Growing into Equity : Professional Learning and Personalization in High-Achieving Schools

High-achieving students and teachers―winning strategies from Title I schools!

What makes a Title I school high-achieving, and what can we all learn from that experience?  Professional learning and leadership that supports personalized instruction makes the difference, as captured in the ground-breaking research of authors Sonia Caus Gleason and Nancy Gerzon.

This illuminating book shows how four outstanding schools are making individualized learning a reality for every teacher and student. The common thread is the commitment to equity―every student achieving. Readers will find

• Guidance on identifying obstacles to equity within your school
• Background that builds a case for personalized learning
• Four case studies that show the lived values, professional learning practices, leadership, and systems that have helped schools transform learning
• How-to’s and templates for creating a team-based professional development program that expands individualized instruction in every classroom

Discover new approaches for individual, team, and whole school professional learning that support personalized learning, drawn from schools that are leaders in overcoming challenges and creating opportunities.

"Equity is not an afterthought to high achievement. Gleason and Gerzon′s new book on outstanding equity-driven practice in four very different schools shows that if you want to raise the bar you have to start by narrowing the gap."
―Andy Hargreaves, Thomas More Brennan Chair in Education
Boston College

Nancy Gerzon has been supporting school districts to improve learning outcomes for two decades. As a senior research associate for Learning Innovations at WestEd, Nancy provides technical assistance, professional development, and administrative coaching to support school improvement and reform in New England and New York.

Nancy′s work is guided by an enduring interest in how educational systems support individual student and adult learning. She is passionate abotu helping schools and districts create systemic supports for teacher learning, effective teaming practices, helpful team facilitation, and supportive learning structures. Nancy has a bachelor of arts in psychology from Stony Brook University and a master of arts in human resources from Rivier College.