Teacher Preparation &
Professional Development

Recent research establishes beyond any doubt that the quality of the teacher is the single most important variable affecting pupil achievement. The conviction that the quality of the classroom teacher is the primary predictor of student success has shifted public attention to teacher quality‚ in particular to teachers’ capacity to promote learning among all of their pupils. NIWL partners with foundations‚ universities‚ states‚ districts‚ and schools to support programmatic and systemic change in teacher preparation and professional development with the ultimate goal of improving student engagement and achievement.

• Bush Foundation Teacher Effectiveness Initiative: NIWL provides continuing coaching and technical support to 14 universities and the Bush Foundation in their push to prepare at least 25‚000 highly effective new teachers over the next decade.
• Pennsylvania Institute for Instructional Coaching (PIIC): NIWL’s research and evaluation are helping to build a continuous improvement model for high quality professional development on instructional coaching and mentoring in Pennsylvania.
• Reserve Teacher Corps Evaluation: NIWL provided crucial evaluation services to bolster this innovative effort to address the critical shortage of high-quality substitute teachers in urban and rural schools.
• Teachers for a New Era (TNE): NIWL supported 11 universities in developing state-of-the-art teacher education programs‚ a transformation grounded in three principles: 1) decisions driven by evidence; 2) engagement of arts and science faculty; and 3) teaching as an academically taught clinical practice profession.
• TNE Learning Network: Partnering with 30 reform-oriented universities‚ NIWL examines innovations in clinical practice that promote institutional change in teacher preparation.