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Learning Forward is seeking legislative amendments to include this definition in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act as reauthorized by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. These amendments will clarify what practices qualify for federal, state, and district funding, while stating that professional development needs to directly impact a teacher’s classroom practices and student achievement.
The term “professional development” means a comprehensive, sustained, and intensive approach to improving teachers’ and principals’ effectiveness in raising student achievement —
(1) is aligned with rigorous state student academic achievement standards as well as related local educational agency and school improvement goals;
(2) is conducted among educators at the school and facilitated by well-prepared school principals and/or school-based professional development coaches, mentors, master teachers, or other teacher leaders;
(3) primarily occurs several times per week among established teams of teachers, principals, and other instructional staff members where the teams of educators engage in a continuous cycle of improvement that —
(1) must address the learning goals and objectives established for professional development by educators at the school level;
(2) advance the ongoing school-based professional development; and
(3) are provided by for-profit and nonprofit entities outside the school such as universities, education service agencies, technical assistance providers, networks of content-area specialists, and other education organizations and associations.
Farren, C. (1999). A smart team makes the difference. The Human Resource Professional, (12)1, 12-16.
Gregory, A. (1999). Solving the team-building jigsaw. Works Management, 52, 56-59.
Joyce, B. & Calhoun, E. (1996). Learning experiences in school renewal: An exploration of five successful programs. Eugene, OR: ERIC Clearinghouse on Educational Management.
Joyce, B. & Showers, B. (2002). Student achievement through professional development. In B. Joyce & B. Showers (Eds.), Designing training and peer coaching: Our need for learning. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
King, M.B. & Newmann, F.M. (2000). Will teacher learning advance school goals? Phi Delta Kappan, 81(8), 576-580.
Leonard, D. & Swap, W. (2004, September). Deep smarts. Harvard Business Review.
Odden, A., Picus, L., Archibald, S., Goetz, M., Mangan, M.T., & Aportela, A. (2007). Moving from good to great in Wisconsin: Funding schools adequately and doubling student performance. Madison, WI: The Wisconsin School Finance Adequacy Initiative, Consortium for Policy Research in Education, Wisconsin Center for Education Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Rothenberg, R. (2003, Spring). Thought leader. Strategy + Business. Available at www.strategy-business.com/press/16635507/8458.
Taylor, W.C. & LaBarre, P. (2006, January 29). How Pixar adds a new school of thought to Disney. The New York Times. Available at www.nytimes.com/2006/01/29/business/yourmoney/29pixar.html?pagewanted=all.
Learning Forward is the only professional association devoted exclusively to those who work in educator professional development. We help our members plan, implement, and measure high-quality professional learning so they can achieve success with their systems, schools, and students.
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