Press Releases

NWP Teams with Alliance for Excellent Education for Digital Learning Day! (November 14, 2011)

Building upon a growing movement, the National Writing Project, in partnership with the Alliance for Excellent Education, is calling on teachers, schools, principals, community leaders, parents, and students to participate in the inaugural national Digital Learning Day on February 1, 2012. More ›

National Writing Project Joins Celebration of National Day on Writing (October 18, 2011)

To celebrate the National Day on Writing on October 20, the National Writing Project has joined The New York Times Learning Network, Figment and Edutopia to create the "Why I Write" project to collect the thoughts of people from all walks of life—scientists, businesspeople, reporters, poets, teachers, and students—and discover why they write. More ›

Funding Cuts Threaten Future Programs for Local Educators (August 31, 2011)

Although enthusiastic teacher-leaders from all grade levels and disciplines attended professional development institutes held at 200 university-based Writing Project sites across the country, the future looks uncertain given the deep cuts in federal support for these and other important literacy investments. More ›

College Board Report Profiles Six Teachers on Current Teaching Practices of English Language Learners and Immigrant Students (May 11, 2011)

During a Capitol Hill briefing today, a panel of nationally recognized teachers shared their teaching experiences of English language learners and immigrant students, and offered recommendations on how our schools must improve to better serve today's student populations for college and career readiness. More ›

Educators Gather in Boston to Explore Urban Literacy (April 28, 2011)

Teachers from across the country will gather in Boston this weekend to share successful approaches to urban education and learn new ways to help their students navigate the complexities of digital literacy. More ›

National Writing Project, Reading Is Fundamental, and FableVision Champion a New Approach to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Education (March 30, 2011)

Today, a panel of children's literacy and science education experts were on Capitol Hill to champion a new approach to STEM education that will make these critical disciplines more accessible to young people. More ›

Congress, Obama Cut Funding for National Writing Project (March 6, 2011)

NWP Executive Director Sharon J. Washington says a bill eliminating funding for the National Writing Project will potentially jeopardize a nationwide network of 70,000 teachers who deliver localized, high-quality professional development to other educators across the country in all states, across subjects and grades. More ›

New Children's Book Brings Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) to Life (February 22, 2011)

Today, Reading Is Fundamental and the National Writing Project announced the release of The Curious Adventures of Sydney and Symon in: Water Wonders, an original chapter book for children ages 6-8. More ›

Author of The Book Whisperer Headlines Teachers' Gathering (November 17, 2010)

Teachers from across the country will gather at the National Writing Project's 33rd Annual Meeting in Orlando for three days to showcase and evaluate new classroom strategies for giving young people the writing skills they need to succeed in the classroom and workforce of the 21st century. More ›

National Writing Project to Create Teaching Models to Improve Writing Instruction (November 1, 2010)

Teacher-leaders of the National Writing Project are developing high-quality curricula that align with the Common Core State Standards Initiative, with support from a $550,000 Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation grant. More ›

What Is Digital Writing and Why Does It Matter? (October 25, 2010)

In today's world of texting, tweeting, blogging, and social networking, young people are writing more than ever. Students are faced with learning multiple new literacies to succeed in our fast-paced, information-rich world, yet most schools have not caught up with the digital reality that students live in daily. More ›

Teachers Headline Capitol Hill Event on Digital Media & Writing (September 30, 2010)

On Capitol Hill today, three teachers recognized for their innovative use of classroom technology shared their perspectives on the tremendous benefits of using digital media tools to teach writing. More ›

Teachers Head Back to School with New Tools to Teach Writing (August 16, 2010)

As the 3,300 teachers who attended National Writing Project (NWP) professional development institutes this summer start school this fall, they will be returning with new ideas to help students improve their writing. More ›

Report Spotlights Revolutionary Use of Technology in Teaching Writing (June 10, 2010)

This report examines the critical role that teachers play in driving the use of technology in the classroom, and that technology plays in preparing students for success in the 21st century. More ›

Teachers Nationwide Study Writing this Summer (June 1, 2010)

More than 3,000 kindergarten-through-college teachers across the country will dedicate four weeks this summer to learning new strategies to improve their students' writing skills. More ›

350 Writing Teachers Convene in DC for Spring Meeting (March 31, 2010)

Teachers of writing and other disciplines from across the nation met here last Friday for the National Writing Project's Spring Meeting. Headlining Friday's events was a keynote speech by Katherine Schultz, author of Rethinking Classroom Participation: Listening to Silent Voices. More ›

MacArthur Grant Will Expand National Writing Project’s Digital Media Program (February 18, 2010)

The National Writing Project (NWP) announced today that it will receive an $800,000 grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to expand the "Digital Is" program, NWP's nationwide initiative to create and disseminate new classroom practices that use digital media to teach young people how to write. More ›

‘Writing in the Digital Age’ and Former Poet Laureate Headline National Writing Project Annual Meeting (November 18, 2009)

More than twelve-hundred teachers from across the country have gathered here for four days to discuss and showcase successful classroom strategies that meet head-on one of the greatest challenges of our digital world: teaching young people growing up in the digital age to become good writers. More ›

National Writing Project Hosts Four-Day Conference in Philadelphia (November 12, 2009)

More than 1,200 teachers from across the nation will convene in Philadelphia for four days of activities, including the Annual Meeting of the National Writing Project, a reading by poet laureate Billy Collins, and sessions open to the media that focus on the use of digital media tools to teach young people to write and learn. More ›

Teachers Put Innovation in their Back-to-School Plans

(August 19, 2009)

As students and teachers across the country head back to the classroom rejuvenated and refreshed, more than 3,000 new National Writing Project (NWP) Teacher-Leaders are eager to meet them after attending their own specialized professional development at NWP's Summer Institutes. More ›

Thousands of Teachers Focus on Writing over Summer Vacation (May 28, 2009)

More than 3,000 kindergarten through college teachers across the country will dedicate four weeks of their summer break to learning new strategies to improve their students' writing skills. More ›

Most Americans Support Greater Emphasis on Writing in Schools (April 2, 2009)

Americans believe that knowing how to write well is more important than ever, viewing it as essential to success in college and the workplace, according to a national public opinion survey. However, they fear that our public schools and our children are falling behind. More ›

Letters to the Next President: The Video Campaign Encourages Teen Filmmakers to Address Obama Administration (February 3, 2009)

Letters to the Next President: The Video Campaign, sponsored by the Pearson Foundation and the National Writing Project (NWP), encourages filmmakers ages 13–18, with the support of their teachers, to voice their points of view by creating and sharing digital videos about the issues they want President Obama and his new administration to address. More ›

National Writing Project Receives MacArthur Grant (February 3, 2009)

The NWP is the recipient of a $300,000 grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, as part of the foundation's digital media and learning initiative. The grant will help support NWP's "Digital Is", a national effort to help teachers as they develop effective practices for teaching writing and new media literacies. More ›

Letters to the Next President: Writing Our Future (October 29, 2008)

Google and the National Writing Project have teamed up to create Letters to the Next President: Writing Our Future for high school teachers and mentors who would like to capitalize on young people's interest in the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign. More ›

Congressional Briefing Shows Early Reading + Early Writing = School Success (September 15, 2008)

A new bilingual book for preschoolers, jointly produced by the College Board's National Commission on Writing, the National Writing Project, and Reading Is Fundamental, was highlighted at a congressional briefing in Washington, D.C. More ›

Teachers and Students Return to School Ready to Focus on Writing (August 22, 2008)

As students head back to school, inspired by the successes of American athletes at the Olympics, more than 3,000 National Writing Project (NWP) teachers are eager to meet them after completing their own specialized training at NWP's summer institutes. More ›

National Writing Project Wins Top Award for Website (June 16, 2008)

The National Writing Project (NWP) received the Gold EXCEL Award for the Editorial Content on its website (www.nwp.org) from the Society of National Association Publications (SNAP). More ›

Un nuevo libro de actividades en inglés y español convierte la lectura y escritura en diversión (June 11, 2008)

Según estudios realizados, leerles a los niños pequeños promueve el desarrollo del lenguaje y a la larga conduce al éxito académico. Un nuevo libro para niños en edad preescolar les proporciona a los primeros maestros – aquéllos en casa – una herramienta para el desarrollo de la alfabetización. More ›

New English/Spanish Activity Book Supports Early Literacy Development (June 11, 2008)

Studies have shown that reading to young children promotes language development and, in time, academic achievement. A new book for preschoolers provides children's first teachers—those at home—with a tool to help youngsters begin to develop literacy. More ›

Thousands of Teachers Focus on Writing over Summer Vacation (May 20, 2008)

More than 3,000 teachers across the country will focus on improving their students’ writing skills this summer by attending a National Writing Project (NWP) invitational institute. More ›

National Writing Project Responds to Writing, Technology and Teens National Survey (April 24, 2008)

The National Writing Project supports the findings of the new national survey, Writing, Technology and Teens, released today by the Pew Internet & American Life Project and the College Board’s National Commission on Writing. More ›

National Writing Project Holds Annual Spring Meeting in Nation’s Capital (April 3, 2008)

More than 330 teachers from around the country gathered today for the 2008 National Writing Project Spring Meeting to discuss helping young people learn a skill crucial to success in school and life—the ability to write. More ›

Writing Teachers on Capitol Hill to Promote Literacy (March 30, 2008)

Hundreds of teacher-leaders from the National Writing Project are gathering in DC tomorrow to urge Congress to restore funding for the highly successful program. More ›

Administration’s Budget Proposal Writes Off Writing (February 8, 2008)

National Writing Project (NWP) teachers, students, and supporters expressed their disappointment in the President's FY09 budget request to Congress, which again has targeted this successful program for elimination. More ›

NWP Conducts Congressional Briefing On High-Quality Professional Development (January 24, 2008)

Concrete strategies and federal policies to end the daunting rate of teacher attrition took center stage at a Capitol Hill briefing hosted by the National Writing Project. More ›

University Educator Chosen to Lead National Writing Project (December 4, 2007)

A nationwide search has led to the selection of Dr. Sharon J. Washington to serve as Executive Director of the National Writing Project (NWP), a prestigious teacher professional development organization dedicated to improving writing and learning in the nation's schools. More ›

National Writing Project Expands Adolescent Literacy Efforts (November 28, 2007)

With a new grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the National Writing Project will focus on providing teachers high-quality professional development programs designed to help adolescent readers achieve well in all subjects. More ›

Teachers Bring Summer Institute Writing Skills Back to School (August 28, 2007)

Over 3,000 enthusiastic and highly motivated educators participated in the National Writing Project 2007 Summer Institutes at nearly 200 NWP sites on college campuses nationwide. More ›

Americans Believe Computers Have Positive Effect On Writing Skills (July 10, 2007)

Americans believe that good writing skills are more important than ever, and they believe computers and other new technologies have a more positive than negative effect on helping students develop strong writing skills. View the survey summary, questionnaire, and data charts (PDF). More ›

National Writing Project Publication Honored (June 22, 2007)

The NWP has received a Distinguished Achievement Award from the Association of Educational Publishers for its newest book, Writing for a Change: Boosting Literacy and Learning Through Social Action. More ›

NWP 2007 Summer Writing Institutes Scheduled Nationwide (June 17, 2007)

Teachers across the country will dedicate four weeks of their well-earned summer break immersed in professional development at the nearly 200 National Writing Project 2007 Summer Invitational Institutes on writing. More ›

NWP Executive Director Richard Sterling Plans 2008 Departure (June 7, 2007)

Richard Sterling, Executive Director of the National Writing Project, announced today he will step down, effective in early 2008. He has led the organization since 1994. More ›

Americans Believe Writing Skills Are More Important Than Ever (March 27, 2007)

Americans believe that good writing skills are more important than ever, but they fear that our schools and our children are falling behind. Two-thirds of the public would like to see more resources invested in helping teachers teach writing. More ›

Administration's Budget Proposal Writes Off Writing (February 6, 2007)

The administration claims the NWP is "unable to demonstrate effectiveness," a premise the Writing Project respectfully and adamantly disputes. National and local research studies demonstrate the project improves classroom instruction and, as a result, student writing achievement. More ›

National Writing Project Announces Plans for National Evaluation (December 5, 2006)

SRI International will conduct a four-year evaluation of writing project professional development activities to assess the impact of the writing project on student achievement and teacher practices. More ›

National Writing Project Responds to Writing Next Report (October 26, 2006)

The new Writing Next report provides vital recommendations to help address the writing crisis in America's schools. More ›

Rejuvenated Teachers Ready for School to Start (August 10, 2006)

More than 3,000 highly motivated teachers of kindergarteners through college students are eager for school to start. These teachers, from National Writing Project sites across the country, participated in a four-week program designed to provide innovative approaches for helping students improve their writing skills. More ›

More than 3,000 Teachers Postpone Fun in the Sun to Improve Student Writing (July 5, 2006)

While their students are enjoying summer vacation, more than 3,000 teachers are spending four weeks studying teaching strategies that improve the way students of all ages write and learn. More ›

National Writing Project Teacher to Address U.S. Senate Committee (February 15, 2006)

Carrie Langston, teacher-leader with the Wyoming Writing Project and a teacher at Chugwater High School, will participate in a roundtable discussion of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions entitled "Competitiveness: Building and Filling the Pipeline." More ›

Americans Want Writing Taught in All Grades and Subjects . . . And They Want it Now (November 16, 2005)

A national public opinion survey reports that the American public wants writing to be taught early and often in schools. To serve that end, most Americans believe it is a priority to provide additional resources and training to help teachers teach writing. More ›

National Writing Project Founder James Gray Dead at 78 (November 3, 2005)

James Gray, founder of the National Writing Project, touched the lives of thousands of teachers and students across the country. More ›

National Writing Project Publications Win Awards (June 15, 2005)

The National Writing Project (NWP) won two 2005 Distinguished Achievement Awards from the Association of Educational Publishers (AEP) on June 8. More ›

More Than 3,000 Teachers Work to Improve Student Writing (May 5, 2005)

At NWP summer institutes in all 50 states, kindergarten through university teachers will examine teaching strategies to help students become accomplished writers and learners. More ›

Dedicated Teachers in Rural Areas Give Writing a Boost (March 9, 2005)

Teachers from rural schools in 25 states will gather in Folsom, California, March 11–13, to talk about teaching writing to students in isolated, often impoverished communities. More ›

Writing + Modern Technology = Student Success (October 18, 2004)

With support from Senator John D. Rockefeller IV, writing project teacher-consultants in five states will participate in a professional development program on using new technologies to improve students' writing. More ›

Teachers Hone their Skills at NWP Summer Institutes (July 1, 2004)

More than 3,000 kindergarten through university teachers are exploring ways to improve writing instruction at National Writing Project (NWP) institutes this summer. More ›