Learning Forward acknowledges the generous support of the following:

THE ARTHUR VINING DAVIS FOUNDATIONS

The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations are named for the former president of the Aluminum Company of America. The Foundations make grants in five program areas: higher education, secondary education, religion (graduate theological education), health care (caring attitudes), and public television. Secondary education grants support "innovative professional development programs that strengthen teachers and their teaching in grades 9–12." For more information about The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, visit www.avdf.org.

THE BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's belief that every life has equal value is at the core of the foundation's work. The foundation has set an ambitious goal in K-12 education: to graduate all students college-ready. The foundation is working to provide all students — especially low-income students and students of color — with the opportunity to realize their full potential. In order to achieve transformational results for students, there must be a focus on the heart of the educational experience: the learning partnership between teacher and student. By investing in bold research and reform efforts to better understand what makes teaching effective and to rethink the way teachers are recruited, retained, supported, and evaluated, the foundation has made a commitment to supporting a teaching profession that recognizes, transmits, and honors excellence. The foundation has invested in professional development. Several of these investments will be presenting at this conference. For more information, visit www.gatesfoundation.org.

SANDLER FOUNDATION

Sandler Foundation's mission is to be a catalyst to strengthen the progressive infrastructure, expose corruption and abuse, advocate for vulnerable and exploited people and environments, and advance scientific research in neglected areas. It seeks to promote education policy changes that support high-quality learning environments where learning is meaningful, substantive, and relevant to individual and societal needs and interests. The foundation works to achieve significant results that make a real and lasting difference in people's lives and in the communities and environments in which they live. More information is available at www.sandlerfoundation.org.

METLIFE FOUNDATION

MetLife Foundation is committed to building a secure future for individuals and communities worldwide, through a focus on empowering older adults, preparing young people and building livable communities. In education, it seeks to strengthen public schools through effective teaching and collaborative leadership, and to prepare students for access to and success in higher education, particularly during the crucial first year. The Foundation's grantmaking is informed by findings from the annual MetLife Survey of the American Teacher. More information is available at www.metlife.org.

THE WALLACE FOUNDATION

The Wallace Foundation is an independent, national foundation dedicated to supporting and sharing effective ideas and practices that improve education and enrichment opportunities for children. The foundation is currently focusing its efforts to:

• Strengthen education leadership to improve student achievement.
• Enhance after-school learning opportunities.
• Re-imagine and expand learning time during school or over the summer.
• Expand participation in arts and culture.

For more information and research on these and other related topics, please visit the Knowledge Center: www.wallacefoundation.org.