The Federal Investment in the National Writing Project

(Slide presentation and handout)

Authors

Dr. Mark St. John, Dr. Laura Stokes, Inverness Research Inc.

Purpose

This is a presentation that Inverness Research prepared for the National Writing Project's April 2007 Spring Meeting in Washington D.C. Inverness Research is an independent evaluation firm that has studied the NWP for over 15 years.

The presentation explains, from an evaluator's perspective, why and how the National Writing Project represents an important federal investment in the improvement of the nation's education system.

Using data from the NWP site profile and participant surveys, the presentation makes these 5 points:

1. The National Writing Project is the largest and longest-standing teacher development program in U.S. history.
2. The NWP is not just another professional development "project". It is a national infrastructure of 197 linked sites, each of which is a local school-university partnership.
3. Federal funding of the NWP is not just another annual "expenditure". It is an investment that is cost efficient and generates ever-expanding capacity to serve teachers.
4. The federal investment in the NWP infrastructure leads to large-scale improvements in student writing.
5. Federal funding remains critical to the NWP's future work. Federal funding enables the infrastructure to function. A discontinuity in federal funding could put the entire infrastructure, built over 30 years, at risk.
   

There are two companion files: a slide presentation and a handout. These are both PDF documents. See links below.

Intended Audience

The National Writing Project, Federal, State, and Local Policy Makers, Funders, Educators, Teachers, Reform Leaders, and general public.

Disclaimer

Any and all errors are claimed by the authors of this document, Inverness Research Associates.

Date published

April 2007

Distribution Policy

Inverness Research Inc. grants permission to print and distribute copies.

View & Print Report

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DOWNLOAD HANDOUT (pp. 2)

DOWNLOAD PRESENTATION (pp. 32)