(1) Professional
development programs will address issues that are relevant to the priorities
of education improvement and reflect the knowledge base of the profession
by doing the following:
(A) Reflecting
research-based approaches to effective adult learning, student learning,
and organizational change to support on-going developmental activities.
While tapping educators' life experiences and drawing on the knowledge
base from effective research, a variety of modes of learning are used
to foster self-directed professional development opportunities.
(B) Integrating
education improvement priorities. Consistent and continuous links are
made with the school improvement plan, the Indiana Professional Standards
Board, and the Indiana State Board of Education policy.
(C) Incorporating
both discipline-specific and interdisciplinary approaches to teaching,
assessment, and preparation for the world of work. Professional growth
experiences enhance educators' knowledge within and across subject areas
and their ability to foster and assess students' problem solving and critical
thinking skills.
(D) Including
explicit strategies for setting high expectations and meeting the diverse
learning needs of all students. Training activities increase educators'
capacity to implement developmentally-appropriate practices to establish
challenging learning goals and respond to the uniqueness of each student.
(E) Receiving
adequate resources. Every public school in Indiana must receive the financial
resources and support services needed to provide the most effective professional
development program, as described within these principles.
(2) Professional
development program will engage educators in an effective learning process
that impacts practice by doing the following:
(A) Actively
involving participants in program design, delivery, and implementation.
Professional growth opportunities reflect educators' needs as determined
from multiple data sources grounded in and linked with the school improvement
plan. All stakeholders shall be engaged in meaningful job-embedded opportunities
to effectively support practice that lead to improved student learning.
(B) Promoting
multiple strategies that model recommended strategies. Opportunities for
professional development incorporate varied approaches, such as theory,
demonstration, reflection, practice, mentoring, technology applications,
and peer dialogue and coaching.
(C) Incorporating
follow-up activities that are sustained over time and provide educators
with ongoing feedback. The professional development program provides a
range of opportunities for staff to integrate the new strategies into
their work with children through practice, feedback, and reflection.
(D) Continuously
evaluating impact on educators' practice and student learning. The effectiveness
of professional development is determined by its impact on staff performance
and student learning.
(3) Professional
development programs will contribute to developing an environment that support
educators' professional growth by doing the following:
(A) Fostering
collegiality and collaboration. Professional growth opportunities encourage
staff to build a community of educators, parents, business, and community
partners who exchange ideas for innovation, cooperate in developing curricula,
and discuss approaches to strengthening student learning by focusing on
the school community as a culture of inquiry.
(B) Building
capacity through a continuum of ongoing improvement activities. Professional
development activities maintain a focus on the improvement of practices
that increase student learning and link to the school improvement plan
and the standards developed by the Indiana Professional Standards Board,
and the Indiana State Board of Education policy.
(C) Integrating
staff development into educators' practice. The professional development
program incorporates supports for staff to implement newly acquired strategies
and assess them for their impact on student learning.
(D) Encouraging
innovation and risk-taking. As a result of staff development activities,
the school community recognizes the need for action research which assists
educators, leading toward innovations improving student learning.
(1) The program
must emphasize improvement of student learning and performance.
(2) The program
must be developed by the committee that develops the school's strategic
and continuous improvement and achievement plan.
(3) The program
must be integrated with the school's strategic and continuous
improvement and achievement plan.
In
approving a program, the State Board of Education shall consider whether the
local school governing body has done the following:
(1) Approved
a school's plan.
(2) Demonstrated
the support of the exclusive representative only for the professional development
program component of the plan.
The board
may approve a school's program only if the program meets the board's core
principles for professional development and the following additional criteria:
(1) To ensure
high quality professional development, the program:
(A) is school
based and collaboratively designed, and encourages participants to work
collaboratively;
(B) has
a primary focus on state and local academic
standards, including a focus on Core 40 subject areas;
(C) enables
teachers to improve expertise in subject knowledge and teaching strategies,
uses of technologies, and other essential elements in teaching to high
standards;
(D) furthers
the alignment of standards, curriculum, and assessments; and
(E) includes
measurement activities to ensure the transfer of new knowledge and skills
to classroom instruction.
(2) A variety
of resources, including needs assessments, an analysis
of data regarding student learning needs, professional literature, research,
and school improvement programs, are used in developing the program.
(3) The program
supports professional development for all stakeholders.
(4) The program
includes ongoing professional growth experiences that provide adequate time
and job embedded opportunities to support school improvement and student
learning, including flexible time for professional development that provides
professional development opportunities before, during, and after the regular
school day and school year.
(5) Under
the program, teacher time for professional development sustains instructional
coherence, participant involvement, and continuity for students.
(6) The program
includes effective, research-based strategies
to support ongoing developmental activities.
(7) The program
supports experiences to increase the effective use of technology to improve
teaching and learning.
(8) The program
encourages diverse techniques, including inquiry, reflection, action research,
networking, study groups, coaching, and evaluation.
(9) The program
includes a means for evaluating the effectiveness of the program and activities
under the program.
A
grant received through the professional development program:
(1) shall
be expended only for the conduct of activities specified in the program;
and
(2) shall
be coordinated with other professional development programs and expenditures
of the school and school corporation.
Updated:
September 21, 2004
|
Home