A School Board Guide to Leading Successful Schools

Stephanie Hirsh is the former executive director of Learning Forward, a position she held for over a decade. Before her appointment as executive director, she served the association as deputy executive director for 18 years. During her tenure she co-authored more than a dozen books; published more than 100 articles; lectured internationally; and consulted with policy and decision makers broadly. She led the publication of the first three editions of Standards for Professional Learning as well as federal and state policies that leveraged them for more than three decades. Her advocacy, writing, and consulting efforts focused on building systems of professional learning that ensured high levels of learning and performance for all educators and students. Prior to her work with Learning Forward she served as a teacher, central office administrator, and three-term school board member, in the Richardson ISD (TX) school system. Today she consults with foundations, organizations, education start-ups, and universities focused on issues of capacity building, equity, curriculum, and professional learning. Recent clients include Carnegie Corporation of New York, Chicago Public Schools, Learning Forward, National Center for Teacher Residencies, Univ of Maryland College of Education, University of Texas College of Education.

Selected recent books and reports include: Preparing Day-One Ready Teachers (2021) co-authored with Tabitha Grossman, Becoming a Learning Principal (2020), co-authored with Frederick Brown and Kay Psencik; The Elements: Transforming Teaching through Curriculum-based Professional Learning (2020) coauthored with James B. Short, Becoming a Learning Team (2017), co-authored with Tracy Crow; A School Board Guide to Leading Successful Schools (2013), coauthored with Anne Foster.

Stephanie Hirsh serves on advisory boards for Center for Public Research and Leadership at Columbia Law School, Divon Academy, EdCuration, edsUp, Learning Forward, University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning’s (KUCRL’s) IES funded research grant, University of Texas College of Education, and Dallas-area nonprofits. Stephanie Hirsh has been recognized by the University of North Texas, Texas Association of School Boards, Texas Staff Development Council, Richardson Independent School District, Junior Achievement, and Kappa Delta Pi for her scholarship, volunteerism, and leadership. She earned her Ph.D. and M.Ed. from the University of North Texas and BS from University of Texas at Austin.

Anne Foster is the Executive Director of Parents for Public Schools (PPS), a national organization of community-based chapters working to strengthen public schools by engaging, educating and mobilizing parents.

Foster had a longtime career in real estate in the Dallas area and served as a three-term elected school board member for Richardson (Texas) ISD. She served as board president for seven years and founded Realtors Supporting Richardson Schools (RSRS) as a way to bring Realtors into support of public schools. She graduated from Leadership Texas and became the first ED of the business/public school advocacy group Raise Your Hand Texas.

In her current position with PPS, Foster speaks, presents and writes on behalf of parent and community engagement in public schools, as well as school board advocacy. Her commentaries have appeared in Phi Delta Kappan, Educational Horizons, The Dallas Morning News, USA Today, and others. She is a regular commentator on public education issues on KERA Dallas public radio, and she consults with community and municipal groups on parent engagement in schools.

Foster received the Outstanding Communicator Award by the National School Public Relations Association. She has been recognized as a Master Trustee and member of an Honor Board from the Texas Association of School Boards. She serves on The National Family, School, and Community Engagement Working Group, which advises the White House and Department of Education on federal policy.