Read 5 star testimonials about the National Urban Alliance on the GreatNonprofits website! read the testimonials
Testimonials
Dennis McBride, former president, RCSD Board of Trustees:
“While we have not known each other long I feel like you are one of the most authentic and genuine people I have worked with. In fact, your whole team is! You have one of the most necessary missions that will impact our students, families, teachers, and staff. Your program gives me hope.” (Read the entire testimonial here)
Jackie Roehl, Minnesota Teacher of the Year:
“Edina Public Schools partnership with The National Urban Alliance has greatly impacted teacher pedagogy and student achievement. Edina has been involved in some way with NUA for the past 10 years, and over that time our district has seen the reading racial achiement gap between blacks and whites close by approximately 20 points in large part to the cuturally responsive teaching strategies that staff now use in the classroom. The work of NUA is clearly visible in the schools that have been directly involved with cohorts, and their influence is even being felt in other schools in our district through the works of our staff development to bring strategies to those schools.
Dr. Leona Derden, former Elementary Principal, Northport Elementary School, Robbinsdale, MN
“National Urban Alliance (NUA) helped to transform my struggling school to a school of excellence. The professional development they provided was in-depth and thorough. The presenters were lively and provided practical tools for my teachers to implement in their classrooms. Their work made a significant difference in the lives of my school climate and culture. My school was considered a “priority” school, which in my state were schools in the bottom 5%. After working with them for two years, we were able to make significant gains and were no longer on the priority school list.”
Francisca Sanchez, Associate Superintendent, Hayward Unified School District:
“I’ve worked with the National Urban Alliance in three different settings and have found their work to be stellar — the best I know of in the nation with regard to accelerating the achievement of students in urban settings. Their approach is firmly grounded in a set of values about the unlimited potential of our students, staff, and community and on powerful research about cognitive modifiability and building on assets and strengths to engage all students in high intellectual performance.
Their ability to engage educators, learners, and families together in enacting essential pedagogical practices is unparalleled. They deliver on their promises!”
Dr. Barbara Pulliam Davis, Superintendent of Schools, Greene County (Georgia) School District:
“I am so very pleased that our students have the opportunity of benefiting from NUA’s work. If you could only see the difference in our classrooms and in the attitudes of our students and our teachers. Yes, we continue to work to address the instructional gaps, but we are all making huge efforts to narrow them. More importantly, there is an understanding of what is needed.”
James S. Dierke, Principal Visitacion Valley Middle School, San Francisco:
“We have worked hard as a team to get behind the professional development offered by the NUA folks and are very happy with the result we have seen … Our results at VVMS +40 points on the API speak for themselves.”
Lynn Brogan, Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment, Seattle Public Schools:
“Since 1999, nearly one-half of the Seattle Public School District’s 3,000 teachers have enrolled in NUA’s program. A statistically significant number of African-American students who had previously failed the reading section of the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL), were able to pass the test after being in classrooms of teachers participating in NUA professional development for two years. In fact, they passed the WASL at over twice the rate of African-American students who spent a year or less with such teachers. We see scores in Seattle going up overall and in the data; we see significant results for our most at-risk kids. That is very, very encouraging.”
Teresa Gremaux Southwick Elementary Principal, East Allen Schools:
“I Just wanted to let you know that our East Allen School (Southwick Elementary) was not mentioned in this article, but was also on academic probation until NUA trained our teachers. I am proud to say that our school made 100% of all categories (21 out of 21) to make AYP this year!!! Last year we only made it in 2 out of 21 categories. We have extremely dedicated teachers, which combined with NUA strategies have made Southwick Elementary a school moving in the right direction. Thanks NUA!!!!!”
Linda Darling-Hammond, Stanford University:
“The National Urban Alliance is the only major reform movement at work today that combines a deep knowledge of teaching and learning with a commitment to educational equity and the improvement of city schools. It is a beacon of hope for those who would otherwise have given up on the education of children in our cities.”
Asa G. Hilliard III, Georgia State University:
“The National Urban Alliance represents the very best in staff development. Student achievement is its focus. Results, rather than mere routine, separate NUA from so many staff development efforts, including those of some very popular programs and organizations.”
“Brother Eric, thank you. I marvel at the potential of NUA. It is unique. All of that is due to a unique collection of talent … but most of all, because of your unique ability to bring all of that together and to articulate a mission and a vision with uncommon energy. There is no competitor on the horizon that I know about, to overcome the malevolence of the forces of destruction. On, mighty power ranger!!! I really enjoyed the conference, and hanging out. Stay strong, as I know that you will.”
Marion Bolden, former Superintendent Newark (N.J.) Public Schools:
“As a result of the writing partnership between the Newark Public Schools and the NUA, which made use of Writing as Learning, the state mandated test results in writing were significantly higher in all of the district’s high schools.”
Jonathan Kozol, Author:
“The National Urban Alliance has emerged as one of the most dynamic and exciting forces in the school reform scenario as it affects the lives of children in our cities and, especially, the lives of children in black and hispanic neighborhoods…A desperately needed catalyst for change and an important source of courage for those in the trenches.”
Pat Pritchett, former Superintendent Indianapolis Public Schools:
“The word is now truly spreading from coast to coast that a difference can be made in the lives of urban students…it takes top flight professional development of teachers which the NUA is very capable of providing and the other appropriate support systems. Together we can reinvent urban education to meet the needs of our kids.”
“We know that the strategies taught by the NUA partnerships help all children of color and in poverty to achieve maximum potential. The reform debate needs to move away from the value of charter schools and vouchers and re center on providing all teachers with the skills and strategies to help every child succeed. We have seen the success stories from across the nation every time there has been an NUA partnership with a school system. The issue is not whether or not charter schools or private schools are successful, but how to provide each and every child with the skills to reach their maximum potential. The skills taught by NUA partnerships should be part of every teacher preparation program and districts across this country should embrace them in helping all students.”
Dorothy S. Strickland, State of New Jersey Professor of Reading (Penn.):
“The excellent work of the National Urban Alliance is groundbreaking in its ability to bring research-based strategies to educators that improve students achievement in reading and writing. Their work is comprehensive, systemic, and effective.”
Awards – Archive