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ST. PAUL, Minn., March 13, 2015 – Education Minnesota’s new television ad, “ImpassionED,” supports the collaborative approach to teacher development found in the state’s Teacher Development and Evaluation law, which took effect last fall.
 
The ad debuts statewide Saturday, March 14. It will appear online and on broadcast and cable television for four to six weeks.

The ad introduces the teachers in Plainview-Elgin-Millville Community Schools, who received a $90,000 grant from the National Education Association to kick-start their Teacher Development and Evaluation plan last year. The teachers worked cooperatively with the district to build a strong system that focuses on the annual improvement of each educator.
 
The results are already evident, PEM teachers said, with increased teacher cooperation leading to better learning environments for both staff and students.
 
“You can see the focus, hear the enthusiasm, feel the changes,” said Plainview High School art teacher Mary Chick in the ad. “Impassioned teachers here and across the state are mentoring each other, sharing ideas and collaborating like never before.”

The ad demonstrates how teachers support the TDE law when it is correctly implemented and funded. The NEA grant helped the program get off the ground in PEM, but the teachers said without sustainable funding the program will be less effective in the long term.

“This is the most important teacher quality law passed in my career,” said Education Minnesota President Denise Specht. “This is the first time Minnesota has had serious discussions about how to improve the quality of every teacher, every year. We need to do this right.”

“ImpassionED” is the latest ad in the year-old “-ed Moments” campaign, which highlights the innovation and passion of educators in Minnesota. Viewers will be able to see and learn more about how PEM teachers won the grant and are implementing their TDE plan at the campaign website, www.edmoments.com.

About Education Minnesota
Education Minnesota represents 70,000 professionals working together for excellence in education for all students. Education Minnesota’s members include teachers and education support professionals in Minnesota’s public school districts, faculty members at Minnesota’s community and technical colleges and University of Minnesota campuses in Duluth and Crookston, retired educators and student teachers. Education Minnesota is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association and AFL-CIO.