and enhance student success.

Participants will:

• Identify key personal and professional stressors that impact teacher resilience, effectiveness, and retention; 
• Apply leadership strategies that promote balance, well-being, and professional fulfillment within school systems and structures; 
• Implement sustainable practices that strengthen teacher commitment and support long-term career growth; and 
• Use practical tools and mindsets to cultivate a resilient school culture that supports educator morale and student success.

Student success is strongest when educators are united in purpose, practice, and learning. Explore how the collective use of data, shared instructional language, and collaborative planning routines strengthens alignment across classrooms and teams. Examine how working together around common goals leads to more consistent instruction and improved student outcomes. Learn practical strategies to strengthen coherence, sustain professional learning, and support high-quality teaching through a unified approach to learning.

Participants will:

• Identify ways to use shared data and instructional language to align practices across classrooms and teams; 
• Engage in collaborative planning and reflection protocols that strengthen collective efficacy and instructional consistency; and 
• Develop actionable next steps that support sustained professional learning and shared ownership for student success.

Discover how structured collaborative support transforms PLCs from data meetings into drivers of instructional improvement and student achievement. Explore practical tools, including team assessment protocols, planning templates, and feedback schedules, alongside action research findings that demonstrate measurable impacts on teaching practice and student learning. Learn how evidence-based inquiry, when embedded in PLC structures, leads to meaningful classroom change beyond surface-level data review.

Participants will:

• Design structured PLC practices that foster collaborative inquiry and collective responsibility for connecting instructional decisions to student learning outcomes; 
• Apply evidence-based tools to strengthen team collaboration and instructional coherence; 
• Use action research findings and evaluative evidence to move PLCs from data review to continuous improvement cycles focused on classroom impact; and 
• Identify strategies to sustain effective PLC structures within existing time and resource constraints.