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| ASCD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) | |
|---|---|
| Name | ASCD |
| Full name | Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development |
| Founded | 1943 |
| Headquarters | Alexandria, Virginia |
| Type | Nonprofit professional association |
| Focus | Curriculum, instruction, professional development |
ASCD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) is an American nonprofit professional association serving school leaders, teachers, and education professionals. Founded in 1943, the organization connects practitioners across the United States and internationally through publications, conferences, and advocacy networks. ASCD has been associated with influential figures and movements in pedagogy and school reform, and it has collaborated with a range of educational institutions and policymakers.
The organization traces its roots to 1943 when a group of superintendents and curriculum specialists from districts and state departments formed an association to address postwar school challenges alongside figures from Columbia University, Teachers College, Columbia University, Harvard Graduate School of Education, and state education agencies. In subsequent decades ASCD engaged with leaders such as John Dewey-era reformers, advisors tied to the U.S. Department of Education, and scholars affiliated with Stanford University, University of Chicago, and University of Pennsylvania. During the 1960s and 1970s ASCD responded to landmark events including the aftermath of Brown v. Board of Education, federal initiatives linked to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and policy debates surrounding desegregation involving legal actors from Supreme Court of the United States cases. In the 1980s and 1990s ASCD expanded its reach amid discussions influenced by publications from National Commission on Excellence in Education and reports comparable in stature to works by A Nation at Risk authors, while connecting practitioners from districts named for figures like Ella Baker and Thurgood Marshall in urban reform networks. Into the 21st century ASCD adapted to standards conversations shaped by entities such as the Common Core State Standards Initiative and initiatives associated with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation grant programs, and it developed international chapters engaging educators in cities like London, Beijing, and Toronto.
ASCD's mission emphasizes support for instructional leadership and curriculum development through practitioner-oriented programs modeled on work by scholars linked to Carol Ann Tomlinson, Grant Wiggins, and Jay McTighe. Its program portfolio includes frameworks resembling approaches advanced by Benjamin Bloom and followers of Lev Vygotsky in scaffolded learning, while offering coaching and leadership pipelines akin to programs at institutions such as National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and district partnerships like those in New York City Department of Education and Los Angeles Unified School District. ASCD runs standards-aligned initiatives for formative assessment and differentiated instruction that intersect with methods associated with Dylan Wiliam and curriculum design traditions seen at Reggio Emilia-inspired networks. The association also partners with philanthropic and governmental bodies, tracing collaborations resembling grants from Carnegie Corporation and projects with foundations like Annenberg Foundation to support curriculum innovation.
ASCD publishes practitioner resources and books comparable to seminal titles by Richard DuFour, Robert Marzano, and Linda Darling-Hammond, and it distributes periodicals used by district leaders and classroom teachers. Flagship publications have historically played roles similar to influential journals from Phi Delta Kappan and collections associated with Educational Researcher authors, while featuring articles by educators affiliated with Teachers College, Columbia University and research centers at Harvard University. ASCD's resources include books on understanding standards, instructional strategies, and leadership tools comparable to guidance from The Wallace Foundation-supported programs and curriculum models used in districts like Chicago Public Schools and Boston Public Schools. The association also curates lesson design templates and assessment rubrics used in professional learning communities resembling those promoted by networks such as Learning Forward.
ASCD hosts conferences and institutes that attract speakers and attendees from universities and organizations including Harvard Graduate School of Education, Stanford Graduate School of Education, University of Virginia School of Education and Human Development, and district leaders from San Francisco Unified School District and Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Events mirror formats found at forums like the ASU+GSV Summit and convenings by Education Week, featuring workshops by practitioners influenced by authors such as James H. Stronge and Zaretta Hammond. ASCD's professional learning offerings include in-person institutes, online courses, and webinars aligned with leadership competencies endorsed by organizations like Council of the Great City Schools and credentialing efforts similar to those of National Staff Development Council.
ASCD is governed by a board of directors consisting of educators, superintendents, principals, and university faculty, with governance practices comparable to nonprofit boards at National Education Association and American Federation of Teachers affiliates. Executive leadership historically includes chief executives with backgrounds in district administration and higher education, similar to leaders who have moved between posts at institutions like University of Michigan and state education agencies such as California Department of Education. The association maintains member-elected positions and advisory councils drawing participants from teacher unions, charter networks like KIPP Foundation, and independent schools such as Phillips Academy.
Supporters credit ASCD with influencing classroom practice and leadership through widely used publications and professional learning, paralleling impacts attributed to authors like Michael Fullan and organizations such as Edutopia. ASCD's frameworks have been adopted in districts that collaborated with philanthropic partners including The Gates Foundation and municipal reform initiatives in cities like Seattle and Denver. Critics argue that professional associations including ASCD can reflect mainstream reform priorities and sometimes align with standardized accountability trends associated with actors like U.S. Department of Education policymakers and assessment vendors, drawing comparisons to debates around No Child Left Behind Act and the Every Student Succeeds Act. Others call for greater inclusion of voices from grassroots movements exemplified by community organizations like Teach For America critics and parent-led coalitions in order to broaden perspectives represented in curriculum decisions.
Category:Educational organizations in the United States