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Dear Friends,

Fall always brings plenty of excitement here at TLA as our partners across the field welcome students to a new school year. This year, however, took on special meaning for me as my oldest child made the leap from preschool to Kindergarten. With that leap, she took us with her into the realm of K-12 parenthood. As we navigated the complexity of new routines and relationships, we discovered that there is a whole lot of learning as a family ahead of us. 

I’ve never been more grateful for the gracious support and amazing work of my teacher colleagues here and afar than I am when I drop my daughter off at her elementary doors. Thanks to all of you who inspire our team to make the potential of an effective, engaging, and equitable education possible and practical for every learner. 

Beth Rabbitt, CEO


Recent Highlights
Welcome Aboard
Bianca Dávila
TLA is happy to introduce several new members of our team. After spending the past six years working in Title I schools, Bianca Dávila joins us as our new Chief of Staff. She blends her expertise and passion for educational leadership, team culture, process innovation, and organizational management to support the TLA team.
Jeremy Jones
Jeremy Jones is our new Managing Partner. Jeremy has spent 15 years working alongside students and families in schools across the country to close the academic achievement gap and he will be leading TLA's school and systems strategy work.
Nate Kellogg
Nate Kellogg is our newest Partner with a decade of experience working in schools and a wealth of knowledge in educational technology, innovation, design thinking, and professional learning. He will also be a part of TLA’s school and systems team.
ILEx
TLA and Catalyst:Ed have partnered to launch a pilot program called the Innovative Learning Expert Hub (ILEx). ILEx aims to allow education leaders and professional service organizations committed to implementing innovative learning models to find each other and work and learn together. If you are a school leader ready to get support for your innovative learning journey, please visit the ILEx today.
Teacher Onboarding for Innovative Models
In our work with education leaders across the country, we have heard loud and clear that onboarding teachers to new, innovative learning models is a consistent challenge. In response, TLA has created a new Problem of Practice series, with help from our Innovative Directors Network, to support the successful onboarding of new teachers. Each of the three new guides includes real-world examples from schools across the country that can help readers to build an onboarding design for any given school, district, or network.
What Works: Innovative Personalized Learning Pathways for Teachers
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TLA has joined forces as a research partner with Lindsay Unified School District in its work to develop personalized, competency-based professional learning pathways for its facilitators (i.e. teachers). Working together over the next year, we’re exploring the link between different facilitator learning approaches and changes in student experience and achievement. Read recent results and follow the ongoing research project through 2020.
Find Us at iNACOL
We are looking forward to seeing many of you next week in Palm Springs at the 2019 iNACOL Symposium: Shining a Light on the Future of Learning. TLA is thrilled to be presenting alongside many of our partner organizations and education innovation leaders. Sessions are detailed below. We hope you'll join us in person or give us a follow on Twitter @LearningAccel.
Monday, Oct. 28
K-12 Online and Blended Learning Research Community Meeting
8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
This day-long research community meeting fosters a space for researchers, practitioners, and other stakeholders to gain and give practical, applicable insights into measuring to inform and improve online and blended learning. Attendees will have the chance to hear from TLA's 2019 Measurement Fellows and discover their latest research findings on blended and personalized learning initiatives from across the country.
Tuesday, Oct. 29
Return of the Lady Boss: Female Leaders in Education Entrepreneurship
2:15 - 3:15 p.m.
Female leaders face unique challenges getting to and staying at the top. Diversifying gender leadership is critical in education, where women make up the workforce majority but see dwindling representation in top roles. Join a team of lady bosses from varied organizations to continue the conversation about the realities of being “Chief” at work and home. We’ll share personal and professional strategies, support, sanity hacks, and tackle how companies can grow and sustain more female leaders.
Teacher Onboarding for Next-Gen Models: Innovative Strategies from Innovative Leaders
4 - 5 p.m.
When schools shift to next-gen models, they face the challenge of effectively onboarding educators and maintaining momentum with new staff. From shifting mindsets and aligning on a vision to developing the actual competencies needed, preparing staff for new models requires numerous innovative strategies. Join TLA's Innovation Directors Network, explore our onboarding map filled with concrete strategies and resources, and build your own action plan to strategically onboard your educators in this featured iNACOL session.
Wednesday, Oct. 30
Organizational Survival: How Does an Organization Survive and Thrive Through the Ever-Changing Education Landscape?
2:15-3:15 p.m.
Join non-profit leaders for a discussion about how to grow organizations through the ever-changing education landscape. Leading non-profit organizations that continue to grow and deliver impact for students requires thoughtful and planned investment in building your organization. Hear leaders reflect and answer questions on the building blocks of organizational growth; from developing a leadership team to creating an innovation agenda, to building a board of directors, it’s all fair game.
Collaboration, Not Competition: Education Innovation Through Communities of Innovative Practice
4 - 5 p.m.
We are educators that were once isolated and doing our work alone, but we found strength in community and open collaboration and it took our collective impact to a whole new level. Learn about a national network of Communities of Innovative Practice (CIPs) focused on collaboratively tackling complex problems within education through bold, breakthrough approaches. Establishing CIPs can promote equity, eliminate knowledge silos, and drive adoption through professional networks.
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