The Ed First Difference

1. Assist LEAs with the development and implementation of strategic staffing plans to grow their own students, staff and community members into teachers, and other professional support positions (e.g., social workers, speech-language pathologists, etc.). Plans should include strategies to diversify the workforce with underrepresented groups. Plans should also include strategies to build pipelines for hard-to-fill areas (e.g., math, science, special education, bilingual, and CTE).
2. Partner with LEAs to conduct needs assessments, collect stakeholder feedback, evaluate programs and plan for sustainability, including systems and support for hiring and placement of participants.
3. Plan and implement marketing and recruiting campaigns for specific groups and/or positions.

Projects that support this work:

Baltimore Teacher Evaluation – Designed, researched, and communicated a new teacher evaluation system that the district successfully negotiated with the local teachers union.

Teach Chicago Tomorrow – Worked with Chicago Public Schools to design and launch a highly successful teacher career pathway pathway.

St. Paul, Innovative Staffing Models – Currently supporting a partnership between St. Paul Public Schools, the and Dougherty Family College (2-year) and the University of St. Thomas (4-year) to launch a pre-collegiate Grow Your Own pathway for promising teacher candidates to earn credit in high school towards its 2-year and 4-year programs.

1. Assist LEAs with the development and implementation of strategic plans to better support and retain staff. Plans may include strategies related to induction and orientation, compensation, professional development, coaching, mentorship, employee health and wellness, employee recognition, and climate and culture.
2. Partner with LEAs to conduct needs assessments, collect stakeholder feedback, evaluate programs, and plan for sustainability.
3. Support LEAs in the marketing and communication of new programs and activities.

Projects that support this work:

Indianapolis – Developed a comprehensive district talent strategy, designed and implemented a new teacher induction model, designed and supported ongoing new teacher training, and created materials such as new teacher newsletters and a mentor teacher handbook.

Minneapolis – Partnered with Minneapolis Public Schools to rethink their approach to teacher leadership, including roles and compensation.

Chicago – Launched Teach Chicago, an improved teacher pipeline model with a multifaceted approach that included better data collection, more strategic partnerships with teach preparation programs and the identification of 50 opportunity schools on which to focus recruitment efforts.

Denver – Supported Denver Public schools to develop a set of guidance documents as it rolled out a new set of teacher leader roles in the district.

Syracuse – Supported its Turnaround School Leader program, which included targeted professional development and coaching for school leaders working in the most difficult schools in the district.

1. Assist LEAs with the development and implementation of strategic plans to provide rigorous professional development to K-3 teachers and other relevant staff that is aligned to the science of reading and best practices in literacy. Plans should include creating systems to support the implementation of the training such as establishing a trainer-of trainers model, developing professional learning communities for literacy, or strategically deploying instructional coaches and literacy specialists.
2. Provide training to K-3 teachers and other relevant staff in the science of reading.
3. Ensure LEAs have high-quality, content-rich instructional materials and assessment tools aligned to the science of reading and Maryland’s Ready to Read Act.
4. Create systems for progress monitoring, including the use of universal screeners, to ensure all students are reading by the end of third grade and have the appropriate supports if still struggling with reading beyond third grade.

Projects that support this work:

Oak Foundation K-3 Literacy Strategy – Explored opportunities for improving reading instruction in early grades allowing for a better understanding of what the field currently knows about early literacy, what supports exist to ensure students have access to effective literacy instruction and the most promising investment opportunities to improve how K-3 students learn to read, especially students with learning differences who also experience additional adversity due to racism and poverty.

Resilient Schools Support Program – Provided 1:1 coaching to Texas districts to build their capacity for broader academic recovery support, including a focus on improving reading curriculum and instruction.

Council of Chief State School Officers – Leader on one of their key equity initiatives resulting in significate strides towards increasing high quality curriculum adoptions.

Silicon Schools Fund – Provided research support to Silicon Schools Fund as it launched Elevate, an instructional improvement initiative with technical assistance providers and northern California K12 schools that are primed to adopt high-quality instructional materials and aligned practices.

Designing Meaningful Formative Assessment Practice – Assisted three districts apply design thinking principles to help teachers improve their formative assessment practice.

1. Assist LEAs with the development and implementation of a strategic plan to launch new school model(s) designed to serve all students. LEAs may choose models related to Career and Technical Education (CTE), early/middle college, or the transformation of low-performing schools. Support the LEA in executing all activities related to launching new school model(s).
2. Provide staff with initial and ongoing professional development to support the implementation of the school model.
3. Ensure school has the instructional materials, supplies, and other equipment needed to support the new model.
4. Support LEAs in the marketing, communications and recruitment efforts for new school model(s).
5. Assist LEAs in partnering with or launching an intermediary in collaboration with industry partners to provide students with opportunities for career awareness, career exploration, and work-based learning.
6. Partner with LEAs to conduct needs assessments, collect stakeholder feedback, evaluate implementation and plan for sustainability.

Projects that support this work:

Texas – Support internal team and programmatic design and development to direct-to-district strategic coaching and technical implementation support.

CIO Toolkit – Conducted extensive research and interviews to inform ways to enable innovation and systems change work sustainably and with impact.

The Imagine Network – Education First is incubating The Imagine Network to support a diverse network of district Chief Innovation Officers, or those in similar roles, to equip them with the tools, knowledge, skills and professional network to lead with equity, and design and implement sustainable and innovative solutions aligned to student and family needs.

Kirwan Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education – We partnered with Baltimore City Public Schools to develop a report to the state-appointed Kirwan Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education, which identified major education funding and policy recommendations for the state of Maryland.

1. Assist LEAs in the development and implementation of a strategic plan designed to launch a robust and high-quality community schools initiative that serves a designated community and/or neighborhood and utilizes an asset-based approach to strengthen school-to-home relationships as well as the school’s relationship to the community. Support the LEA in executing all activities related to this effort.
2. Partner with LEAs to conduct needs assessments, collect stakeholder feedback, evaluate programs, and plan for sustainability.

Projects that support this work:

Cherry Hill & Baltimore Schools – A social, emotional, and academic development strategy including activities to boost student achievement and recover from pandemic-related unfinished learning in five areas: (1) support teachers to use high quality instructional materials and employ effective instructional practices; (2) provide educator professional learning focused on assessment and data literacy; (3) strengthen existing partnerships (or established new ones, as needed) to allow for greater coherence and collaboration; (4) build teachers’ SEL competencies and skills by articulating a schoolwide SEL vision and aligning related supports; and (5) engage families and caregivers as allies in their children’s academic success.

Los Angeles Country of Education – Develop a programmatic roadmap for its Community Schools Initiative defining initiative success, identifying core strategies to support high-quality implementation and developing plans for progress monitoring and continuous improvement practices.

Equity by Design for Restart and Recovery (Equitable Design) grants – Partnered with the NoVo Foundation to create and administer grants to districts to support post-COVID restart and recovery through equitable design processes. Coaching and technical assistance were provided to districts to refine, enhance and accelerate their reopening and recovery plan.