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In February, Impact Florida held its fifth and final Learning Walk of the inaugural Districts for Impact cadre, hosted by Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS). Cadre leaders came together to learn how the district has developed a systematic approach for the professional learning of its teachers and leaders – one of Impact Florida’s Five Conditions …

A Systematic Approach to Professional Learning in Miami-Dade County Public Schools Read More »

In February, Impact Florida held its fourth Learning Walk in the School District of Palm Beach County. On this visit, cadre leaders came together to learn about how Palm Beach County schools are increasing access to high-quality instructional materials – one of Impact Florida’s Five Conditions That Support Great Teaching – to empower each student …

Palm Beach increasing equity through course access and strong materials Read More »

In late January, Impact Florida held its third Districts for Impact Learning Walk in Collier County, bringing together leaders from our five participating Florida districts. Our visit gave Collier County Public Schools a chance to share its Data Dialogue Process, which leverages data for continuous improvement – one of Impact Florida’s Five Conditions That Support …

Leveraging Data for Continuous Improvement in Collier County Public Schools Read More »

Successful classrooms don’t have to be the same – and quite honestly, they shouldn’t be. I learned this valuable lesson from my mentor Jon Wilhelm while student teaching in college. His classroom was exciting, and the students contributed on a level I had not seen or experienced before. Observing different methods of teaching, different levels …

Why Learning From Each Other is Vital for Student Success Read More »

In early December, I attended our second Districts for Impact Learning Walk in Osceola County, joining leaders from our five participating Florida districts. Our visit gave the Osceola district a chance to share its Data Stocktake Process, which empowers leaders to scale great teaching beyond individual classrooms – one of Impact Florida’s Five Conditions That …

Learning to Empower Leaders through Data Stocktakes in Osceola County Read More »

Teachers want to experience the joy of seeing their students succeed. For many great teachers, it’s their primary motivation. Impact Florida shares Gov. DeSantis’ goal of moving Florida to the top of the salary rankings nationwide. Yet, as important as financial rewards are, they are only part of the support that teachers need to be …

Salary Raises Are Among Many Ways Florida Can Support Its Teachers Read More »

In October 2019, leaders from five Florida school districts gathered in Pasco County for the exciting opportunity to participate in Impact Florida’s first Districts for Impact Learning Walk. Districts for Impact is a new initiative focused on creating a stimulating learning environment to share promising instructional practices that are improving the equity of access to …

Leaders from Five Districts for Impact attend first Learning Walk in Pasco County Read More »

Recently I had the privilege of testifying before the Florida Senate and House Education Committees on the vital importance of ensuring that Florida teachers are provided with robust, meaningful learning opportunities to continually refine their teaching practice. I was honored to present alongside a number of Florida superintendents and other experts in the field who …

The Importance of Professional Learning Read More »

Note: In a session at Impact Florida’s 2019 Summit, panelist Sue Pimentel was asked about instructional  practices and challenges that kept her up at night when it comes to literacy instruction in our schools. Here she reflects on the thoughts she shared at the summit.  There is hope for literacy instruction. I am encouraged about …

Hope, Help and a Bright Future for Students Learning, Reading, Writing Read More »

Note: In a session at Impact Florida’s 2019 Summit, Dr. David Steiner talked about the importance of building knowledge in the teaching of literacy. Below, he expands on his thoughts about what is needed to improve student success in reading. Policymakers in the United States often focus on the achievement gap in reading competencies between …

Teaching Reading in the United States, Reconsidered Read More »