Bloomington, Ind., Feb. 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA) and Solution Tree have established a partnership to develop and expand the Professional Learning Communities at Work® process within Washington state schools. WASA began the PLC at Work project with Solution Tree in 2021 with an inaugural cohort or group of participating school districts, including: Bremerton School District, Cheney School District, Cle Elum-Roslyn School District, Ellensburg School District, Granger School District, Kalama School District, Longview School District, Mead School District, Meridian School District, Monroe School District, Mount Adams School District, Muckleshoot Tribal Schools, Ocosta School District, Pullman School District, Rochester School District, Vancouver School District, Washougal School District, Wenatchee School District, and West Valley School District.
Active recruitment is currently underway for new school districts to participate in cohort two, which begins in August.
Cohorts commit to three years of intensive professional development designed for district leaders to engage deeply in the PLC at Work process, which is based on three big ideas:
1. A focus on learning
2. A collaborative culture and collective responsibility
3. A results orientation or evidence of student learning As implementation progresses, entire school systems learn to work collaboratively to address issues of equity and ensure that all students learn at high levels. PLC at Work operates under the assumption that the key to improved learning for students is continuous job-embedded learning for educators. “Despite the heroic efforts of educators throughout the state, the inequities present in our systems seemed to be exacerbated by the pandemic,” stated Joel Aune, executive director of WASA. “Virtual learning, and our need to adapt quickly, revealed that all students didn’t have access to the same high-quality education. Through the WASA PLC at Work Project, we are intentional that learning efforts are targeted and result in a positive impact for all students. The goal of the project is to assist districts in Washington to work smarter, not harder.” Washington educators in the first cohort who are currently implementing the PLC at Work process are enthusiastic about the results they see. “We just finished up a five-day cycle of intervening on math concepts that kids didn’t learn the first time,” shared Mike Stark, a principal in the Cheney School District. “What we’re finding is that just that investment of five days of intervention is reducing the number of kids who need support by more than 50 percent.” Solution Tree president Ed Ackerman firmly believes in the impact this work will have on students throughout Washington. “We have data to illustrate the success of the PLC at Work project in other states,” said Ackerman. “I am inspired by the commitment of Washington educators involved in this project. Solution Tree is eager to expand this pivotal work when our second cohort begins in August.” District and school leaders who want to learn more about how they can take advantage of this opportunity should contact Solution Tree.
About Washington Association of School Administrators
The Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA) is an organization for professional administrators that is committed to leadership in providing equity and excellence in student learning and developing competent, ethical, and visionary leaders. WASA's membership includes more than 1,900 members and is open to all educational administrators in central office, building management, and educational agency positions. About Solution Tree
For more than 20 years, Solution Tree (https://www.solutiontree.com) has worked to transform education worldwide, empowering educators to raise student achievement. With more than 50,000 educators attending professional development conferences and more than 6,000 professional learning days in schools each year, Solution Tree helps teachers and administrators confront essential challenges. Solution Tree has a catalog of more than 515 titles, hundreds of videos and online courses and is the creator of Global PD, an online tool that facilitates the work of teachers and educators participating in professional learning communities. Follow @SolutionTree on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
