Amanda Ward, a teacher, facilitator and an instructional coach at Bainbridge High School, has won a Hope Street Group National Teacher Fellowship.

Ward is among a select group of 17 public school educators working to improve the quality of teacher preparation programs in Washington and across the country.

As a Hope Street Group National Teacher Fellow, Ward will engage in conversations and data collection about how to improve teacher preparation programs.

“Education and equity in education are essential to success in American society,” said Ward, an instructional coach who has taught social studies at BHS for 14 years and served 10 years as a department head. “It is in the best interest of all to have a thriving educational system that provides ample opportunity for children to grow and develop as thinkers, communicators and innovators.”

“We know how important strong teaching is to students’ education and life outcomes – especially for our most vulnerable kids,” said U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan. “If we are going to improve teaching and learning in America, we have to improve the training and support that we give our teachers.” This supports the notion that the preparation of the next generation of teachers is the responsibility of the entire education profession.

Last year, Hope Street Group National Teacher Fellows (NTFs) worked with their peers and policymakers to provide recommendations on topics including college- and career-ready standards, educator evaluation, and professional development, as outlined in their report, Leaders of Change. The singular focus on teacher preparation will allow NTFs to reach thousands of teachers across the country to capture the opinions of these practitioners, who may feel disconnected from the policymaking process.

“When it comes to education policy, teachers need to take an active role in sharing ideas in order to influence decision makers,” Ward said. “I want my voice and the voices of my colleagues heard by policymakers.”

Ward’s roles as teacher, instructional coach and Hope Street Fellow fall in line with a growing emphasis on teacher leadership. Washington recently established a State Fellows Network of teacher leaders to spearhead implementation of new learning standards. At the federal level, the U.S. Department of Education has emphasized empowering teachers to improve the education process through its Teach to Lead program, a partnership with the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, in addition to their Teaching Ambassador Fellowship Program.

Ward’s leadership experience includes serving on the Federal Reserve of San Francisco’s Educational Advisory Group, consulting for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, and assisting in the creation of the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council on Bainbridge Island. She earned a bachelor’s degree in American studies from the University of Notre Dame and holds a Master in Teaching from Seattle University.

The Hope Street Group is a nonpartisan organization that works to ensure every American will have access to tools and options leading to economic opportunity and prosperity.