National Writing Project

National Writing Project
Name	National Writing Project
Formation	1974
Type	Professional development network
Headquarters	United States

National Writing Project The National Writing Project is a United States-based professional development network that connects K–12 and higher education teachers, college faculty, and community educators to improve writing instruction and literacy outcomes. Founded in 1974 at University of California, Berkeley, the network has expanded through site-based centers at universities and colleges across the United States and engaged with federal agencies, philanthropic foundations, and nonprofit organizations. Its work intersects with initiatives from U.S. Department of Education, collaborations with higher education institutions such as Stanford University and University of Michigan, and partnerships involving organizations like the Gates Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, and National Endowment for the Arts.

History

The project began in 1974 after an invitation from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and took initial shape at University of California, Berkeley under leaders connected to National Council of Teachers of English, Teachers College, Columbia University, and scholars influenced by Paulo Freire and Donald Graves. During the 1980s and 1990s the network expanded to sites associated with institutions such as University of California, Irvine, University of Texas at Austin, University of Wisconsin–Madison, and University of Massachusetts Amherst, and engaged with federal programs including initiatives from the U.S. Department of Education and the National Endowment for the Humanities. In the 2000s the project responded to changes in standards and assessments influenced by the No Child Left Behind Act and later interactions with consortia such as the Common Core State Standards Initiative and research organizations like the American Educational Research Association.

Organization and Structure

The network is organized as a federated set of autonomous campus-based sites housed at institutions including Columbia University, Harvard University, Yale University, University of California, Los Angeles, and University of Colorado Boulder, each governed by local site leadership that coordinates with a national office and board connected to entities such as the National Writing Project Steering Committee and advisory groups with members from National Council of Teachers of English and the American Federation of Teachers. Sites operate under bylaws that reference institutional affiliation with universities like University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and University of Pennsylvania and often partner with local school districts such as Los Angeles Unified School District, New York City Department of Education, and Chicago Public Schools for teacher professional learning. Governance includes directors, site co-directors, and teacher-consultants who participate in national forums and conferences hosted alongside organizations like Association of American Colleges and Universities and Modern Language Association.

Programs and Professional Development

Programs include summer institutes for teachers affiliated with universities such as University of California, Santa Cruz and Boston University, in-service workshops coordinated with districts like San Francisco Unified School District and Seattle Public Schools, and online offerings developed with technology partners including Mozilla Foundation and Google. Professional development models draw on prior work by scholars and practitioners linked to Lucy Calkins, Donald Graves, Lucy McCormick Calkins, and methodologies discussed at conferences like the National Council of Teachers of English Annual Convention and symposia sponsored by The Aspen Institute. Site-based curricula address writing across content areas in collaboration with university programs at Michigan State University and Penn State University and specialized strands such as digital literacy developed with partners like Mozilla Foundation and networks formed with National Writing Project Network affiliates in urban and rural contexts.

Research and Impact

Scholarly evaluation of the network's impact has been published by researchers at Stanford University, Harvard Graduate School of Education, University of Michigan School of Education, and the American Institutes for Research, examining teacher practice, student outcomes, and instructional change. Studies have appeared in journals associated with American Educational Research Association conferences and publications linked to Teachers College Record and the Journal of Teacher Education, reporting effects on writing instruction in districts such as Boston Public Schools and Chicago Public Schools. The project has contributed to national conversations alongside reports from the National Assessment Governing Board and policy discussions involving organizations like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding has come from federal sources including grants related to programs administered by the U.S. Department of Education and philanthropic support from entities such as the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Gates Foundation, Spencer Foundation, and John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Partnerships have linked sites with university centers at University of California, Berkeley, corporate partners like Google and Microsoft, nonprofit organizations including Mozilla Foundation and The Aspen Institute, and advocacy groups such as the National Council of Teachers of English and the American Federation of Teachers for program delivery and research collaborations.

Notable Sites and Leadership

Prominent sites and institutional homes include University of California, Berkeley, Stanford University, Columbia University, University of Michigan, University of Texas at Austin, University of Wisconsin–Madison, University of Massachusetts Amherst, and University of California, Los Angeles. Past and present leaders and affiliates have included scholars and educators associated with Lucy Calkins, Donald Graves, Paulo Freire, Jim Burke (educator), Peter Elbow, and practitioners who have worked with national organizations like the National Council of Teachers of English, National Endowment for the Arts, and American Educational Research Association.

Category:Writing organizations Category:Educational networks