ALABASTER, AL — Thompson High School (THS) has officially been named a Corwin Visible Learning Associate School, earning national distinction for its commitment to evidence-based teaching practices and measurable student achievement.
The recognition comes during a week of national celebration for Alabaster City Schools at the 2026 Visible Learning Conference in Nashville. Representing ACS, Dr. Amanda Wilbanks, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, alongside her team of specialists, led a featured presentation titled “Leadership in Sync: Using Evidence to Guide Instructional Improvement.” The session demonstrated how data-driven leadership and district-wide collaboration translate into elevated learning experiences in THS classrooms. Dr. Wilbanks has led Visible Learning professional development for secondary educators across ACS for more than a year with the support of ACS Superintendent Dr. Wayne Vickers.
To achieve Corwin Visible Learning Associate School status, THS successfully executed the School Impact Process, a rigorous framework designed to evaluate and enhance classroom effectiveness through research-backed instructional strategies. The program empowers students to take ownership of their learning while equipping educators with clear evidence of student progress.
"As superintendent, I am incredibly proud of Thompson High School for earning Visible Learning Associate School recognition," Dr. Vickers said. "When leaders stay in sync around evidence, teachers become clear, students become more aware of themselves as learners, and schools become more coherent. That coherence means we share a common commitment to understanding our impact and responding when the evidence tells us that something needs to change."
Visible Learning is more than just a teaching framework; it’s a mindset that transforms classrooms. Grounded in John Hattie’s extensive research, it equips educators with evidence-based strategies to focus on what works best in the classroom. The ultimate goal is to accelerate student learning through clear, measurable impact. Visible Learning shifts the focus to ensuring that both teachers and students are part of a collaborative learning process. Teachers become evaluators of their own impact, using feedback and evidence to adapt their methods. Meanwhile, students take an active role in their education by setting goals, monitoring their progress, and driving their own learning journeys, according to Corwin.
See the full national list of Visible Learning School Awards: https://www.visiblelearning.com/events-and-community/school-awards