Educators throughout the United States convened in Washington, D.C., last week to attend ASCD's legislative conference. Attendees gathered to tell their elected officials that it is time to shift from a narrow reliance on high-stakes testing in determining student and educator proficiency to a broader, more meaningful vision of success that supports each student from early childhood through graduation.
During a luncheon speech, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan urged attendees to "seize the day" and provided examples of individual educators and transformational organizations like ASCD who are leading the way in support of "the higher-order skills and habits of mind that students need to succeed—not just in school, but in life." Duncan also commended ASCD and its members for "walking the walk when it comes to professional development," which helps classroom teachers and schools leaders commit to a "rich, well-rounded, rigorous education."
Other highlights from ASCD's Leadership Institute for Legislative Advocacy (LILA) included the following:
- A keynote address by the provocative Rick Hess of the American Enterprise Institute. Hess spoke about
2-3-14 The Whole Child Blog - Celebrate School Counselors This Week — Whole Child Education
Celebrate School Counselors This Week — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOGCelebrate School Counselors This WeekFebruary 3, 2014 by Kristen PekarekNational School Counseling Week, sponsored by whole child partner the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), is being celebrated this week, February 3–7, to focus public attention on the unique contribution professional school counselors