Experts in the Classroom: Fellows Program Connects Teacher Learning to Student Outcomes

This article provides snapshots of teacher leadership in action as one result of the Asheville (N.C.) City Schools Foundation Innovation Fellows program, an approach to providing high quality professional learning for the district's best teachers. With start-up funding from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, this program was created to retain great teachers and lessen achievement gaps by directly connecting teacher learning and student outcomes. Fellowships are awarded on a competitive basis for teacher-directed action research. Over the last four years, the Asheville City Schools Foundation awarded more than $101,648 in fellowships to 70 teachers and three administrators. Projects spanned various disciplines, directly impacted students from kindergarten to 12th grade, and produced impressive student and teacher learning outcomes.