Many teachers in the U.S. are feeling stretched beyond their limits. In fact, one in four American teachers reported considering leaving their jobs by the end of the 2020-2021 school year. Overall staffing levels in schools are down across the nation, often forcing remaining teachers to “do double duty” to address student well-being and overcome the impact of lost instructional time. School systems are finding new and innovative ways to encourage, invest in, and lift up teachers across America by pursuing strategies to increase teacher collaboration, reduce teacher workload, attend to dimensions of teacher wellness, and enact inclusive practices to attract and retain high-quality teachers.

The U.S. Department of Education’s Effective Educator Development (EED) Division is hosting a special Powered by Teach to Lead event. This event will convene P-12 school districts focused on strengthening educator effectiveness through projects aligned with

• increasing teacher collaboration through innovative scheduling,
• supporting educator wellness using targeted practices, and
• investing in a talented and diverse teacher pipeline.

What is Powered by Teach to Lead?

Powered by Teach to Lead events provide teams with collaboration time, skills development, and professional consultation to develop and refine innovative projects that can make a positive impact for educators and students in their schools, communities, districts, and states.

What are the benefits for teams attending this event?

• Collaboration time to develop and refine a theory of action that addresses a challenge within a district, region, or state
• Obtain the support of a dedicated “critical friend” to facilitate thinking and advance the project work
• Build relationships with the U.S. Department of Education, other education partners, and innovative peers in the field
• Participate in learning experiences related to implementation planning
• Register at no cost and receive free on-site lodging

Who should apply?

• Any team that has been engaged in innovative work for at least one school year is encouraged to apply HERE by 11:59 pm ET on July 15, 2022. Accepted teams will be notified by the end of July.
• Teams must have 4-6 members, consisting of at least one teacher, and should represent the expertise, authority, and perspective required to do the work effectively (e.g., superintendent, principal, collective bargaining representative, curriculum specialist, teacher, board of education member, and other individuals with diverse perspectives).
• The focus of the work may be at the school, district, or regional level, and must focus on one of these key areas:
  • increasing teacher collaboration time using innovative scheduling practices – for example, four-day school week, extended school day, professional learning communities, embedded professional learning, common planning time, and alternative approaches to the traditional teacher workload
  • supporting educator (teacher and principal) well-being using innovative approaches – for example, targeted efforts focused on dimensions of educator wellness (e.g., emotional, environmental, or social wellness) or inclusive practices
  • investing in a talented and diverse teacher pipeline – for example, diversifying the educator workforce, implementing grow-your-own programs and teacher residency programs, supporting teachers in earning additional certification in high-demand areas, and creating opportunities for teacher advancement and leadership

Event Logistics

• Accepted teams will convene virtually in advance of the event for approximately 60 minutes.
• The event begins at 1:00PM ET on Friday, September 16, and ends at 5:00PM ET on Saturday, September 17.
• There is no registration cost for this event, and participants will receive free on-site lodging.

For more information, visit https://eed.communities.ed.gov/#program/2022-powered-by-ttl-special-event and please contact the EED Technical Assistance Center EED-TA@aemcorp.com. Submissions can be submitted HERE.