A professional learning plan establishes short- and long-term plans for professional learning and implementation of the learning. Such plans guide individuals, schools, districts, and states in coordinating learning experiences designed to achieve outcomes for educators and students.

Professional learning plans focus on the program of educator learning. A program of professional learning is “a set of purposeful, planned actions and the support system necessary to achieve the identified goals. Effective [professional learning] programs are ongoing, coherent, and linked to student achievement” (Killion, 2008, p. 11). Events, on the other hand, are occasional, episodic, disconnected incidents that are scheduled periodically throughout a school year. Typically, they have little or no connection with one another and little chance of producing substantial change (Killion, 2008).

Events are simply not enough to do more than raise awareness, transmit information, and possibly ignite a desire to change. For example, a workshop on using literacy across the curriculum is not a program of professional learning, whether the duration is two hours or 20. A program is not about the number of hours of formal learning, but about the nature of the learning itself. It may be informal or formal, but it must include application, analysis, reflection, coaching, refinement, and evaluation of effectiveness to produce results for educators and students. Furthermore, it needs to address state, school system, school, team, and individual learning goals.

Individuals leading or facilitating professional learning planning teams or members of planning teams may use the tool Websites to Sample Professional Learning Plans on pp. 56-59 to locate examples of templates and formats for professional learning plans. These examples represent how professional learning plans are structured, not necessarily exemplary plans.