Our key priorities today reflect what communities tell us are the most important challenges they face in being able to deliver quality Jewish education:

• Recruiting, training, supporting and retaining high caliber educators. JESNA's response: the Lainer Interns program, online Professional Development Center, community of practice for central agency professional development specialists, New England regional teacher development pilot project, Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards, the Laboratory Communities Project on educator recruitment and retention, and the just completed national study on Jewish teachers and administrators.
• Substantially upgrading complementary Jewish education. JESNA's response: the Center for Excellence in Congregational Education, Coaches Training Institute, community leadership seminar, and Rabbinic Institute; support for PELIE; and work with ADCA on alternative approaches to engaging and educating non-day school children and families.
• Keeping teens engaged in Jewish learning and activity through the high school years. JESNA's response: guiding the development of NAACHHS (association of community high schools); the community youth professionals network; and the development of tools like the tracking system for youth engagement initially developed by Kansas City as part of our Partnering Communities Program.
• Ensuring effective local educational planning and improvement initiatives. JESNA's response: capacity-building with central agencies; community consultations; evaluations and evaluation training; and guidance to communities in "linking silos" to better coordinate efforts across institutional boundaries.