As a leading provider of education degrees, Walden University is engaged in a number of activities to help educators improve student achievement and address the challenges they face at the classroom, district, state, and national level.

Walden shares the Michigan Schools to Watch program's goal of identifying and applying best practices to support academic excellence, developmental responsiveness, and social equity in the middle grades.

Walden supports educators and administrators by offering the following degrees online:

• M.S. in Education with a specialization in Middle Level Education (Grades 5–8)

• Ed.D. with specializations in

  • Administrator Leadership for Teaching and Learning

  • Teacher Leadership

• Ph.D. in Education

Walden supports Michigan Schools to Watch by

• Participating in the selection of Michigan Schools to Watch
• Helping sponsor the conference of the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform
• Hosting this Web site

Several Walden faculty members are national and Michigan Schools to Watch members:

• Dr. Peggy Gaskill, former chair of the M.S. in Education program with a specialization in Middle Level Education, helped develop the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform’s Schools to Watch program and is leading the Walden/Michigan Schools to Watch partnership.
• Dr. Deborah Kasak is the executive director of the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform and a part-time faculty member in the M.S. in Education program with a specialization in Middle Level Education at Walden.
• Fran Salyers directs the Kentucky Schools to Watch initiative and is a part-time faculty member in the M.S. in Education program with a specialization in Middle Level Education at Walden.
• Linda Chase is a middle school assistant principal in Michigan and a part-time faculty member in the M.S. in Education program with a specialization in Middle Level Education at Walden.
• Dr. Bruce Dow serves on the Michigan Schools to Watch selection team and is a full-time faculty member in the Walden M.S. in Education program specializations in reading and in science.
• Tom Webb serves on the Michigan Schools to Watch selection team and is a former middle school teacher and part-time faculty member in Walden’s M.S. in Education program.