Presented by Dr. Julie Evans, CEO and Lead Researcher, Project Tomorrow; Lu Settles Young, Ed.D., Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Leadership Studies, and Director of Next Generation Educational Partnerships, University of Kentucky College of Education; and a panel of district leaders and teachers who have participated in the nationwide Speak Up Research Project

Sponsored by Project Tomorrow

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On May 10th, Speak Up Day for America’s Teachers, Project Tomorrow shares a clarion call to action with school leaders. Teachers are confronted with a complex range of issues daily leading to an increase in dissatisfaction and disillusionment with the profession. Media attention often focuses on the low level of teacher compensation, but we know the issues impacting teachers are far more complex and wide ranging.

Here is your opportunity to suspend your assumptions, get the data needed to make effective decisions, and take the necessary action to improve your teachers’ experiences. In this edWebinar, we highlight the following:

• What Speak Up data tells us about teachers, their current views and experiences, and what they need to be more effective
• How Speak Up data can help you understand the teacher’s voice, generate new conversations, and develop action plans to address these challenges

The Speak Up Research Initiative is the largest collection of authentic stakeholder voices on key educational issues. The project surveys students, teachers, parents, and administrators each year to understand how they view their educational experiences. Speak Up surveys remain open until May 13th—so don’t delay. There is still time to participate.

This recorded edWebinar is of interest to K-12 teachers, school and district leaders, and education technology leaders.

About the Presenters

Dr. Julie A. Evans is the CEO of Project Tomorrow and founder of the heralded Speak Up Research Project which annually collects and reports on the authentic education views of K-12 students, parents, and administrators. Dr. Evans serves as the chief researcher on the Speak Up Project as well as leading research efforts on the impact of innovative learning models and interventions in both K-12 and higher education. Since its start in 2003, almost six million K-12 students, teachers, and parents have participated in the Speak Up Project representing over 35,000 schools from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and around the world. Dr. Evans is the longest-serving woman executive in the education technology nonprofit sector.

Dr. Evans is a graduate of Brown University and earned her doctorate in educational leadership from the University of California, San Diego, and California State University San Marcos. She serves on several boards and frequently speaks and writes on new learning models. Among her many accolades, Dr. Evans won EdTech Digest’s National Leader Award (2020) and received the 2023 EdTech Visionary Award.

Lu Settles Young, Ed.D. joined the University of Kentucky College of Education as a program evaluator and faculty member in the Next Generation Leadership Academy in January 2015. She is now a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Educational Leadership Studies and Director of Next Generation Educational Partnerships. Before coming to UK, Dr. Young served as the Chief Academic Officer of Fayette County Public Schools in Lexington, KY, and before that, as Superintendent of Jessamine County Schools for nine years. She holds a doctorate in education leadership from Northern Kentucky University. Dr. Young was selected as the 2012 Kentucky Superintendent of the Year. She serves on the Advisory Council for AdvancEd KY and is an active member of the board of the United Way of the Bluegrass and the UK College of Education Board of Advocates. Dr. Young is also the Chair of the Kentucky State Board of Education.

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Project Tomorrow is a national nonprofit organization with a mission to ensure that today’s students are well-prepared to become tomorrow’s leaders, innovators and engaged citizens of the world. We support that mission with programs and research that focus on innovation and new learning models in the K-12 classroom, including through the effective use of technology.