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® ASCD: A Worldwide Community of Educators

® Who We Are Founded in 1943, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that develops programs, products, and services essential to the way educators learn, teach, and lead. Our 175,000 members in 119 countries are professional educators from all levels and subject areas—superintendents, supervisors, principals, teachers, professors of education, and school board members.

® What We Do As our name reflects, ASCD was initially envisioned to represent curriculum and supervision issues. We now provide expert and innovative solutions in professional development, capacity building, and educational leadership.

® ASCD as an Advocate Since its inception, ASCD has built on a core set of values and beliefs in support of the whole child. We believe student success depends on academic knowledge, physical and emotional health, engagement, and school and community support. We advocate for sound education policies and best practices to ensure that each child is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged.

® Become an Educator Advocate Today It only takes a minute to become an effective voice for education. When you sign up to be an ASCD Educator Advocate, we provide you with the resources to make sure your advocacy time is minimal but your influence significant. Visit to join ASCD Educator Advocates.

® ASCD’s 2008 Legislative Agenda This year ASCD’s legislative agenda addresses the following education policy priorities: 1.Multiple Indicators of Achievement 2.School Improvement and Services 3.Teachers and School Leaders 4.Innovative High School Redesign

® Multiple Indicators of Achievement No Child Left Behind relies too heavily on single assessments administered once each year in select subjects. Such indicators for evaluating students are limited and do not provide a valid assessment of their skills. ASCD calls on Congress to include multiple indicators of achievement—such as student grades, portfolios and exhibitions, and progress and growth—when determining adequate yearly progress for all students, as well as for entire schools and school districts.

® School Improvement and Services Instead of giving schools the tools, resources, and funding necessary to address their students’ unique learning needs, the school improvement system under No Child Left Behind imposes sanctions that often fail to help schools meet their achievement goals. As soon as a school needs improvement, the full complement of improvement strategies must be made available, and schools should be given the flexibility to choose the strategies best suited to their unique needs.

® Teachers and School Leaders The importance of high-quality educators cannot be overstated. To improve student achievement, school districts need effective teachers and school leaders. ASCD calls on Congress to provide support for merit and incentive pay programs, as well as increased resources and flexibility for comprehensive, high-quality professional development for educators.

® Innovative High School Redesign ASCD supports high school redesign that includes a rich and rigorous curriculum, meaningful and relevant experiences, and relationships with caring adults who know students well. We call on Congress to support the efforts of states and local education agencies to improve educational outcomes by using research-based approaches that ensure high school graduates become productive citizens, prepared for economic success in a competitive global market.

® Educating the Whole Child Since its inception, ASCD has built on a core set of values and beliefs in support of the whole child. We believe student success depends on academic knowledge, physical and emotional health, engagement, and school and community support. Visit ASCD's for more information.

® ASCD as an Expert Source and Content Provider We are an award-winning publisher of books, periodicals, and a variety of online and multimedia products. ASCD’s professional development resources, programs, and conferences focus on specific issues, such as differentiated instruction, formative assessment, and health and learning, that show promise in improving student achievement. We provide educators with the tools they need to implement best practices at the district, school, and classroom levels.

® ASCD Resources [Include those you want to highlight.] Web site: Action Center: Advocacy Guide: ASCD Fact Sheet: Communications Tool Kit: Legislative Agenda: Whole Child Initiative: Whole Child Community Conversations Project: Whole Child Resolution Tool Kit: