Alonso served as CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools (City Schools) for six years, where he led a reform effort
marked by a rebalancing of authority and responsibility among stakeholders, the building of a coalition
in support of City Schools, leading edge labor contracts, and a focus on individual
students and teaching and
learning that yielded
marked improvement in achievement and climate data across all levels, the first increases
in enrollment
in 40 years, and widespread political and ground root support for what have been divisive reform strategies
in other districts.
When teachers have the necessary time to engage
in high quality professional
learning — coupled with the supports to use that time well — such professional
learning can result
in marked improvements in student academic growth.40 This is why the National Education Association's Foundation for the
Improvement of Education includes «adequate time for inquiry, reflection, and mentoring» as one of the components of high - quality professional development.41 When teachers have time to plan, practice, collaborate, and
learn, both teachers and
students benefit.