The International Center for Leadership in Education Names the 2017 Model Schools and Innovative Districts for Dramatic Improvements in Learning

BOSTON, June 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Center for Leadership in Education (ICLE), a division of global learning company Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, today announced the 40 Model Schools and Innovative Districts that will be recognized at the 25^th annual Model Schools Conference in Nashville. These schools and districts will share their future-focused approaches to teaching and learning that challenge the status quo and is rooted in rigor, relevance and relationship building.

For the past 25 years, the Model Schools Conference has served as a professional learning opportunity for over 100,000 educators, enabling them to engage in dialogue around real challenges and solutions, discover best practices for personalizing learning and fostering a growth mindset, and build their own personal learning network. Over the course of four days, like-minded teachers and leaders network and share practical and effective ideas, research-based strategies and tools for creating future-focused schools and districts. 

The Conference includes over 125 innovative sessions, where HMH thought leaders and representatives from a cross section of model elementary, middle and high schools present a rich array of approaches to delivering world-class education. From sessions about leveraging data analytics that drive teaching and learning decisions, to discovering best practices for personalized learning, the Model School Conference empowers and inspires educators to create their own action plan so they're able to transform learning and support student growth.  

"The forward-thinking leaders of the 2017 Model Schools and Innovative Districts have implemented a rigorous and relevant 21^st century-based curriculum that challenges and engages students to thinking beyond the classroom to solve real-world problems," said Sue Gendron, President, International Center for Leadership in Education. "We applaud the trailblazing practitioners leading this year's schools and districts who have made it their mission to inspire and equip today's educators with the knowledge they need to prepare students for lifelong success."

20 states are represented among this year's honorees, including ten elementary, nine middle, nine high schools, and twelve innovative districts. Each Model School and Innovative District has embraced a system for effective instruction that has created new opportunities to increase student achievement.

"Our schools must mirror the ever-changing world we live in so that they can prepare our students to navigate continuous change," said Dr. Bill Daggett, Founder and Chairman of the International Center for Leadership in Education. "We celebrate this year's Model Schools and Innovative Districts, as well as all 552 Model Schools from the past 25 years, for serving as models of change by creating a culture that recognizes strengths and weaknesses, encourages innovation and adapts best practices and ideas from others."

Model Schools and Innovative Districts are selected annually based on their demonstration of high student achievement, their ability to provide every student with a rigorous and relevant curriculum, use of data to make instructional decisions, emphasis on pedagogy over technology, and other results-driven best practices. The process of identifying and analyzing schools is part of a joint initiative of the Successful Practices Network and ICLE, and is based on the Learning Criteria to Support 21^st Century Learners.

The 25^th Annual Model Schools Conference will take place June 25-28 in Nashville. For more information about the Conference, including sessions, speakers and a complete list of the ICLE's 2017 Model Schools and Innovative Districts, please visit: www.modelschoolsconference.com

About the International Center for Leadership in Education

The International Center for Leadership in Education, established in 1991 and located in Rexford, N.Y., is one of the most influential education consulting companies in America. It is best known for identifying and disseminating successful practices to assist all students in achieving higher standards. Dr. Daggett and his team of consultants have assisted numerous state education agencies and hundreds of schools and districts in their improvement initiatives. For more information, please visit www.LeaderEd.com.

About Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (NASDAQ: HMHC) is a global learning company dedicated to changing people's lives by fostering passionate, curious learners. As a leading provider of pre-K–12 education content, services, and cutting-edge technology solutions across a variety of media, HMH enables learning in a changing landscape. HMH is uniquely positioned to create engaging and effective educational content and experiences from early childhood to beyond the classroom. HMH serves more than 50 million students in over 150 countries worldwide, while its award-winning children's books, novels, non-fiction, and reference titles are enjoyed by readers throughout the world. For more information, visit www.hmhco.com.

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Media Contact
Meghan Anderson
609 458 5326
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Meghan.Daly@hmhco.com

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SOURCE Houghton Mifflin Harcourt