ER&D frequently asked questions

Is this a new resource?
No. Actually Educational Research and Dissemination has a 20-year track record. Even in the late 1970s, the American Federation of Teachers knew from its members that the staff development they were getting did not meet their needs. Many state and local unions across the country have very active ER&D programs. However, with the renewed emphasis on quality teaching and student achievement, AFT has devoted more resources to revitalizing the ER&D program and bringing it to more state and local unions.

What exactly is ER&D?
ER&D takes proven research, translates it into everyday language and develops strategies for using the research information to improve classroom instruction. There are nine ER&D strands. They include:

Basic Courses

Foundations for Effective Teaching I: Organizing the Classroom Environment for Teaching and Learning
Foundations for Effective Teaching II: Delivering Effective Instruction

Strand Courses

Beginning Reading Instruction
Reading Comprehension Instruction
Early Reading Intervention
Thinking Mathematics 1: 10 Principles, Additive Structure
Thinking Mathematics 2: Multiplicative Structures, Proportional Reasoning
Thinking Mathematics 3: Fractions, Decimals, Ratio
Thinking Mathematics for Middle School: Journey to Algebra
Instructional Strategies that Work for All Disciplines
School, Family and Community: Supporting Student Learning
Managing Anti-Social Behavior
Managing Student Behavior for Support Staff
Delivering Effective Professional Development (a required mini-course covering presentational strategies and program development)

What is the purpose of ER&D? How can it help Education Minnesota members?
The ER&D program provides union members with high-quality research-based strategies for enhancing instruction. The model incorporates the standards of effective professional development, focuses on student achievement, facilitates collaboration among colleagues, and provides unions ownership for the program. ER&D is one way Education Minnesota supports quality teaching and helps members address student achievement.

Is the ER&D program just for teachers?
Absolutely not! Although only one course is designated for educational assistants, all of the strands contain information of use to educational assistants working with students.

How can a local get the ER&D materials?
ER&D is built on a train-the-trainer model. The only way to get the materials is to identify members who will be trained by Education Minnesota and AFT. Once the identified member has satisfactorily completed the training, the local is ready to develop an action plan that brings the information to its members.

Who can be an ER&D trainer?
Anyone the local selects. In order to teach an ER&D strand, the trainer must participate in the summer and winter ER&D institutes and be validated as a trainer. Local leaders will learn to identify members with the potential to be trainers. Trainers can be teachers, education assistants or recently retired teachers.

It sounds like locals need to make a commitment before they have access to the ER&D materials. How does a local become involved?
Locals do need to make a commitment. Here is what a local must agree to do:

Local president attends the two-day local leader orientation to find out about the program, how to select trainers, how to find partners and how to get positive public relations from their commitment.
Local president goes to a local Executive Council and gets a commitment to participate in the ER&D program.
Local president identifies one or two local site coordinators who will attend the summer and winter training institutes.

How much time do these commitments require?

The local leader orientation is two days.
The local site coordinator or strand training is 10 days broken into two segments: Summer Institute and Winter Institute.

What costs are involved for the local union?
There is no cost to the union for the two-day local leader orientation.

In the first year of the program, the local union must agree to pay the registration fees for each person it sends for summer and winter institute 10-day training – i.e., approximately $950 per person. AFT pays all other costs including transportation, lodging and food. Once individuals are trained and ready to start the local program, the local union must build the costs of implementation into its local budgets. Many locals and school districts share the costs using staff development money.

When does the local leader orientation and site coordinator training take place? Where is the ER&D training?
The local leader training is normally in January. The site coordinator or strand coordinator training is 10 days at Summer and Winter Institutes. Local leaders come back to the January institute to help develop local action plans. Local leaders will attend the orientation mid-January. Local site coordinators will be trained at a summer institute in July with the Winter Institute the following February. A local beginning an ER&D program must start with the Foundation strand. Locals that have programs up and running may then develop new strands.

Are there any locals in Minnesota that have ER&D?
Yes. Brooklyn Center, Burnsville, Central Lakes United, Dakota County United Educators, Duluth, Eden Prairie, Grand Rapids, Great SW United, Hastings, Hiawatha Valley United Teachers, International Falls, ISD 287, ISD 916, Lake Superior, Lakeview, Minneapolis, Mounds View, No. St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale, No. Branch, Osseo, Owatonna, Princeton, Robbinsdale, Rochester, St. Cloud, St. Francis, St. James, St. Paul, South Washington County, Wayzata and W. St. Paul are among the local unions that are offering ER&D to their members.

Is this just for large locals? How can smaller locals get involved? Can Education Minnesota offer any help in bringing ER&D to our members?
We encourage locals of all sizes to participate. Although it appears that only large locals participate, many smaller locals across the state have active programs. Often they involve surrounding districts. Education Minnesota is working on ways to bring several professional development resources to all of our members. There is help for locals that will help us develop, implement and evaluate various models for delivering ER&D and other professional development opportunities. Intermediate Organizations are an effective means of bringing ER&D to smaller locals.

This sounds like something our members can use. If I am interested, whom do I contact?
Complete the Local Union Interest Indicator and include your local president and field staff. Your local union president and field staff will be added to our database for an invitation to the Local Leaders Orientation in January or February. For specific questions, contact Katy Perry at Education Minnesota, Education Issues Department, 651-292-4879 or katy.perry@educationminnesota.org.

January 19, 2009