The Impact Factor: Why we can’t neglect professional learning evaluation. By Stephanie Hirsh The Standards for Professional Learning and the guidance they provide lay the foundation for an effective professional learning system that demonstrates improvement and results. Aligning professional learning to the standards will help educators document impact by keeping them focused on what is most important, telling them whether they are on the right track to achieve their goals, and giving evidence to reassure those responsible for investments in professional learning. Moving in Unexpected Directions: Texas elementary uses exploratory research to map out an evaluation plan. By Sue Chapman, Debora Ortloff, Laurie Weaver, Winona Vesey, Mary Anderson, Michael Marquez, and Melissa Sanchez After a sudden and dramatic drop in reading scores at McWhirter Elementary Professional