MPS to Engage in Premier Training with New Education Standards

Milwaukee Team to Share their Knowledge, Experience in Implementing  Common Core State Standards—Business Leaders Joining as Well

FAIRFIELD, Conn. — School’s out, but a team of more than 40 teachers, principals and administrators from the Milwaukee Public Schools, as well as business leaders, will contribute their knowledge, interact with national education leaders, and enhance their understanding of major changes coming to the classroom.

Wisconsin, along with almost every other state, has adopted the Common Core State Standards that will be put into practice a year from this September. In order to prepare for these tougher, more demanding standards, educators need to shift their instructional focus in Literacy/English Language Arts and math. Under the Standards, students delve more deeply into critical concepts, relying on higher-level thinking rather than simple memorization.

The support of the GE Foundation (www.gefoundation.com), the philanthropic arm of GE, will cover the cost of Milwaukee’s participants and costs for a total of 400 U.S. educators at the conference titled “The Common Core State Standards and Our Commitment to Student Success.” It’s taking place July 15–20 in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., and among the speakers will be former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who now chairs the Foundation for Excellence in Education.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for our teachers to learn, grow and collaborate. Our team members are going to be able to dive into specific content by grade and experience level. Our 80,000 students will benefit from the expertise they bring back with them,” said Gregory E. Thornton, Superintendent, Milwaukee Public Schools. “The Common Core State Standards are critical to preparing our students for college and careers. We’re embracing those tough standards and we’re grateful to have a partner in the GE Foundation to ensure that our teachers are exposed to the best possible expertise on putting the standards in place. ”

Superintendent Thornton will be attending along with school board members.

“Good paying jobs are going unfilled because U.S. workers don’t have the skills for the positions. The Common Core are part of the solution and ensuring educators in Milwaukee know how to implement them is absolutely critical,” said Robert Corcoran, Vice President, GE Corporate Citizenship, and President and Chair, GE Foundation.

The Milwaukee team will also hear remarks from NEA President Dennis Van Roekel and the co-architects of the Common Core Standards.

A group from Milwaukee will also be participating in a workshop at the Kennedy Space Center with NASA and the National Science Teachers Association that is occurring this week. “Meeting the Standards through Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Integration,” will show the educators how real world engineering applies both scientific and mathematical principles to the colonization of Mars. The sessions will show teachers how to bring this type of integrated learning approach back to the classroom.

GE Foundation’s support to the Milwaukee Public Schools includes more than $20.4 million and additional support through funding of Student Achievement Partners, a non-profit whose principals played a lead role in the development of the Standards.

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