News Release

June 14, 2000

Teachers Give Voice to Educational Policymaking

Eight of the 55 MetLife Fellows of the National Teacher Policy Institute (NTPI) who co-authored the groundbreaking publication "What Matters Most—Improving Student Achievement," are from Santa Barbara County.

The local 1999-2000 NTPI Fellows are: Ann Dille, of Clarence Ruth School in Lompoc; Deborah Gans of Ellwood School in Goleta; Kathleen Gerber of Mountain View School in Goleta; Chris Mullin and Jerry Swanitz of Santa Ynez Valley Union High School;   Ellen Schwartz of Vandenberg Middle School in Lompoc, Linda Wiezorek of the Lompoc Unified School District, and Robin Sawaske of the Santa Barbara County Education Office.

The book they co-authored powerfully demonstrates how teachers have been researching their own practice to effect change far beyond the classroom, bringing the voice of teachers to the fore in educational policymaking.

The just-released report promises to be an important tool in the reshaping of American education.

The publication highlights the ways that policy plays out in the real world of schools and classrooms.  It documents the results of action research and connects the findings to four recommendations for reform that had been suggested by the National Commission of Teaching and America’s Future:

o  get serious about standards
o  reinvent teacher preparation and development
o  organize schools for success
o  put qualified teachers in every classroom.

The NTPI was established in 1996 to connect education policy with actual classroom practice, with an aim toward improving student achievement.  As a major part of their work, NTPI MetLife Fellows conduct action research studies in their own classrooms.  Summary versions of these papers are available online at www.teachnet.org/ntpi.

NTPI is a major initiative of The Teachers Network, formerly called IMPACT II.  The Teachers Network is a nationwide, educational nonprofit organization that identifies and connects innovative teachers who exemplify professionalism, independence, and creativity within public schools systems.

Further information is available by calling Robin Sawaske at the Santa Barbara County Education Office, 964-4711, ext. 5281.