News

The School Improvement Network’s PD 360 Marks One-Year Anniversary with over 150,000 Users

June 17, 2008 – Salt Lake City, UT – One year after its 2007 launch at NECC, the School Improvement Network’s PD 360 has become the leading on-demand professional learning resource with over 151,000 licensed users.  An additional 11,200 educators have registered for a free trial license.

Educators at 7,435 schools in 52 US states, territories, and Canadian provinces use PD 360 to access hundreds of short, easy-to-use video segments that feature the leading experts and present best-practice examples.  Teachers and administrators are impressed by both the quality and content of PD 360’s library.

“I had one teacher tell me that she had learned more in a seventeen minute video clip than she had learned in two years of talking about or studying the same subject,” said Karen Sanders, recently retired Executive Director of Professional Development at Burleson Independent School District.

Said Elaine Hale, Director of Staff Development at Norman Public Schools, “The content in PD 360 is the foundation of what makes it such an effective resource.  All the content is research-based, which is essential for a results-driven professional development program, and since respected experts present the content, I feel confident providing it to teachers and administrators.  The content supports the implementation of research-based strategies because it targets practical classroom application.”

In addition to putting research-based content at the fingertips of users, PD 360 empowers districts to close the gap that typically exists between training and classroom implementation.  Tracking and reporting increases accountability, while integrated follow-up and reflection tools ensure teachers know how to apply their professional learning.

Teachers of all experience levels use PD 360 to access relevant information at times and places that work for them.  Said Michelle Paden, a mentor teacher in Westville Public Schools in Oklahoma, “PD 360 has been one of the most valuable tools I have ever used.  I am a mentor teacher, and the information is priceless.  It has greatly enhanced my ability to assist beginning teachers, as well as those who have been around awhile.”

Schools and districts that implemented PD 360 in 2007 are rapidly renewing their subscriptions, and the School Improvement Network is on track to experience record growth for 2008.
 
“While I was considering PD 360, I also explored other online product offerings.  To be honest, there was no comparison in the ease of use and implementation and, most importantly, the quality,” said Dr. Barbara Howard, former Director of Professional Development at Scotland County Schools.

The following states and districts have purchased PD 360. A full list is available upon request.

Arkansas Department of Education
Iowa Area Education Agencies, IA
Louisiana Department of Education, LA
Michigan LearnPort, MI
New York City Schools, NY
Los Angeles Unified School District, CA
Chicago Public Schools, IL
Clark County School District, NV
Loudoun County Public Schools, VA
Prince George’s County Public Schools, MD
Indianapolis Public Schools, IN
Leon County Schools, FL
Garland Independent School District, TX
Washington County Public Schools, MD
Scotland County Schools, NC
Gaston County Schools, NC
Chapel Hill – Carrboro City Schools, NC
Norman Public Schools, OK
Williamson County Schools, TN
Ysleta Independent School District, TX
Douglas County School District, CO
Lower Kuskokwim School District, AK
Jefferson County Public Schools, KY
Muncie Community Schools, IN
Granite School District, UT
Springfield City Schools, OH
North Thurston Public Schools, WA

About PD 360
PD 360 is the leading on-demand professional learning resource for schools and districts. Over 150,000 educators subscribe to PD 360.  Teachers, administrators, professional learning communities, coaches, mentors, instructional leaders, and paraprofessionals have available at their fingertips hundreds of indexed and searchable video segments that present real, best-practice classroom examples and feature respected education experts, such as Michael Fullan, Rick DuFour, Doug Reeves, Rick Stiggins, and many others.  Educators can instantly find the help they need on nearly every topic, including differentiation, assessment, English language learners, leadership, and more.  PD 360 bridges the gap between training and classroom implementation with job-embedded follow-up, tracking, and reflection tools.  PD 360 includes over 110 hours of video content and is the most comprehensive web-based library of professional development resources available.  See a demonstration at www.pd360.com.

About the School Improvement Network
Founded in 1991 by teachers, the School Improvement Network provides comprehensive, research-based professional development anytime, anywhere.  As the home of The Video Journal of Education, PD 360, and the Leadership and Learning Framework, School Improvement Network resources focus on the most relevant topics, feature the top experts, and show educators how to put theory into practice.  The School Improvement Network works with thousands of schools and districts in every state and around the world and has visited over 3,000 classrooms to document best practices in action.  Learn more at www.schoolimprovement.com.

Loudoun County Public Schools Selects the School Improvement Network’s PD 360 for Professional Development

June 4, 2008 – Salt Lake City, UT – Loudon County Public Schools in Ashburn, Virginia purchased PD 360, the School Improvement Network’s on-demand professional learning solution.  All teachers and administrators will have full access to the most comprehensive professional development resource available.

Loudon County Public Schools is one of the largest districts in Virginia and one of the fastest growing in the nation.  The system serves over 54,000 students in 72 schools and is recognized as an innovative leader in student learning and technology integration.  In 2007, Forbes.com ranked Loudoun County Public Schools 11th in a nationwide survey of which school systems deliver high performance at low cost.

"As one of the fastest growing school districts in the country, we had to find ways to deliver quality professional development to our 4,800 staff members.  PD 360 allows the district, as well as schools and teachers, to design professional development that provides comprehensive training anytime, anywhere," said Preston L. Coppels, Director of Instructional Services, Loudoun County Public Schools, VA.

PD 360 is the leading on-demand professional learning resource for schools and districts with over 100,000 subscribers across North America.  With over 110 hours of research-based video content, teachers, administrators, professional learning communities, coaches, and mentors have available at their fingertips hundreds of indexed and searchable video segments that present real, best-practice classroom examples and feature respected education experts, such as Michael Fullan, Rick DuFour, Doug Reeves, Rick Stiggins, and many others.  Educators can instantly find the help they need on nearly every topic, including differentiation, assessment, English language learners, leadership, and more.  PD 360 bridges the gap between training and classroom implementation with job-embedded follow-up, tracking, and reflection tools.

“PD 360 is ideal for large districts that have to reach many teachers and administrators in varied locations.  Districts can ensure common language and practice by giving every educator access to PD 360’s high-quality, research-based content.  We are very excited to have Loudoun County join the fast-growing network of PD 360 users,” said Chet Linton, CEO of the School Improvement Network.

About the School Improvement Network
Founded in 1991, the School Improvement Network is the leading provider of simple, practical, and sustainable school improvement solutions.  As the producer of The Video Journal of Education, PD 360, and the Leadership and Learning Framework, the School Improvement Network has worked with thousands of districts and schools in every state and around the world.  To produce a comprehensive library of professional learning resources, the School Improvement team has documented best practices in over 3,000 classrooms across North America and has worked with dozens of the most respected experts in education.  Learn more at www.schoolimprovement.com.

Garland ISD Chooses the School Improvement Network’s PD 360 for Professional Development

May 26, 2008 – Garland ISD in Garland, Texas recently purchased PD 360, the School Improvement Network’s on-demand professional learning solution, for all teachers and administrators.  With 74 schools and over 57,000 students, Garland ISD is the second largest district in Dallas County and the twelfth largest in the entire state.

Dr. Butch Sloan, Executive Director of School Improvement at Garland ISD, said, “Our district was focusing our staff development efforts on classroom instruction, but our teachers were asking for more modeling and explanation than we were currently providing using traditional staff development environments.  We were also trying to address the "one size doesn't fit all" feedback from teachers who wanted more differentiated staff development.  When we found PD 360, we felt it would allow us to address these concerns and move our current staff development to a whole new level.  So far, PD 360 has exceeded our expectations.”

PD 360 is the leading on-demand professional learning resource for schools and districts with over 100,000 subscribers across North America.  With over 110 hours of research-based video content, teachers, administrators, professional learning communities, coaches, and mentors have available at their fingertips hundreds of indexed and searchable video segments that present real, best-practice classroom examples and feature respected education experts, such as Michael Fullan, Rick DuFour, Doug Reeves, Rick Stiggins, and many others.  Educators can instantly find the help they need on nearly every topic, including differentiation, assessment, English language learners, leadership, and more.  PD 360 bridges the gap between training and classroom implementation with job-embedded follow-up, tracking, and reflection tools.

With their purchase, Garland ISD joins other Texas districts that use PD 360, including Alief ISD, Birdville ISD, Brownsville ISD, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Farmersville ISD, Hawkins ISD, Katy ISD, Keller ISD, Lamesa ISD, Manor ISD, San Benito Consolidated ISD, and Tornillo ISD.

“The School Improvement Network is pleased to have Garland ISD join a growing Texas community of PD 360 subscribers.  We know that PD 360 will support Garland’s teachers and administrators in their commitment to providing high-quality instruction to every student,” said Chet Linton, CEO of the School Improvement Network.

About the School Improvement Network
Founded in 1991, the School Improvement Network is the leading provider of simple, practical, and sustainable school improvement solutions.  As the producer of The Video Journal of Education, PD 360, and the Leadership and Learning Framework, the School Improvement Network has worked with thousands of districts and schools in every state and around the world.  To produce a comprehensive library of professional learning resources, the School Improvement team has documented best practices in over 3,000 classrooms across North America and has worked with dozens of the most respected experts in education.  Learn more at www.schoolimprovement.com.

Survey Shows High Levels of Satisfaction Among the School Improvement Network’s PD 360 Users

May 12, 2008 – Salt Lake City, UT – An anonymous survey of over 1,550 users of PD 360 found that both teachers and administrators feel they benefit from the School Improvement Network’s on-demand professional learning solution.  Eighty percent of respondents reported that they find it “helpful or very helpful” to have a resource they could access anytime, anywhere.

One survey respondent wrote, “PD 360 is an excellent resource because I can access it on my own time.  If a need arises, I can specifically search the site.  PD 360 has made me aware that I am good at my job and using many best-practice techniques but that there is also room for improvement.  Teachers learn best from seeing others in action, and I am inspired regularly to try ideas found on PD 360.  It has made my teaching better.”

PD 360 gives teachers and administrators access to over 110 hours of research-based content on the most relevant topics.  Over seventy percent of administrators surveyed responded that PD 360’s content is “valuable or very valuable” for themselves and their teachers.

“PD 360 is a great online quick reference and individual teacher tool, as well as an excellent resource for preparing for professional development, meetings, coaching, and mentoring.  It is easy to use and filled with helpful information.  I enjoy it and will continue to use it,” said one respondent.

A teacher wrote, “PD 360 is a great professional development learning tool that enhances the support of people across the educational spectrum.  It has surely helped me become a more efficient teacher.”

About PD 360
PD 360 is the leading on-demand professional learning resource for schools and districts. Over 100,000 educators subscribe to PD 360.  Teachers, administrators, professional learning communities, coaches, mentors, instructional leaders, and paraprofessionals have available at their fingertips hundreds of indexed and searchable video segments that present real, best-practice classroom examples and feature respected education experts, such as Michael Fullan, Rick DuFour, Doug Reeves, Rick Stiggins, and many others.  Educators can instantly find the help they need on nearly every topic, including differentiation, assessment, English language learners, leadership, and more.  PD 360 bridges the gap between training and classroom implementation with job-embedded follow-up, tracking, and reflection tools.  PD 360 includes over 110 hours of video content and is the most comprehensive web-based library of professional development resources available.  See a demonstration at www.pd360.com.

About the School Improvement Network
Founded in 1991, the School Improvement Network is the leading provider of simple, practical, and sustainable school improvement solutions.  As the producer of The Video Journal of Education, PD 360, and the Leadership and Learning Framework, the School Improvement Network has worked with thousands of districts and schools in every state and around the world.  To produce a comprehensive library of professional learning resources, the School Improvement team has documented best practices in over 3,000 classrooms across North America and has worked with dozens of the most respected experts in education. Learn more at www.schoolimprovement.com.

The School Improvement Network's PD 360 Features Over Five Dozen Top Experts

April 22, 2008 – Salt Lake City, UT – PD 360, the leading on-demand professional learning resource, features 69 of the most sought after educational experts.  Content featuring an additional 24 experts will be added to PD 360 before the end of the year.  Experts include such respected names as Michael Fullan, Andy Hargreaves, Richard and Rebecca DuFour, Douglas Reeves, Rick Smith, Eleanor Renee Rodriguez, Gayle Gregory, Rick Stiggins, Mary Montle Bacon, Todd Whitaker, Pat Wolfe, David Sousa, and Spencer and Laurie Kagan.

PD 360 is the only comprehensive on-demand professional development library and contains hundreds of research-based video segments presented by the most recognized experts.  While other online resources may offer access to a few experts, only PD 360 puts so many top experts at the fingertips of teachers anytime, anywhere.

“PD 360 puts every resource into the hands of every teacher,” said Karen Hawkins, Professional Development Coordinator at Williamson County Schools in Franklin, TN.  “The research-based strategies that are available through PD 360 provide teachers with the opportunity to have the job-embedded professional development we know is so important.”

In the past, it has not been feasible to give every teacher direct exposure to the experts.  PD 360 enables districts to provide teachers with training from all the most renowned experts on  a wide array of topics, including assessment, differentiation, minority student achievement, classroom management, instructional strategies, leadership, and many more.

To ensure that teachers and leaders understand how to implement the strategies and methods presented by the experts, each PD 360 segment includes real best-practice classroom examples of each strategy.

“This is the way professional development should happen.  The real value of research-based instructional strategies is their application in the classroom every day,” said Dr. Robert Marzano, lead researcher behind the Classroom Instruction That Works strategies.

Over 69,000 Educators Utilizing the School Improvement Network's PD 360

Salt Lake City, UT – February 18, 2008 – Since its release in December 2006, the School Improvement Network’s PD 360 has become the leader in on-demand professional learning.  Over 69,000 educators in 4,800 schools have subscribed to PD 360 to instantly access individualized, research-based support on a wide variety of the most relevant topics. PD 360 continues to see impressive growth with nearly 13,000 new subscribers in January alone.

Because PD 360’s searchable video segments feature the top experts and present real best-practice classroom examples, teachers and administrators have the highest-quality professional development at their fingertips. 

Karen Hawkins, Professional Development Coordinator at Williamson said, “The research-based strategies that are available through PD 360 provide teachers the opportunity to have the job-embedded professional development we know is so important.”

In only eight months, teachers in Lamesa ISD in Lamesa, TX have accessed nearly 700 hours of professional development at times and in places that work for them.  The cost of hiring substitutes if those professional development hours had taken place out of the classroom would have cost $2,500 per school.

The School Improvement Network is currently working closely with districts in every state and province to implement PD 360 and predicts record growth during 2008.

“PD 360 presents a new way to do professional development called on-demand professional learning.  On-demand professional learning is so effective because it enhances existing efforts and fills the enormous need to provide high-quality, individualized professional development to every teacher.   It makes providing both systemic and personal professional development easy,” said Chet Linton, CEO of the School Improvement Network.

About PD 360
PD 360 is the leading on-demand professional learning resource for schools and districts.  Teachers, administrators, professional learning communities, coaches, mentors, instructional leaders, and paraprofessionals have available at their fingertips hundreds of indexed and searchable video segments that present real, best-practice classroom examples and feature respected educational experts, such as Michael Fullan, Rick DuFour, Doug Reeves, Rick Stiggins, and many others.  Educators can instantly find the help they need on nearly every topic, including differentiation, minority achievement, English language, leadership, and more.  PD 360 bridges the gap between training and classroom implementation with job-embedded follow-up, tracking, and reflection tools.  PD 360 includes over 110 hours of video content and is the most comprehensive web-based library of professional development resources available. See a demonstration of PD 360 at www.schoolimprovement.com/pd360.

About the School Improvement Network (SINET)
Founded in 1991, the School Improvement Network is the leading provider of simple, practical, and sustainable school improvement solutions.  As the producer of The Video Journal of Education, TeachStream Online Courses, PD 360, and the SINET Learning Framework, the School Improvement Network has worked with thousands of districts and schools in every state and around the world.  To produce a comprehensive library of professional learning resources, the School Improvement team has documented best practices in over 3,000 classrooms across North America and has worked with dozens of the most respected experts in education. Learn more at www.schoolimprovement.com.

For more information, contact:
Ashley Alexander, Public Relations Coordinator, 801-790-4856
ashley.alexander@schoolimprovement.com

The School Improvement Network Announces Major Expansion of PD 360

January 15, 2008 – Salt Lake City, UT – The School Improvement Network (SINET) has added over forty-seven hours of new research-based video content to its on-demand professional learning resource, PD 360.  The content is broken into over 300 new segments that are now instantly accessible for all PD 360 users.

“The content of PD 360 is the foundation of what makes it such an effective resource.  All the content is research-based, which is essential for a results-driven professional development program, and since respected experts present the content, I feel confident providing it to teachers and administrators.  The content supports the implementation of research-based strategies because it targets practical classroom application,” said Elaine Hale, Director of Staff Development at Norman Public Schools in Norman, Oklahoma.

The new content provides teachers and administrators with training segments that address many critical topics and feature respected experts, such as the following:

• Instructional coaching with Joellen Killion, Stephen Barkley, and Jim Knight
• Differentiated instruction with Gayle Gregory and Cindy Strickland
• Increasing minority student achievement with Jamie Almanzan, James Comer, Bonnie Davis, Kati Haycock, Sonia Nieto, Beverly Daniel Tatum, and others
• English language learners with Jo Gusman, Margo Gottlieb, and Mary Anne Christison
• Concept-based curriculum with H. Lynn Erickson
• Brain research with David Sousa
• Evaluating professional development with Stephanie Hirsch, Joellen Killion, and Dennis Sparks
• Classroom management with Rick Smith
• Performance assessment with Jay McTighe

Curtis Linton, SINET’s Vice President of Product Development and award-winning co-author of the best-selling book Courageous Conversations About Race, said, “The new video segments on PD 360 provide teachers and administrators with even more options for training that addresses their individual needs.  The accessibility provided by PD 360 ensures that educators can instantly access high-quality resources that clearly show how to reach all students.”

PD 360 is the leading on-demand professional learning resource for schools and districts.  Teachers, administrators, professional learning communities, coaches, mentors, instructional leaders, and paraprofessionals have available at their fingertips hundreds of indexed and searchable video segments that feature respected educational experts and address the most relevant topics.  With tools for job-embedded follow-up and over 1,000 real best-practice classroom examples, PD 360 supports classroom implementation of professional learning.  With the addition of new content, PD 360 now includes over 110 hours of video content and is the most comprehensive online library of professional development resources available. See a sample demonstration of PD 360 at www.schoolimprovement.com/pd360.

About the School Improvement Network (SINET)
Founded in 1991, the School Improvement Network is the leading provider of simple, practical, and sustainable school improvement solutions.  As the producer of The Video Journal of Education, TeachStream Online Courses, PD 360, and the SINET Learning Framework, the School Improvement Network has worked with thousands of districts and schools in every state and around the world.  To produce a comprehensive library of professional learning resources, the School Improvement team has documented best practices in over 3,000 classrooms across North America and has worked with dozens of the most respected experts in education. Learn more at www.schoolimprovement.com.

State of Michigan Partners with the School Improvement Network

Salt Lake City—December 4, 2007—Michigan teachers will have on-demand access to the powerful professional learning content of PD 360 thanks to a partnership between Michigan Virtual University® (MVU®) and the School Improvement Network.  PD 360 will be integrated into Michigan LearnPort® online courses for K-12 educators.  The Michigan LearnPort web-based professional development delivery system was created in partnership with MVU and the Michigan Department of Education.

PD 360 is the leading on-demand professional learning resource for schools and districts.  Teachers, administrators, professional learning communities, coaches, mentors, instructional leaders, and paraprofessionals have available at their fingertips hundreds of indexed and searchable video segments that feature respected educational experts and address the most relevant topics.  The segments provide rich support to the content of Michigan LearnPort courses, and with over a thousand real classroom examples of research-based best practices, teachers see what practices look like when they are implemented in the classroom.

“Michigan teachers and administrators are looking for professional development content from many sources to address real learning needs.  Michigan LearnPort is partnering with the School Improvement Network to provide short, powerful learning media to our courses and also to use as individual resources.   The PD 360 media enrich and add depth to our courses, allowing any teacher in Michigan to see real classrooms showing the best ways to increase student achievement,” said Dr. David Myers, Executive Director of Michigan LearnPort.

The multi-year agreement between MVU and the School Improvement Network has been finalized and PD 360 content will be integrated into Michigan LearnPort courses by the end of the school year.

“The School Improvement Network is excited about our partnership with MVU.  Their objective to provide flexible and ongoing professional development to Michigan teachers matches our mission to increase the learning of all students by taking the best  instructional research and showing  teachers how to actually implement those research-based best practices in the classroom,” said Chet Linton, CEO of the School Improvement Network.

About PD 360
As the leader in on-demand professional learning, PD 360 is revolutionizing the way schools, districts, and states provide professional development.  Educators can find the individualized support they need with hundreds of indexed and searchable video segments that address the most relevant topics, like classroom instruction that works, differentiation, instructional coaching, English language learners, data, assessment, closing achievement gaps, math, reading, brain research, and many others.  Every segment features one or more of education’s most respected experts—Michael Fullan, Rick Stiggins, Gayle Gregory, Douglas Reeves, Rick DuFour, and Glenn Singleton—and presents real best-practice classroom examples to show teachers what effective instruction actually looks like.   With follow-up and reflection tools, PD 360 promotes classroom implementation of professional learning.  Group training materials keep professional learning communities focused on best practices, and integrated tracking and reporting ensure increased accountability.  PD 360 is customizable to state, system, and school standards and is scalable at the state, district, and school levels.  See it at http://www.schoolimprovement.com/pd360.

About the School Improvement Network (SINET)
Founded in 1991, the School Improvement Network is the leading provider of practical and sustainable school improvement solutions.  As the producer of The Video Journal of Education, TeachStream Online Courses, PD 360, and the SINET Learning Framework, the School Improvement Network has worked with thousands of districts and schools in every state and around the world.  To produce a comprehensive library of professional learning resources, the School Improvement team has documented best practices in over 3,000 classrooms across North America and has worked with dozens of the most respected experts in education. Learn more at www.schoolimprovement.com.

About MVU
Michigan Virtual University is a private, not-for-profit Michigan corporation established in 1998 to deliver online education and training opportunities to the citizens of Michigan. It is the parent organization of the Michigan Virtual School TM and the Michigan LearnPort professional development portal.

About Michigan LearnPort
The Michigan LearnPort web-based professional development delivery system was created in partnership with MVU and the Michigan Department of Education. School employees are provided up-to-date and flexible online professional development to help meet personal and district learning requirements. Michigan LearnPort provides high quality courses and content through a full set of web-based communication tools and offers full professional development record-keeping capabilities. Financial support for Michigan LearnPort is provided through ESEA Title II, Part (A) funds.

PD 360 Solving Professional Development Problems for Rural Schools Across the U.S.

November 6, 2007—Salt Lake City, UT—Rural districts across the United States have adopted the School Improvement Network’s PD 360, the leading on-demand professional learning resource. PD 360 meets the unique needs of rural districts and empowers them to overcome the many challenges facing rural systems.

Rural districts, with their smaller student populations, have very limited professional development funding. Remote locations and wide geographic boundaries also make it very difficult for rural educators to meet in one central location to participate in professional development. High travel costs prohibit bringing in outside consultants or sending teachers to conferences.

PD 360 is ideal for solving the accessibility and cost issues at the heart of rural districts’ professional development struggles. Because PD 360 is accessible through the Internet, teachers in any location can access research-based professional development without having to travel.  Most rural districts can purchase a year of unlimited PD 360 access for every teacher for a price comparable to hiring an outside expert for one day of training.

Artesia Public Schools in rural New Mexico recently purchased PD 360 for its 200 teachers.  Rick Stewart, Director of Federal Programs, said, “PD 360 allows the district to set a unified focus for schools while still providing each teacher with the differentiated support they need.  It has helped limit the amount of travel our teachers have to do, which helps us financially and keeps teachers in the classroom.”

When asked about the cost of PD 360, Stewart responds, “PD 360 is extremely cost effective.  Because PD 360 helps our principals provide high-quality professional development, they presented training sessions for our beginning of the year in-service. By not hiring outside consultants like we usually do, we have already paid for PD 360 this year. ”

Chet Linton, CEO of School Improvement Network, said, “Rural districts often struggle to provide their teachers with the high-quality, research-based professional learning they need to implement positive change in the classroom.  The School Improvement Network is excited that PD 360 can help these districts implement a simple, practical, and sustainable system for professional learning.”

Rural districts in Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Michigan, North Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia now use PD 360 for their staff development needs.

About PD 360
As the leader in on-demand professional learning, PD 360 is revolutionizing the way schools and districts provide professional development.  Educators can find the individualized support they need with hundreds of indexed and searchable video segments that address the most pertinent topics, like classroom instruction that works, differentiation, instructional coaching, English language learners, data, assessment, closing achievement gaps, math, reading, brain research, and many others.  Every segment features one or more of education’s most respected experts—Michael Fullan, Rick Stiggins, Gayle Gregory, Douglas Reeves, Rick DuFour, and Glenn Singleton—and shows real best-practice classroom examples to support teachers in implementation. PD 360 is ideal for teachers, administrators, professional learning communities, coaches, mentors, instructional leaders, and paraprofessionals.  See it at http://www.schoolimprovement.com/pd360.

About the School Improvement Network (SINET)
Founded in 1991, the School Improvement Network is the leading provider of simple, practical, and sustainable school improvement solutions.  As the producer of The Video Journal of Education, TeachStream Online Courses, PD 360, and the SINET Learning Framework, the School Improvement Network has worked with thousands of districts and schools in every state and around the world.  To produce a comprehensive library of professional development resources, the School Improvement team has documented best practices in over 3,000 classrooms across North America and has worked with dozens of the most respected experts in education. Learn more at www.schoolimprovement.com.

Salt Lake City--October 2, 2007--The State of Arkansas has adopted PD 360, the School Improvement Network's on-demand professional development resource, for all public schools. To enable every Arkansas educator to utilize on-demand professional development, the School Improvement Network (SINET) created a version of PD 360 for the visually impaired.

PD 360 is the leader in on-demand professional development for schools and districts. Teachers, administrators, professional learning communities, coaches, mentors, instructional leaders, and paraprofessionals have available at their fingertips hundreds of indexed and searchable video segments that feature respected educational experts and address the most relevant topics. Now all of Arkansas' 32,900 educators will have constant on-demand access to research-based professional development.

"The Arkansas Department of Education is proud to announce that PD 360 is now available on Arkansas IDEAS. PD 360 provides all Arkansas educators with on-demand access to research-based professional development. PD 360 will enhance current professional development activities and support common language and practice statewide," said Debbie Coffman, Education Associate Director of K-12 Literacy at the Arkansas Department of Education.

To make PD 360 accessible for the visually impaired, SINET built a new version of PD 360 that is compatible with commonly used screen readers that enable the blind and visually impaired to read websites. This version of PD 360 includes full functionality and brings comprehensive, research-based professional development to educators who may not have had equitable access in the past. SINET also created short assessments for each PD 360 video segment at the request of state administrators. The assessments allow teachers to test their understanding and administrators to track progress.

The implementation of PD 360 in Arkansas's approximately 1,175 schools is complete, and Arkansas teachers have already begun to utilize on-demand learning. Arkansas joins Iowa as the second state to implement PD 360 statewide.

About PD 360
As the leader in on-demand professional development, PD 360 is revolutionizing the way schools and districts provide professional learning. Educators can find the individualized support they need with hundreds of indexed and searchable video segments that address the most pertinent topics, like classroom instruction that works, differentiation, instructional coaching, English language learners, data, assessment, closing achievement gaps, math, reading, brain research, and many others. Every segment features one or more of education's most respected experts�Michael Fullan, Rick Stiggins, Gayle Gregory, Douglas Reeves, Rick DuFour, and Glenn Singleton�and shows real best-practice classroom examples to support teachers in classroom application. PD 360 is ideal for teachers, administrators, professional learning communities, coaches, mentors, instructional leaders, and paraprofessionals. See it at http://www.schoolimprovement.com/pd360.

About the School Improvement Network
Founded in 1991, the School Improvement Network has worked with thousands of schools and districts in every state and around the world to provide comprehensive professional development solutions that get results in student learning. As the producer of The Video Journal of Education, TeachStream Online Courses, PD 360, and Frameworks, the School Improvement Network is the nation's leader in professional development. To produce a comprehensive library of professional development resources, the School Improvement team has documented best practices in over 3,000 classrooms across North America and has worked with dozens of the most respected experts in education. Learn more at www.schoolimprovement.com.

School Improvement Network's (SINET) Learning Framework Eliminates Achievement Gap in a Louisiana School District

Salt Lake City, UT�September 5, 2007�School Improvement Network's (SINET) Learning Framework™ proved to be extremely effective in West Carroll Parish Schools this past year. Students whose teachers participated in the Framework not only closed the achievement gap that existed in both Math and English Language Arts but surpassed it. Improvement was also made in students' attitudes, as well as the attitudes, confidence, and skills of the participating teachers.

A year ago, West Carroll, a rural district in northeastern Louisiana that struggles with high levels of poverty, chose the Learning Framework to improve the district's four lowest performing schools. Teachers from these schools participated in the Learning Framework during the 2006-07 school year. The success rate of the students of these teachers in the Math portion of Louisiana Education Assessment Program (LEAP) in 2007 (meaning they scored at Basic, Mastery, or Advanced levels) increased by 21.4%, closing the achievement gap that existed the previous year and surpassing the rest of the district. Similarly, in English and Language Arts, the success rate of students increased by 27.7%, again closing the achievement gap and surpassing their peers. The success rate of students whose teachers did not participate in the Learning Framework remained unchanged from the previous year.

Bobby Cockerham, Director of Title I at West Carroll, said, "The Learning Framework is a great program and the best money we have ever spent on professional development. I liked the comprehensive approach and, in particular, the dynamic presentations."

The Learning Framework helps struggling schools increase student achievement by providing a research-based system for effective instruction and assessment. Teachers learn how to create educational targets that align to their state standards, differentiate instruction to meet the needs of students, and engage every student in learning. Teachers also examine how to design integrated lessons, maximize planning time, incorporate critical thinking skills, use effective questioning techniques, and utilize immediate feedback assessments to gauge student understanding. As part of the program, the School Improvement Network provided an independent evaluation service called Proof of Impact� to assess the effect of the professional development on the teachers and students.

"Results of the Proof of Impact evaluation are extraordinary," said Dr. Steven Shaha, head of the evaluation team. "This is remarkable. These students started at a significant disadvantage and ended up exceeding their peers. Teacher participation clearly distilled down to the students and had the inspiring impact every teacher and principal would hope for."

About the Learning Framework
To help schools reach today's high standards for student achievement, the School Improvement Network offers the Learning Framework, a comprehensive onsite training and offsite support program, which is customizable to a district's objectives and needs. The Learning Framework focuses on building internal capacity to ensure that all improvements are sustainable and long-term. The Framework is aligned to state standards and utilizes proven, research-based instructional strategies. School districts in Utah, Louisiana, Hawaii and Wisconsin have all achieved significant improvements after providing the Framework training to their teachers. Read the entire West Carroll Case Study at www.schoolimprovement.com/case-studies.

About the School Improvement Network
Founded in 1991, the School Improvement Network (SINET) has worked with thousands of schools and districts in every state and around the world to provide comprehensive solutions that get results in student learning. As the producer of The Video Journal of Education, TeachStream Online Courses, and PD 360, SINET is the nation's leader in professional development. SINET provides onsite training to help schools make Adequate Yearly Progress, improve student learning and engagement, and increase achievement. To produce over 150 Video Journal of Education programs, the School Improvement team has documented best practices in over 3,000 classrooms across North America and has worked with dozens of the most respected experts in education. Learn more at www.schoolimprovement.com.

For more information, contact:
Ashley Alexander
Public Relations Coordinator
801-790-4856
ashley.alexander@schoolimprovement.com
8686 South 1300 East
Sandy, UT 84094
www.schoolimprovement.com

State of Iowa Adopts PD 360 for All Schools

Des Moines, IA--June 21, 2007--The State of Iowa is in the process of implementing the School Improvement Network's PD 360 in all 1,700 schools statewide. Iowa Area Education Agencies (AEAs) worked with the School Improvement Network to provide every teacher in every school with PD 360 access. Arletta Dawson, Coordinator for Media Materials Acquisition & Utilization at Heartland AEA 11, was the spokesperson for the AEAs. She is looking forward to the way PD 360 will enhance professional development throughout Iowa.

Says Dawson, "Iowa AEAs have been providing a variety of online resources to support research and curriculum for many years. We are very excited to now be able to add the professional development content from the School Improvement Network in an on-demand digital format. The AEAs have been purchasing Video Journal of Education videos on videotape for years but being able to search for and view this high-quality, research-based content over the Internet will really make it much more usable and effective. We are also excited about the availability of Drake University credit for schools using PD 360 with Professional Learning Communities."

PD 360 is an on-demand professional development library designed for teachers, administrators, coaches, mentors, content specialists, and professional learning communities. To make relevant help instantly available, PD 360 includes hundreds of indexed and searchable video segments that address the topics most pertinent to teachers and administrators, such as differentiation, classroom management, assessment, data, closing the achievement gap, leadership, brain research, and instructional strategies.

Every segment in PD 360 is presented by one of education's most respected experts�Rick DuFour, Michael Fullan, Rick Stiggins, Pat Wolfe, Douglas Reeves, Carol Santa, and many others�and features multiple best-practice classroom examples from urban, suburban, and rural schools across North America. With over 1,000 examples in all, PD 360 helps teachers implement research-based instruction by showing them what it actually looks like when applied with real students. PD 360's integrated tracking, reporting, and follow-up ensure accountability and implementation of professional development.

The incredible momentum surrounding PD 360 shows that schools and districts across the country are ready for a new direction in professional development. Over 3,300 schools in 28 states and provinces now have access to PD 360. More than 7,000 teachers are currently using PD 360, and an additional 60,000 teachers will shortly have access as soon as their organizations finish implementing PD 360.

Along with schools and districts, a number of universities, professional organizations, and companies have seen the great value PD 360 offers to every educator. Already the School Improvement Network is partnering with Drake University, Catapult Learning, University of North Carolina Wilmington, California County Educational Technology Consortium, and Texas Association of School Administrators.

As thousands of schools have already found, PD 360 is revolutionizing professional development by giving teachers a job-embedded, on-demand resource. Traditionally, teachers have had to wait for workshops or conferences to receive training from top consultants or to get answers to their questions. With PD 360, the biggest names in education are at teachers' fingertips the moment they need them. Anytime a teacher has a question, they can find an instant answer�no matter where they are or how many questions they have. Unlike online courses, PD 360 is comprehensive in its approach by addressing all topics in one highly accessible place. Teachers can stay focused on the standards and objectives of their state, district, and school, while at the same time getting immediate help for individual concerns. Although it is a comprehensive library of research-based professional development, teachers will not have trouble finding the exact content they need. PD 360 was designed with teachers in mind and its ease of use supports successful usage.

By providing coaches, mentors, principals, and other instructional leaders with simple ways to provide job-embedded follow-up, PD 360 has ended the days of one-shot professional development. Instructional leaders can now promote classroom implementation by providing teachers with immediate follow-up through email. Administrators can track professional development and stay aware of teachers' progress on an individual basis. In the coming months, thousands of other schools plan to bring PD 360 to their teachers. With strong momentum and thousands of current subscribers, PD 360 is already making its mark on education.

About PD 360 Professional Development On-Demand™
As the most comprehensive and innovative on-demand professional development resource, PD 360 is revolutionizing the way schools and districts provide professional development. Educators can find the individualized support they need with hundreds of indexed and searchable video segments that address the most pertinent topics, like classroom instruction that works, differentiation, instructional coaching, English language learners, data, assessment, closing achievement gaps, math, reading, brain research, and many others. Every segment features one or more of education's most respected experts�Michael Fullan, Rick Stiggins, Gayle Gregory, Douglas Reeves, Rick DuFour, Eleanor Renee Rodriguez, Todd Whitaker, Jackie Sattes, Beth Walsh, and Glenn Singleton�and shows multiple authentic, best-practice classroom examples to help teachers see what effective instruction actually looks like. PD 360 is ideal for teachers, administrators, professional learning communities, coaches, mentors, instructional leaders, and paraprofessionals. See it at http://www.schoolimprovement.com/pd360.

About the School Improvement Network®
Founded in 1991, the School Improvement Network has worked with thousands of schools and districts in every state and around the world to provide comprehensive solutions that get results in student learning. As the producer of The Video Journal of Education, TeachStream Online Courses, and PD 360, the School Improvement Network is the nation's leader in professional development. SINET provides onsite training to help schools make Adequate Yearly Progress, improve student learning and engagement, and increase achievement. To produce over 130 Video Journal of Education programs, the School Improvement team has documented best practices in over 3,000 classrooms across North America and has worked with dozens of the most respected experts in education. Learn more at www.schoolimprovement.com.

For more information, contact:
Ashley Alexander
Public Relations Coordinator
801-790-4856
ashley.alexander@schoolimprovement.com
8686 South 1300 East
Sandy, UT 84094
www.schoolimprovement.com

Two Florida Districts Choose PD 360

Tallahassee, FL--June 11, 2007--Two Florida school districts have purchased the School Improvement Network's PD 360 to aid and improve their professional development offerings. Leon County Schools signed on at the end of May and is now in the process of implementing PD 360 for next school year. Putnam County School District purchased a few days later. These two innovative districts reflect the growing interest in on-demand professional development in Florida and across the nation.

PD 360 is an on-demand library of hundreds of searchable video segments that cover the topics most important to teachers. Each video segment is presented by a top educational expert and features multiple best-practice classroom examples to help teachers see how they can implement research-based instruction with their students. Revolutionary in both its user-friendly design and comprehensive approach, PD 360 puts every resource an educator needs in one easily accessible place.

Leon County Schools (LCS) serves 34,100 students and employs over 2,000 teachers in forty-eight schools and program sites. LCS is one of the top districts in Florida with its students consistently scoring above average on standardized assessments. Theresa Croteau is the Director of Staff Development at LCS and the person primarily responsible for the decision to implement PD 360.

When asked why she and her staff chose to make PD 360 available to every teacher in the district, Croteau said, "We see PD 360 as a resource that will the support the district's professional learning program in several ways. The timely content of the on-demand material will be a source of web-based follow-up for several existing initiatives. National Board Certified Teachers and other teacher trainers will be able to use the material on PD 360 to design future professional development activities. Individual teachers will be able to select specific topics for independent study around the objectives of their Individual Professional Development Plans. Finally, PD 360 provides greater flexibility in how we train beginning teachers."

Putnam County School District (PCSD) has twenty-three schools that serve over 12,000 students in Palatka, FL and the surrounding areas. Largely rural, the district covers over 800 square miles. PD 360 allows PCSD to provide consistent, individualized professional development to teachers in widespread locations. PD 360's job-embedded nature makes it particularly useful as a tool to support teachers in the classroom and to prevent professional isolation.

The schools in Leon and Putnam Counties join hundreds of schools that have already begun implementing PD 360. All these schools share the common vision of putting high-quality, research-based professional development at the fingertips of every teacher. As schools make the best resources instantly available, there is no doubt that they will see improved educator practice and increased student achievement.

About PD 360 Professional Development On-Demand™
As the most comprehensive and innovative on-demand professional development resource, PD 360 is revolutionizing the way schools and districts provide professional development. Educators can find the individualized support they need with hundreds of indexed and searchable video segments that address the most pertinent topics, like classroom instruction that works, differentiation, instructional coaching, English language learners, data, assessment, closing achievement gaps, math, reading, brain research, and many others. Every segment features one or more of education's most respected experts�Michael Fullan, Rick Stiggins, Gayle Gregory, Douglas Reeves, Rick DuFour, Eleanor Renee Rodriguez, Todd Whitaker, Jackie Sattes, Beth Walsh, and Glenn Singleton�and shows multiple authentic, best-practice classroom examples to help teachers see what effective instruction actually looks like. PD 360 is ideal for teachers, administrators, professional learning communities, coaches, mentors, instructional leaders, and paraprofessionals. See it at http://www.schoolimprovement.com/pd360.

About the School Improvement Network®
Founded in 1991, the School Improvement Network has worked with thousands of schools and districts in every state and around the world to provide comprehensive solutions that get results in student learning. As the producer of The Video Journal of Education, TeachStream Online Courses, and PD 360, the School Improvement Network is the nation's leader in professional development. SINET provides onsite training to help schools make Adequate Yearly Progress, improve student learning and engagement, and increase achievement. To produce over 130 Video Journal of Education programs, the School Improvement team has documented best practices in over 3,000 classrooms across North America and has worked with dozens of the most respected experts in education. Learn more at www.schoolimprovement.com.

For more information, contact:
Ashley Alexander
Public Relations Coordinator
801-790-4856
ashley.alexander@schoolimprovement.com
8686 South 1300 East
Sandy, UT 84094
www.schoolimprovement.com

Education Companies and Associations See the Value of PD 360

Salt Lake City, UT--June 7, 2007--The School Improvement Network recently launched PD 360, its new on-demand professional development resource. Already numerous organizations have seen the value of PD 360 and have partnered with the School Improvement Network to offer PD 360 to their clients and members.

PD 360 is an on-demand library of hundreds of searchable video segments that cover the topics most relevant to teachers. Each video segment is presented by a top educational expert and features multiple best-practice classroom examples to help teachers see how they can apply research-based instruction with their students. PD 360 includes integrated tracking, reporting, and follow-up tools to ensure accountability and implementation. Ideal for teachers, principals, district administrators, coaches, mentors, content specialists, training facilitators, and paraprofessionals, PD 360 provides the accessibility, flexibility, and differentiated support necessary for effective professional development.

California County Educational Technology Consortium
The California County Educational Technology Consortium (CCETC) is the largest buying and licensing consortium of instructional media in the United States. CCETC operates under an agreement between fourteen county offices of education and exists to provide teachers and students with the best instructional resources in a cost-effective manner. With its emphasis on standards-based digital resources, CCETC felt PD 360 would be a valuable tool for teachers and is now offering PD 360 to its member districts.

Catapult Learning
Catapult Learning is an educational service company that partners with over 1,000 schools across the nation. Catapult provides research-based educational and support services designed to improve student achievement. PD 360, with its research-based content and best-practice classroom examples, fits well into Catapult's mission. PD 360 is now one of the premier professional development resources Catapult offers its schools.

Drake University
Drake University is a premier private university ranked by a US News and World Report as one of the top four graduate schools in the Midwest. The School of Education has a fifteen year history of service to teachers across the United States and Ontario. Drake has joined with the School Improvement Network to provide graduate credit for members of Professional Learning Communities through PD 360. Teachers can earn three graduate credits per semester for a highly competitive price. Those who elect graduate credit through PD 360 may be able to use the credit for advancement on a local salary scale, license renewal, and/or elective credit in a degree program.

Texas Association of School Administrators
The Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) is the largest association of district and school administrators in Texas. The School Improvement Network recently partnered with TASA to provide a customized version of PD 360 for TASA to offer to its members.

University of North Carolina Wilmington
The University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) has one of the strongest university-school partnership programs in the country. For the past thirteen years, the UNCW Watson School of Education has collaborated with ten districts to provide professional development opportunities. UNCW now offers PD 360 to its partner districts as a prime tool to train both teachers and administrators.

The School Improvement Network is proud to partner with each of these institutions and is pleased that these partnerships will help put a proven, research-based tool in the hands of more educators.

About PD 360 Professional Development On-Demand™
As the most comprehensive and innovative on-demand professional development resource, PD 360 is revolutionizing the way schools and districts provide professional development. Educators can find the individualized support they need with hundreds of indexed and searchable video segments that address the most pertinent topics, like classroom instruction that works, differentiation, instructional coaching, English language learners, data, assessment, closing achievement gaps, math, reading, brain research, and many others. Every segment features one or more of education's most respected experts�Michael Fullan, Rick Stiggins, Gayle Gregory, Douglas Reeves, Rick DuFour, Eleanor Renee Rodriguez, Todd Whitaker, Jackie Sattes, Beth Walsh, and Glenn Singleton�and shows multiple authentic, best-practice classroom examples to help teachers see what effective instruction actually looks like. PD 360 is ideal for teachers, administrators, professional learning communities, coaches, mentors, instructional leaders, and paraprofessionals. See it at http://www.schoolimprovement.com/pd360.

About the School Improvement Network®
Founded in 1991, the School Improvement Network has worked with thousands of schools and districts in every state and around the world to provide comprehensive solutions that get results in student learning. As the producer of The Video Journal of Education, TeachStream Online Courses, and PD 360, the School Improvement Network is the nation's leader in professional development. SINET provides onsite training to help schools make Adequate Yearly Progress, improve student learning and engagement, and increase achievement. To produce over 130 Video Journal of Education programs, the School Improvement team has documented best practices in over 3,000 classrooms across North America and has worked with dozens of the most respected experts in education. Learn more at www.schoolimprovement.com.

For more information, contact:
Ashley Alexander
Public Relations Coordinator
801-790-4856
ashley.alexander@schoolimprovement.com
8686 South 1300 East
Sandy, UT 84094
www.schoolimprovement.com

Lamesa Independent School District and other districts around the nation have chosen PD 360 to help them solve these and other common professional development problems

Lamesa, TX--May 25, 2007--Lamesa Independent School District recently chose the School Improvement Network's on-demand resource, PD 360, to help solve its most pressing professional development problems. In the past, Lamesa struggled with finding the time and money for professional development. Traditional methods of professional development pulled teachers out of the classroom and cost the district thousands of dollars without providing job-embedded follow-up. In addition, previous professional development emphasized "one size fits all" training rather than addressing the individual needs of teachers.

More time for professional development because of increased flexibility
With increased pressure upon their shoulders, educators find themselves busier than ever and even more accountable for professional development activities. Scheduling conflicts and the necessity of removing teachers from the classroom to participate often make professional development inconvenient and difficult. By providing teachers and administrators with constant access anywhere they have an Internet connection, PD 360 gives Lamesa educators increased flexibility by allowing them to do professional development activities at convenient times and places. Short video segments prevent training from being overwhelming and enable teachers to fit in professional development whenever they have a few minutes of time.

"Because PD 360 is hosted on our server, teachers can access it from school or home, making it the most flexible and pervasive method of professional development delivery available," says Scott Davis, Assistant Superintendent at Lamesa ISD.

Giving districts and schools more for their money
Like many districts across the nation, the high costs of professional development activities strained Lamesa's resources. Onsite training by a professional consultant can get districts started on the path towards improvement; however, teachers and administrators need follow-up resources to sustain the practices taught during onsite training. Because workshops are usually expensive, districts need a cost-effective follow-up and support tool.

At Lamesa, Davis recognized the value of the support PD 360 provides to training and other professional development activities. He purchased PD 360 for his entire district�giving unlimited access to every staff member for a full year�for approximately the cost of one day of onsite training from a consultant. Even better, the consultants Davis was most interested in bringing to his school, that are often booked months or years in advance, are featured on PD 360. Consultants on PD 360 include Michael Fullan, Rick Stiggins, Gayle Gregory, Douglas Reeves, Rick DuFour, Eleanor Renee Rodriguez, Todd Whitaker, Jackie Sattes, Beth Walsh, Glenn Singleton, and many other prominent educational experts.

Ending "one size fits all" professional development
Lamesa recently developed a staff development framework in order to be more systematic in their approach to training.

Says Davis, "Although the framework was a big step in the right direction, its downfall was that it emphasized "one size fits all" training. With PD 360, teachers receive flexible professional development that fits within our existing framework and enhances it."

As every educator knows well, "one size fits all" does not work with students or teachers. Teachers of different experience levels need to be able to focus on the topics that are most relevant to them. With segments on data, differentiation, assessment, classroom management, closing achievement gaps, instructional strategies, leadership, reading, math, poverty, and much more, PD 360 provides every teacher and administrator with the training in the areas they need.

Other districts around the country have purchased PD 360 to solve their professional development challenges. These districts include Elko County School District in Nevada, Hauppauge Union Free School District in New York, and Gallup-McKinley County Schools in New Mexico.

About PD 360 Professional Development On-Demand™
PD 360 is education's most comprehensive and innovative on-demand professional development tool. Educators can find the individualized support they need with hundreds of indexed and searchable video segments that address the most pertinent topics, like classroom instruction that works, differentiation, instructional coaching, English language learners, data, assessment, closing achievement gaps, math, reading, brain research, and many others. Every segment features one or more of education's most respected experts�such as Michael Fullan, Rick Stiggins, Gayle Gregory, Douglas Reeves, Rick DuFour, Eleanor Renee Rodriguez, Todd Whitaker, Jackie Sattes, Beth Walsh, and Glenn Singleton�and shows multiple authentic, best-practice classroom examples to help teachers see what effective instruction actually looks like. PD 360 is ideal for teachers, administrators, professional learning communities, coaches, mentors, instructional leaders, and paraprofessionals. See it at http://www.schoolimprovement.com/pd360.

About the School Improvement Network®
Founded in 1991, the School Improvement Network has worked with thousands of schools and districts in every state and around the world to provide comprehensive solutions that get results in student learning. As the producer of The Video Journal of Education, TeachStream Online Courses, and PD 360, the School Improvement Network is the nation's leader in professional development. SINET provides onsite training to help schools make Adequate Yearly Progress, improve student learning and engagement, and increase achievement. To produce over 120 Video Journal of Education programs, the School Improvement team has visited over 3,000 classrooms across North America to document best practices and has worked with dozens of the most respected experts in education. Learn more at www.schoolimprovement.com.

For more information, contact:
Ashley Alexander
Public Relations Coordinator
801-790-4856
ashley.alexander@schoolimprovement.com
8686 South 1300 East
Sandy, UT 84094
www.schoolimprovement.com

The School Improvement Network launches innovative on-demand professional development resource: PD 360

Salt Lake City, UT--May 14, 2007--Professional development often draws up images of long workshops or dusty training books from the school media center. The School Improvement Network, producers of The Video Journal of Education and TeachStream Online Courses, would like to change that idea with the newly developed and launched on-demand resource, PD 360.

PD 360 provides teachers, administrators, coaches, mentors, and professional learning communities with instant access to hundreds of hours of research-based, high-quality professional development featuring the best minds in education and including over 1,000 real classroom examples.

Founded in 1991, the School Improvement Network has long been producing videos and resources that help schools improve teacher quality and increase student learning. The genesis of PD 360 came through the requests of numerous school and district administrators to digitize the company's vast video content to make it more accessible for teachers. PD 360 has resulted in a simple online interface that allows educators to watch video segments, reflect on learning, provide training follow-up, facilitate professional learning community sessions, track professional development, focus on standards and objectives, and access additional resources.

To access PD 360, educators login through the Internet with their email address and personal password. Once logged on, users can access professional development on a wide variety of topics, including differentiated instruction, classroom management, closing achievement gaps, assessment, data, brain research, leadership, classroom instruction that works, English language learners, and many more.

When an educator has a question, they no longer have to wait for an expert to get the answer; they simply perform a search to find a number of seven to twelve minute video segments that address their needs. Each segment features recognized educational experts like Rick Stiggins, Michael Fullan, Glenn Singleton, Gayle Gregory, Douglas Reeves, David Hyerle, Carol Santa, Rick DuFour, and Eleanor Renee Rodriguez and shows teachers how to implement new practices through multiple best-practice classroom examples.

Every element of PD 360 is designed to make it as easy as possible for teachers and administrators to find the information they need quickly. Says Chet Linton, CEO of the School Improvement Network: "We made PD 360 simple and easy-to-use in order to ensure that educators would actually utilize it as a job-embedded resource. Our goals are to give teachers a tool that provides them with answers and help the moment they need it and to make professional development more effective and convenient for all stakeholders. As we add new features, we seek the advice of educators to ensure we meet their needs."

PD 360 solves many of the problems of traditional professional development, including finding time for professional development, providing follow-up, driving classroom implementation, and attaining funds. With PD 360, teachers and administrators can do professional development at times that are convenient and at any location with an Internet connection. With built-in follow-up tools, coaches and instructional leaders can ensure that teachers know how to implement the instruction they receive. Because teachers can watch segments again and again, they have a constant resource as they apply new practices. PD 360 costs about the price of a book per teacher, and districts can purchase using a variety of funding sources.

A number of districts across the country have already signed on to PD 360 and are beginning to implement it as an integral part of their professional development program. When asked why he chose PD 360 for his district, Lamesa Independent School District Assistant Superintendent Scott Davis said, "PD 360 meets the needs of our teachers, and meeting their needs helps us meet the needs of our kids. Period. It's as simple as that."

For more information about PD 360, contact School Improvement Network at 800-572-1153. Free trials of PD 360 are available at http://schoolimprovement.com/pd360.

About PD 360 Professional Development On-Demand™ PD 360 is education's most comprehensive and innovative online professional development tool. Educators can find the individualized support they need with hundreds of indexed and searchable video segments that address the most pertinent topics. Every segments features one or more of education's most respected experts and shows multiple authentic, best-practice classroom examples to help teachers see what effective instruction actually looks like. PD 360 is ideal for teachers, administrators, professional learning communities, coaches, mentors, instructional leaders, and paraprofessionals. See it at http://www.schoolimprovement.com/pd360.

About the School Improvement Network® Founded in 1991, the School Improvement Network has worked with thousands of schools and districts in every state and around the world to provide comprehensive solutions that get results in student learning. As the producer of The Video Journal of Education, TeachStream Online Courses, and PD 360, the School Improvement Network is the nation's leader in professional development. SINET provides onsite training to help schools make Adequate Yearly Progress, improve student learning and engagement, and increase achievement. To produce over 120 Video Journal of Education programs, the School Improvement team has visited over 3,000 classroom across North America to document best practices and has worked with dozens of the most respected experts in education. Learn more at www.schoolimprovement.com.

For more information, contact:
Ashley Alexander
Public Relations Coordinator
800-572-1153
ashley.alexander@schoolimprovement.com

The School Improvement Network presents No Excuses! How to Increase Minority Student Achievement

The School Improvement Network, producer of The Video Journal of Education, TeachStream, and PD 360, has released its newest professional development video program, No Excuses! How to Increase Minority Student Achievement. The program addresses the achievement gap that plagues many of the nation's schools and shows schools and districts how to increase the achievement of every student.

Says Curtis Linton, Co-Executive Producer of the School Improvement Network and Co-writer of Courageous Conversation About Race, recipient of the 2006 National Staff Development Council's Book of the Year, "Without a clear vision of high achievement for all students, regardless of race, socio-economic status, or language, schools and teachers will continue to accept the inequitable performance of disenfranchised student groups. For this reason, we decided to produce a program that presented a clear and precise vision of what schools can accomplish by featuring highly diverse schools that had categorically closed their achievement gaps with all students."

No Excuses! How to Increase Minority Student Achievement features ten schools from across the nation that have closed or are rapidly closing their achievement gaps. One featured school is Northrich Elementary near Dallas, Texas, where 100% of the fifth graders�including English language learners and special education students�passed the state exam. At Northrich, over half the students are of Color, one-third are English language learners, and over 60% of the students come from disadvantaged backgrounds. According to principal Sandy Nobles, "We have exactly the same expectation for every student that walks through the door," and they meet those expectations.

Another school presented is Elmont Memorial High School just outside of Queens, New York. With 75% of their students African American, Elmont leads the nation in Black student achievement. Annually, over 96% of the student body passes the difficult New York State Regents Exam in English and Math while 99% of all incoming ninth-graders graduate. According to principal John Capozzi, "The results we get are because of what we believe in and what the kids believe that they can achieve."

The School Improvement Network wanted to capture the great work of Northrich Elementary, Elmont Memorial High School, and the eight other featured schools in order to show that achievement gaps can be closed and that every student truly is able to achieve at high levels. Each successful school institutionalized the foundational principal of equity, meaning that every student receives the individualized support they need to reach a common standard. No Excuses! How to Increase Minority Student Achievement shows schools how they too can implement equity with the Equity Framework, a research-based model that incorporates expectations, rigors, and relationships and ties together school culture, leadership, and teaching and learning.

No Excuses! How to Increase Minority Student Achievement features a number of education's most recognized experts: Jamie Almanzan, James Comer, Bonnie Davis, Kati Haycock, Gary Howard, Sonia Nieto, and Beverly Daniel Tatum. These experts provide training participants with practical advice and insight to help them as they implement the Equity Framework.

To learn more about No Excuses! How to Increase Minority Student Achievement, go to go to http://schoolimprovement.com/topics/no-excuses-how-to-increase-minority-student-achievement.html.

The School Improvement Network, producer of The Video Journal of Education, TeachStream, and PD 360, provides comprehensive solutions that work.

The School Improvement Network, producer of The Video Journal of Education, TeachStream, and PD 360, recently released Applied Differentiation: Making It Work in the Classroom. This comprehensive video title moves beyond theory to show educators how to actually differentiate instruction in the classroom.

Applied Differentiation: Making It Work in the Classroom features Gayle Gregory and Cindy Strickland and presents an original, research-based model that guides teachers in the day-to-day implementation of successful differentiated instruction. Chet Linton, CEO of the School Improvement Network, said, "We created this program after hundreds of requests to develop a resource that shows teachers how to differentiate, and from the response we have received thus far, we were successful. Educators want to differentiate, but they need to see how it is done or the process becomes overwhelming. Applied Differentiation shows teachers how to differentiate the curriculum, their teaching, and assessments."

The program includes a section on knowing every learner and shows educators how to create motivation in every student. The process of knowing the learner is made simple with the Learning Profile Matrix, a tool included with the video program that helps teachers understand how students learn best through their learning styles, intelligence inclinations, culture, race, and gender.

After a establishing a firm theoretical basis, Applied Differentiation presents teachers from real classrooms around North America as they differentiate with their students. From watching their peers, teachers develop confidence in their own ability to differentiate instruction. The Applied Differentiation Map, a simple graphic organizer presented in the video and included in the training materials, makes planning differentiated lessons straightforward and practical.

Applied Differentiation concludes with a special leadership and implementation section. This section shows instructional leaders how they can create a climate for differentiation that supports teachers who have differing needs and styles and how they can provide training, leadership, and ongoing support to improve instruction. To learn more about Applied Differentiation: Making It Work in the Classroom, go to http://schoolimprovement.com/topics/applied-differentiation-making-it-work-in-the-classroom.html.

The School Improvement Network, producer of The Video Journal of Education, TeachStream, and PD 360, provides comprehensive solutions that work.

The School Improvement Network, producer of The Video Journal of Education, TeachStream, and PD 360, has released a new video title designed to help districts implement a coaching program and effectively train new coaches.

Instructional Coaching: School-Based Staff Development for Improved Teacher and Student Learning features experts Joellen Killion, Jim Knight, and Stephen Barkley and introduces educators to the Coaching Framework, a comprehensive model that shows districts how to implement a coaching program, step-by-step. To establish the importance of coaching to quality teaching, the program begins by discussing the what and why of coaching and explains why implementing a coaching program is a district responsibility.

Districts that decide to implement a coaching program will find the Coaching Framework to be of immense help. Developed by the School Improvement Network, the Framework shows districts how to select, develop, train, deploy, evaluate, support, and monitor coaches. By following the research-based Framework, districts will successfully implement and sustain a coaching program at the site level and will thereby maximize teacher training and support.

Instructional Coaching also provides comprehensive training for coaches by showing expert coaches-in-action. Training participants can watch as these expert coaches perform a myriad of daily activities, including planning, interfacing with school administrators and individual teachers, and conducting teacher training. Coaches will learn how to use the highly effective Collaboration Cycle of pre-conference, classroom experience, and post-conference as they work with teachers.

Joellen Killion of the National Staff Development Council said, "This (Instructional Coaching) is an in-depth and comprehensive program. I am recommending it to a large inner-city school system which just received approval from the state to place coaches in all their K-8 schools. I will recommend that they watch the program to understand what coaching can be, then use the Framework as they make decisions about how to develop a coaching program, and finally to use the examples of coaches-in-action to train their coaches."

Instructional Coaching is available in both DVD and VHS. The program includes 4 DVDs or videotapes, as well as an Implementation Guide and 3 CD Soundtracks. A companion book, Quality Teaching in a Culture of Coaching by Stephen G. Barkley and a Coaches Edition CD-ROM are also available. For more information, go to http://schoolimprovement.com/topics/instructional-coaching.html.

The School Improvement Network, producer of The Video Journal of Education, TeachStream, and PD 360, provides comprehensive solutions that work.

Nashville, TN--December 5, 2006--At the annual conference of the National Staff Development Council (NSDC), John and Blanch Linton were honored as the first-ever recipients of the NSDC Ambassadors for High-Quality Professional Learning Award.

NSDC is the largest non-profit professional organization committed to ensuring success for all students through staff development and school improvement. NSDC created the Ambassadors for High-Quality Professional Learning Award to honor John and Blanch's exceptional commitment to outstanding, research-based professional development.

"John and Blanch have created a legacy in the field of professional development," said Joellen Killion, NSDC's Director of Special Projects and a celebrated teacher coaching expert. "NSDC and all educators will be forever grateful for John and Blanch's vision and how they brought that vision to life." John and Blanch are former educators who recognized a need for quality staff development for all teachers and administrators. In 1991 they founded The Video Journal of Education (now known as School Improvement Network) with the vision of producing professional learning programs that would impact every teacher in order to reach every student. Since 1991, John and Blanch have visited over 2,500 classrooms across North America to film the best teachers in action in order to show other educators how to implement the best teaching behaviors and practices. They have carefully studied and documented nearly every major educational research-based initiative that increases student learning and have worked with hundreds of education's top experts. As a result, they have produced over 120 professional development video programs that address the most pertinent issues educators around the world face. Those who know John and Blanch testify of their commitment to providing teachers and administrators with the resources that will help all educators improve the learning and achievement of every student. Says Sydnee Dickson, Director of Professional Learning at Granite School District and NSDC board member, "John and Blanch have really dedicated their lives to serving all students and promoting the best education possible for all students. They have done that through improving teacher quality and giving teachers the best resources available. Watching them receive their award was the most touching moment of the conference to me."

Founded in 1991, School Improvement Network provides comprehensive professional development to assist schools and districts improve teacher quality to increase student learning.

Curtis Linton Receives NSDC Book of the Year Award

Nashville, TN--December 5, 2006--Curtis Linton, Executive Producer at School Improvement Network, received the National Staff Development Council's Book of the Year Award at the organization's annual conference for co-authoring the acclaimed Courageous Conversations About Race: A Field Guide for Achieving Equity in Schools.

The National Staff Development Council (NSDC) is the largest non-profit professional organization committed to ensuring success for all students through staff development and school improvement. The NSDC Book of the Year Award is a much-coveted accolade that recognizes a book that makes a significant contribution to the field of staff development.

Linton is an expert in building racial equity and closing achievement gaps. After receiving his master's degree in fine arts from the University of Southern California, Linton began writing and producing award-winning, video-based staff development for School Improvement Network. Traveling to schools around the country convinced him of the importance of racial equity in the classroom; helping schools build such equity soon became his passion.

Along with his writing and production work, Linton conducts workshops in districts throughout North America and helps school systems design and implement comprehensive school improvement plans. Courageous Conversations About Race, co-authored by Glenn Singleton of Pacific Educational Group, is Linton's first book. The book has received praise and accolades from teachers, administrators, and educational organizations alike.

Commenting on the book, Hugh B. Price, former president and CEO of the National Urban League, said, "In an era when America seems content to sweep candid talk of race under the rug, Courageous Conversations About Race recognizes that denial isn't a prescription for interracial tolerance and social progress."

Founded in 1991, School Improvement Network provides comprehensive professional development to assist schools and districts improve teacher quality to increase student learning.