Education First is a seasoned team of trusted advisors to the leaders responsible for delivering what many Americans want most: public education that effectively prepares all students for success in college, careers and a world of constant change.
The Teacher Preparation Transformation Initiative supports eight networks of teacher preparation programs, which also come together in a community of practice facilitated by Education First to transform the way teachers are prepared for the classroom.
Education First facilitates the Midwest Educator Shortage Community of Practice to support five SEA teams– Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota and Ohio—in making progress on teacher shortage policy strategies to increase the quantity, quality and diversity of teachers in their state. The group convenes quarterly to learn from leading organizations and researchers on model policies and topics of joint interest, share and workshop problems of practice and learn about successful past and current efforts of other state teams.
Through our partnerships with talent leaders in Chicago, Indianapolis and Minneapolis, we helped launch a fellowship for high-potential student teachers; created a cooperating teacher selection and training process; designed and produced data reports for partner programs; developed surveys for recent graduates of teacher preparation programs; and supported the development of several innovative new educator pathways, including Teach Chicago Tomorrow, IndyTeach and registered teacher apprenticeships in each district.
Education First worked closely with leaders at St. Paul Public Schools (SPPS) to develop a strategy for improving educator recruitment and retention across the district, with a focus on educators of color. The recruitment and retention strategy included research-based strategies to improve recruitment and retention for all educators and specifically educators of color aligned to SPPS district goals, along with priority activities, action steps necessary for implementation and key measures of success.
