Pine Bluff School District Professional Development Plan (Draft ...
Pine Bluff School District Professional Development Plan (Draft—Under Review by Professional Development Committee) INTRODUCTION Background and Need The Pine Bluff School Board recognizes the importance of maintaining, developing, and extending the skills of board members, administrators, teachers, and support staff members in order to meet local and state goals, rules and regulations. The Pine Bluff School District is committed to providing the very best of educational experiences for students.
The Board encourages employees at all levels to seek professional development hours pursuant under Arkansas Comprehensive Testing and Assessment, and Accountability Program (ACTAAP), Act 35 of 2003, Act 83 of 2003, Act 59 of 2003, and successive statutes and regulations. The Professional Development and certified personnel evaluation program currently being used in the Pine Bluff School District is based upon models developed by the State of Arkansas.
Professional development hours shall be a coordinated set of planned, research-based best practice learning activities for board members, teachers, administrators and classified staff. Professional Development shall be a standard-based program and activities, which will lead to the individual’s professional growth, expansion of skills and increased job competences. Professional development will be based on assessed district, building, department, and/or individual needs in conjunction with evolving state and national standards. Professional development can only include those activities directly related to the improvement of student achievement
MISSION & VISION OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The mission is to provide the highest quality leadership, service, and support to all certified and classified staff and schools in order that they may provide equitable, quality education for all students in the Pine Bluff School District. The vision is to create an environment where professional development is valued, promoted and supported by the educators of the Pine Bluff School District
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN
A professional development plan will be developed and reviewed annually by a committee of certified and classified staff members. The Professional Development Plan is based on the following overriding principles:
• Activities must be consistent with the District’s Mission Statement and Educational Goals.
• Activities must be consistent with Act 35, Act 59 and Act 83 and the policies and regulations of the Arkansas Department of Education.
• There must be a direct correlation between the professional development activities and student achievement.
• Professional development programs are evaluated on an ongoing basis to determine future programming and program effectiveness.
• Teachers and administrators must meet the recertification requirements.
Professional development planning in the Pine Bluff School District is an ongoing process. The purpose of professional development in the Pine Bluff School District is coordinating a set of planned learning activities for teachers, administrators, and classified employees that are standard-based and continuous.
Professional development helps teachers learn new roles and teaching strategies that will improve student achievement. The prime objective then is the improvement of instruction and student achievement.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEES
In keeping with Act 83 of 2003, the Pine Bluff School District will implement a Professional Development District Committee, comprised of teachers, administrators and classified staff . The campus professional development committee will be part of the campus ACSIP process. A member of the campus
professional development committee will be selected by the campus to serve on the district professional development committee. District-level committee members will be elected to serve each year.
Professional Development Committee Membership:
• Campus-level committee members will appoint at least one member • Two representatives from the classified employees will be appointed • Two representatives from the Learning Specialists • The administrative staff will select one campus administrator • The Assistant Superintendent for Learning Services will chair the committee
The functions of this committee will be as follows: • Develop and update the professional development plan for the district; • Recommend future professional development activities; • Provide professional development training information to staff members; • Relates to the goals of the individual staff member, campus and district; • Conduct an annual faculty needs assessment to be used in the planning and implementation of professional development programs; needs assessment information will be generated from the following:
Needs assessment survey Test data Staff input Curriculum department input, and Legislative and State Board rules and regulations changes.
Additional Responsibilities: • Plan for professional development programs for all staff members;
• Review evaluations of professional development programs, make recommendations for improvement, and explore future needs; and • Review administrative/supervisor assessments of the overall Professional Development program.
NATIONAL STAFF DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
NSDC Standards for Staff Development Context Standards: Staff development that improves the learning of all students: • Organizes adults into learning communities whose goals are aligned with those of the school and district. (Professional Learning Communities--PLC) • Requires skillful school and district leaders who guides continuous instructional improvement. (Leadership) • Requires resources to support adult learning and collaboration. (Resources) Process Standards: Staff development that improves the learning of all students: • Uses disaggregated student data to determine adult learning priorities, monitor progress, and help sustain continuous improvement. (Data-Driven) • Uses multiple sources of information to guide improvement and demonstrate its impact. (Evaluation) • Prepares educators to apply research to decision making. (Research-Based) • Uses learning strategies appropriate to the intended goal. (Design) • Applies knowledge about human learning and change. (Learning) • Provides educators with the knowledge and skills to collaborate. (Collaboration) Content Standards: Staff development that improves the learning of all students: • Prepares educators to understand and appreciate all students, create safe, orderly and supportive learning environments, and hold high expectations for their academic achievement. (Equity)
• Deepens educators’ content knowledge, provides them with research-based instructional strategies to assist students in meeting rigorous academic standards, and prepares them to use various types of classroom assessment appropriately. (Quality Teaching) • Provides educators with knowledge and skills to improve families and other stakeholders appropriately. (Family Involvement) Source: NSDC
CERTIFIED STAFF (Teachers and Administrators)
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES FOR CERTIFIED STAFF
Guidelines for Professional Development: *
1. All certified employees of public schools shall complete sixty (60) required, approved hours of professional development each year. The 60-hour professional development requirement must be fulfilled between June 1 and May 31 as approved.
2. Approval of professional development hours shall be based on the requirements within the Rules, Board priorities, student achievement data, and the ACSIP plan. Improvement of student achievement shall be the prerequisite goal of all professional development.
3. Approved professional development activities, which occur outside the employee’s annual contract days, may apply toward the 60-hour minimum professional development requirement.
4. A three-hour undergraduate or graduate-level college credit course from an accredited college or university counts as 12 hours of professional development, if the college credit is related to and enhances the teacher’s knowledge of the subject area in which the teacher is currently teaching or is part of the requirements for the teacher to obtain additional certification in a subject matter that
has been designated by the Department of Education as having critical shortage of teachers. No more than half of the required 60-hours of professional development time may be met through college credit hours.
5. Beginning in 2004-2005, sixty (60) approved professional development hours annually over a five (5) year period will be required to renew a teacher or administrator license.
6. All approved professional development activities, whether individual or school-wide, shall be based on the improvement of student achievement on State mandated assessments and increasing student achievement and academic performance.
7. To be eligible, professional development activities must produce teaching and administrative knowledge and skill designed to improve students’ academic performance.
8. Approved professional development activities may include conferences, workshops, institutes, individual learning, mentoring, peer coaching, study groups, National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification, distance learning, internships, district/school programs and approved college/university course work consistent with National Staff Development Council Standards.
9. Approved professional development shall not include administrative faculty meetings and administrative organization, or clerical work in the classroom or on clerical school improvement activities.
10. Certified employees in positions not directly related to instructional activities shall be responsible for completing 60 approved hours of professional development each year. However, the focus of their professional development may be prorated among those areas specifically related to their job assignments.
11. All approved professional development activities shall relate to the following areas: content (K12); instructional strategies; assessment; advocacy/leadership; systemic change process; standards, and curriculum alignment; supervision; mentoring/coaching; educational technology; principles of learning/developmental stages; cognitive research; and building a collaborative learning community. At least six (6) of the 60 hours of required professional development shall be in the area of educational technology.
12. Pursuant to Act __6-17-09__ of 2013, each teacher shall be required to meet the following professional development requirements: Arkansas Professional Development Requirements Training
Time All Certified Requirements Staff 6 hours X
Specific Administrators
Parent Involvement
2 hours
X
3 hours for administrators
Teen Suicide
2 hours
X
Child Maltreatment
2 hours
X
Arkansas History
3 hours
X
Technology
Common Core
No time X requirements Anti-Bullying No time X requirements Data No time Disaggregation requirements Instructional No time Leadership requirements Fiscal No Time Management Requirements Tier 1 Training 12 Hours
Special Notes
Resources
May be integrated with other training. Required Yearly 4 Year Rotation: Required 20142015 4 Year Rotation: Required in 2015-2016 4 Year Rotation: Required 20132014 4 Year Rotation: Required 20162017 Yearly Yearly
All Administrators All administrators All Administrators Required for superintendent and district
Yearly Yearly Yearly One time initial training
AAEA
Tier 2 Training
4 Hours
Autism Training
No time requirements
Glucagon Training
No time requirements
Teacher Evaluation Training Principal Evaluation Training
Required Summer 2013 12 hours beginning 2013
X
designee Required for Yearly after superintendent completing Tier and district 1 designee Administrators who have autistic students Administrators who might deal with diabetic students Required to Certify (admin) All Administrators
Required for TESS
AAEA
Co-Op
Co-Op
13. Pursuant to Act 603 of 2003, each administrator shall be required to have no less than three (3) hours of professional development designed to enhance understanding of effective parent involvement strategies and the importance of administrative leadership in setting expectations and creating a climate conducive to parental participation. These three (3) hours may be included in the required 60 hours of professional development. These hours are on a 4 year rotational cycle beginning with the 2014-2015 School Year.
14. For each administrator, the 60-hour professional development requirement shall include training in data disaggregation, instructional leadership and fiscal management.
EVALUATION AND PLANNING OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Professional development programs must be assessed to document their values to the individual teacher, school, district and ultimately the students. To ensure effectiveness of each professional development activity, professional development evaluation in the Pine Bluff School District will be an ongoing process. Planning for professional development shall be a cooperative effort under the direction of the superintendent of schools and/or his/her designee. Certified and classified staff shall be involved in the development of the plan for their professional development activities. This is initiated in the beginning stages of the program planning and continued after the completion of the professional development.
Professional development evaluation has two important goals: to improve the quality of the activity, and to determine its overall effectiveness. Regular monitoring and periodic evaluation concerning the effectiveness of professional development activities shall occur to assess, plan, and/or implement necessary professional development programs. Such instruments will be used to determine the success of the overall program: questionnaires, observations, interviews, self-assessment instruments, evaluation forms, and surveys.
Goals of Professional Development Evaluation:
1. Considered a vital part of professional development planning and implementation 2. Important to the focus of the program. 3. Done during a professional development program to modify and improve the quality and relevancy. 4. Done after professional development to determine the effectiveness of its impact on teacher practice, school organization, and student improvement. 5. Guides subsequent professional development efforts.
The professional development committee will:
1. Review and monitor professional development activities throughout the year. 2. Develop guidelines for evaluation. 3. Assess the needs of school staff. 4. Plan strategies for collecting formative/summative data (during and after the program). 5. Present the results in an easily understood format and make it available to all staff members.
Professional Development activities will be evaluated through individual evaluation forms, summative evaluation forms, and optional e-mail. These evaluations will be used, along with the district needs assessment to determine the professional development needs for the following year.
“FLEX DAY” PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
“Flex Days” are individual professional growth experiences occurring beyond the district-scheduled professional development days. These days are contracted days and are the responsibility of the individual certified staff member. The building principal and Assistant Superintendent for Learning Services must approve all professional development activities. The Superintendent must approve out of state activities. Currently, we do not use Flex Days.
• Specific data such as, date/s and descriptions, are submitted to immediate supervisor/principal for approval and sent to the Assistant Superintendent for Learning Services.
• Required documentation of attendance/participation of “Flex Day” Professional Development must be turned into the principal following completion. • Present information about professional development activity to campus staff
GUIDELINES FOR DISTRICT/OUT-OF-DISTRICT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Attendance: • Teachers are expected to attend all sessions. • Teachers are expected to sign a sign-in sheet at the start of each district session. • Documentation is required to be turned in by each teacher after the professional development activity. A certificate, agenda or filling out the Professional Development Summary form is acceptable. Requesting professional development activities: To request professional development, a Request for Approval Form must be completed for each professional development activity in which you plan to participate. Specific information must be provided for approval:
• Specific data, such as, date/s and descriptions are submitted to immediate supervisor/principal for approval. • All professional development request forms must be signed three weeks in advance by the principal. This includes the Flex Approval Form and the Professional Development Request for Approval Form.
• All professional development request forms must be sent to the Assistant Superintendent of Learning Services for approval. • Documentation of attendance/participation is required. • Once activity is completed, attendee reviews professional development with campus administrator. • If you sign up for Arkansas River Educational Service Cooperative Professional Development activities all Pine Bluff School District guidelines apply. If for some reason you are not able to attend, you must notify Arkansas River Educational Service Cooperative.
If the district is billed, you will be responsible for the amount billed to the district.
• The Superintendent of Schools must approve out-of-state professional development.
• The Assistant Superintendent for Learning Services must approve all administrative requests for professional development.
When Requesting Professional Development or Business Leave follow these Guidelines:
Discuss with your principal the PD/Business Activity and principal must approve with signature. Submit the form 3 weeks in advance of the Professional Development/Business Activity to the Assistant Superintendent for Learning Services. The Assistant Superintendent of Learning Services will review for approval. Once approved or denied, the PD form will be returned to the campus. When out-of-state Professional Development/Business leave is requested, the Assistant Superintendent of Learning Services will submit the request to the Superintendent of Schools for approval. If a purchase order is needed, attach it to the PD form. Once the Professional Development/Business Activity has been approved, the purchase order will be sent to the Assistant Superintendent for approval and then returned to the campus Professional Development/Business Activities that originate from a campus will be charged to that budget. Activities that originate from Central Office will be charged to the Central Office budget
Complete a copy of the Professional Request Form
MONITORING /RECORD KEEPING
For each activity in the District’s Professional Development Program, the principal/supervisor will observe the activity on a regular basis, obtain feedback from the target population and determine if objectives of the activity are being accomplished.
Reporting Professional Development: Each teacher or classified employee will file with the campus principal/supervisor the monitoring/record keeping form at the end of the professional development year. It is the individual’s responsibility to complete the reporting form after each activity. The Professional Development Monitoring form is to be completed after each activity in order to track all the hours. The required 60-hours professional development must be highlighted and a copy of the documentation must be attached to the back of the tracking form. Documentation can be one of the following: certificate, agenda or professional day summary documentation of attendance form. Documentation will become a part of the staff member’s evaluation record.
PRESENTER’S REQUEST FOR PAYMENT FORM
Presenter’s Request for Payment Guidelines: At times throughout the year teachers and administrators may be asked to be presenters for professional development activities. • Each teacher who presents may be paid $50.00 per presentation hour to compensate for preparation time • All funds paid will be in hour increments. • A Professional Development Presenter’s Request Form must be submitted in advance. • The campus principal and Assistant Superintendent for Learning Services must approve all activities. • All presentation for compensation must be outside the student/teacher interaction day. • A sign-in sheet and evaluation form must be turned into the Assistant Superintendent for Learning Services following the completion of the professional development activity.
• If the teacher chooses to accept payment for the presentation, the presentation cannot count as part of the 60 hours of required professional development. • If the presenter chooses not to request payment, the presentation/preparation may count as part of the 60 hour requirement (individual learning).
Teacher’s Request for Stipend Guidelines:
At times certified staff members are asked to attend professional development activities by the district during non-contract days. When this occurs and the professional development hours are not part of the sixty (60) hour requirement, a stipend can be requested of payment up to $100.00 a day. The following guidelines are listed below:
• A Professional Development Stipend Request Form must be submitted in advance. • All activities must be approved by the Assistant Superintendent for Learning Services and must be a part of the district approved educational initiatives. • An evaluation form must be turned in to the Assistant Superintendent for Learning Services at the completion of the professional development activity. • Certified staff members must provide proof of attendance. • Cannot count as part of the 60-hour requirement.
The 60 hour requirement (approved hours only) must be met in advance of receiving the stipend.
The Board encourages employees at all levels to seek professional development hours pursuant under Arkansas Comprehensive Testing and Assessment, and Accountability Program (ACTAAP), Act 35 of 2003, Act 83 of 2003, Act 59 of 2003, and successive statutes and regulations. The Professional Development and certified personnel evaluation program currently being used in the Pine Bluff School District is based upon models developed by the State of Arkansas.
Professional development hours shall be a coordinated set of planned, research-based best practice learning activities for board members, teachers, administrators and classified staff. Professional Development shall be a standard-based program and activities, which will lead to the individual’s professional growth, expansion of skills and increased job competences. Professional development will be based on assessed district, building, department, and/or individual needs in conjunction with evolving state and national standards. Professional development can only include those activities directly related to the improvement of student achievement
MISSION & VISION OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The mission is to provide the highest quality leadership, service, and support to all certified and classified staff and schools in order that they may provide equitable, quality education for all students in the Pine Bluff School District. The vision is to create an environment where professional development is valued, promoted and supported by the educators of the Pine Bluff School District
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN
A professional development plan will be developed and reviewed annually by a committee of certified and classified staff members. The Professional Development Plan is based on the following overriding principles:
• Activities must be consistent with the District’s Mission Statement and Educational Goals.
• Activities must be consistent with Act 35, Act 59 and Act 83 and the policies and regulations of the Arkansas Department of Education.
• There must be a direct correlation between the professional development activities and student achievement.
• Professional development programs are evaluated on an ongoing basis to determine future programming and program effectiveness.
• Teachers and administrators must meet the recertification requirements.
Professional development planning in the Pine Bluff School District is an ongoing process. The purpose of professional development in the Pine Bluff School District is coordinating a set of planned learning activities for teachers, administrators, and classified employees that are standard-based and continuous.
Professional development helps teachers learn new roles and teaching strategies that will improve student achievement. The prime objective then is the improvement of instruction and student achievement.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEES
In keeping with Act 83 of 2003, the Pine Bluff School District will implement a Professional Development District Committee, comprised of teachers, administrators and classified staff . The campus professional development committee will be part of the campus ACSIP process. A member of the campus
professional development committee will be selected by the campus to serve on the district professional development committee. District-level committee members will be elected to serve each year.
Professional Development Committee Membership:
• Campus-level committee members will appoint at least one member • Two representatives from the classified employees will be appointed • Two representatives from the Learning Specialists • The administrative staff will select one campus administrator • The Assistant Superintendent for Learning Services will chair the committee
The functions of this committee will be as follows: • Develop and update the professional development plan for the district; • Recommend future professional development activities; • Provide professional development training information to staff members; • Relates to the goals of the individual staff member, campus and district; • Conduct an annual faculty needs assessment to be used in the planning and implementation of professional development programs; needs assessment information will be generated from the following:
Needs assessment survey Test data Staff input Curriculum department input, and Legislative and State Board rules and regulations changes.
Additional Responsibilities: • Plan for professional development programs for all staff members;
• Review evaluations of professional development programs, make recommendations for improvement, and explore future needs; and • Review administrative/supervisor assessments of the overall Professional Development program.
NATIONAL STAFF DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
NSDC Standards for Staff Development Context Standards: Staff development that improves the learning of all students: • Organizes adults into learning communities whose goals are aligned with those of the school and district. (Professional Learning Communities--PLC) • Requires skillful school and district leaders who guides continuous instructional improvement. (Leadership) • Requires resources to support adult learning and collaboration. (Resources) Process Standards: Staff development that improves the learning of all students: • Uses disaggregated student data to determine adult learning priorities, monitor progress, and help sustain continuous improvement. (Data-Driven) • Uses multiple sources of information to guide improvement and demonstrate its impact. (Evaluation) • Prepares educators to apply research to decision making. (Research-Based) • Uses learning strategies appropriate to the intended goal. (Design) • Applies knowledge about human learning and change. (Learning) • Provides educators with the knowledge and skills to collaborate. (Collaboration) Content Standards: Staff development that improves the learning of all students: • Prepares educators to understand and appreciate all students, create safe, orderly and supportive learning environments, and hold high expectations for their academic achievement. (Equity)
• Deepens educators’ content knowledge, provides them with research-based instructional strategies to assist students in meeting rigorous academic standards, and prepares them to use various types of classroom assessment appropriately. (Quality Teaching) • Provides educators with knowledge and skills to improve families and other stakeholders appropriately. (Family Involvement) Source: NSDC
CERTIFIED STAFF (Teachers and Administrators)
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES FOR CERTIFIED STAFF
Guidelines for Professional Development: *
1. All certified employees of public schools shall complete sixty (60) required, approved hours of professional development each year. The 60-hour professional development requirement must be fulfilled between June 1 and May 31 as approved.
2. Approval of professional development hours shall be based on the requirements within the Rules, Board priorities, student achievement data, and the ACSIP plan. Improvement of student achievement shall be the prerequisite goal of all professional development.
3. Approved professional development activities, which occur outside the employee’s annual contract days, may apply toward the 60-hour minimum professional development requirement.
4. A three-hour undergraduate or graduate-level college credit course from an accredited college or university counts as 12 hours of professional development, if the college credit is related to and enhances the teacher’s knowledge of the subject area in which the teacher is currently teaching or is part of the requirements for the teacher to obtain additional certification in a subject matter that
has been designated by the Department of Education as having critical shortage of teachers. No more than half of the required 60-hours of professional development time may be met through college credit hours.
5. Beginning in 2004-2005, sixty (60) approved professional development hours annually over a five (5) year period will be required to renew a teacher or administrator license.
6. All approved professional development activities, whether individual or school-wide, shall be based on the improvement of student achievement on State mandated assessments and increasing student achievement and academic performance.
7. To be eligible, professional development activities must produce teaching and administrative knowledge and skill designed to improve students’ academic performance.
8. Approved professional development activities may include conferences, workshops, institutes, individual learning, mentoring, peer coaching, study groups, National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification, distance learning, internships, district/school programs and approved college/university course work consistent with National Staff Development Council Standards.
9. Approved professional development shall not include administrative faculty meetings and administrative organization, or clerical work in the classroom or on clerical school improvement activities.
10. Certified employees in positions not directly related to instructional activities shall be responsible for completing 60 approved hours of professional development each year. However, the focus of their professional development may be prorated among those areas specifically related to their job assignments.
11. All approved professional development activities shall relate to the following areas: content (K12); instructional strategies; assessment; advocacy/leadership; systemic change process; standards, and curriculum alignment; supervision; mentoring/coaching; educational technology; principles of learning/developmental stages; cognitive research; and building a collaborative learning community. At least six (6) of the 60 hours of required professional development shall be in the area of educational technology.
12. Pursuant to Act __6-17-09__ of 2013, each teacher shall be required to meet the following professional development requirements: Arkansas Professional Development Requirements Training
Time All Certified Requirements Staff 6 hours X
Specific Administrators
Parent Involvement
2 hours
X
3 hours for administrators
Teen Suicide
2 hours
X
Child Maltreatment
2 hours
X
Arkansas History
3 hours
X
Technology
Common Core
No time X requirements Anti-Bullying No time X requirements Data No time Disaggregation requirements Instructional No time Leadership requirements Fiscal No Time Management Requirements Tier 1 Training 12 Hours
Special Notes
Resources
May be integrated with other training. Required Yearly 4 Year Rotation: Required 20142015 4 Year Rotation: Required in 2015-2016 4 Year Rotation: Required 20132014 4 Year Rotation: Required 20162017 Yearly Yearly
All Administrators All administrators All Administrators Required for superintendent and district
Yearly Yearly Yearly One time initial training
AAEA
Tier 2 Training
4 Hours
Autism Training
No time requirements
Glucagon Training
No time requirements
Teacher Evaluation Training Principal Evaluation Training
Required Summer 2013 12 hours beginning 2013
X
designee Required for Yearly after superintendent completing Tier and district 1 designee Administrators who have autistic students Administrators who might deal with diabetic students Required to Certify (admin) All Administrators
Required for TESS
AAEA
Co-Op
Co-Op
13. Pursuant to Act 603 of 2003, each administrator shall be required to have no less than three (3) hours of professional development designed to enhance understanding of effective parent involvement strategies and the importance of administrative leadership in setting expectations and creating a climate conducive to parental participation. These three (3) hours may be included in the required 60 hours of professional development. These hours are on a 4 year rotational cycle beginning with the 2014-2015 School Year.
14. For each administrator, the 60-hour professional development requirement shall include training in data disaggregation, instructional leadership and fiscal management.
EVALUATION AND PLANNING OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Professional development programs must be assessed to document their values to the individual teacher, school, district and ultimately the students. To ensure effectiveness of each professional development activity, professional development evaluation in the Pine Bluff School District will be an ongoing process. Planning for professional development shall be a cooperative effort under the direction of the superintendent of schools and/or his/her designee. Certified and classified staff shall be involved in the development of the plan for their professional development activities. This is initiated in the beginning stages of the program planning and continued after the completion of the professional development.
Professional development evaluation has two important goals: to improve the quality of the activity, and to determine its overall effectiveness. Regular monitoring and periodic evaluation concerning the effectiveness of professional development activities shall occur to assess, plan, and/or implement necessary professional development programs. Such instruments will be used to determine the success of the overall program: questionnaires, observations, interviews, self-assessment instruments, evaluation forms, and surveys.
Goals of Professional Development Evaluation:
1. Considered a vital part of professional development planning and implementation 2. Important to the focus of the program. 3. Done during a professional development program to modify and improve the quality and relevancy. 4. Done after professional development to determine the effectiveness of its impact on teacher practice, school organization, and student improvement. 5. Guides subsequent professional development efforts.
The professional development committee will:
1. Review and monitor professional development activities throughout the year. 2. Develop guidelines for evaluation. 3. Assess the needs of school staff. 4. Plan strategies for collecting formative/summative data (during and after the program). 5. Present the results in an easily understood format and make it available to all staff members.
Professional Development activities will be evaluated through individual evaluation forms, summative evaluation forms, and optional e-mail. These evaluations will be used, along with the district needs assessment to determine the professional development needs for the following year.
“FLEX DAY” PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
“Flex Days” are individual professional growth experiences occurring beyond the district-scheduled professional development days. These days are contracted days and are the responsibility of the individual certified staff member. The building principal and Assistant Superintendent for Learning Services must approve all professional development activities. The Superintendent must approve out of state activities. Currently, we do not use Flex Days.
• Specific data such as, date/s and descriptions, are submitted to immediate supervisor/principal for approval and sent to the Assistant Superintendent for Learning Services.
• Required documentation of attendance/participation of “Flex Day” Professional Development must be turned into the principal following completion. • Present information about professional development activity to campus staff
GUIDELINES FOR DISTRICT/OUT-OF-DISTRICT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Attendance: • Teachers are expected to attend all sessions. • Teachers are expected to sign a sign-in sheet at the start of each district session. • Documentation is required to be turned in by each teacher after the professional development activity. A certificate, agenda or filling out the Professional Development Summary form is acceptable. Requesting professional development activities: To request professional development, a Request for Approval Form must be completed for each professional development activity in which you plan to participate. Specific information must be provided for approval:
• Specific data, such as, date/s and descriptions are submitted to immediate supervisor/principal for approval. • All professional development request forms must be signed three weeks in advance by the principal. This includes the Flex Approval Form and the Professional Development Request for Approval Form.
• All professional development request forms must be sent to the Assistant Superintendent of Learning Services for approval. • Documentation of attendance/participation is required. • Once activity is completed, attendee reviews professional development with campus administrator. • If you sign up for Arkansas River Educational Service Cooperative Professional Development activities all Pine Bluff School District guidelines apply. If for some reason you are not able to attend, you must notify Arkansas River Educational Service Cooperative.
If the district is billed, you will be responsible for the amount billed to the district.
• The Superintendent of Schools must approve out-of-state professional development.
• The Assistant Superintendent for Learning Services must approve all administrative requests for professional development.
When Requesting Professional Development or Business Leave follow these Guidelines:
Discuss with your principal the PD/Business Activity and principal must approve with signature. Submit the form 3 weeks in advance of the Professional Development/Business Activity to the Assistant Superintendent for Learning Services. The Assistant Superintendent of Learning Services will review for approval. Once approved or denied, the PD form will be returned to the campus. When out-of-state Professional Development/Business leave is requested, the Assistant Superintendent of Learning Services will submit the request to the Superintendent of Schools for approval. If a purchase order is needed, attach it to the PD form. Once the Professional Development/Business Activity has been approved, the purchase order will be sent to the Assistant Superintendent for approval and then returned to the campus Professional Development/Business Activities that originate from a campus will be charged to that budget. Activities that originate from Central Office will be charged to the Central Office budget
Complete a copy of the Professional Request Form
MONITORING /RECORD KEEPING
For each activity in the District’s Professional Development Program, the principal/supervisor will observe the activity on a regular basis, obtain feedback from the target population and determine if objectives of the activity are being accomplished.
Reporting Professional Development: Each teacher or classified employee will file with the campus principal/supervisor the monitoring/record keeping form at the end of the professional development year. It is the individual’s responsibility to complete the reporting form after each activity. The Professional Development Monitoring form is to be completed after each activity in order to track all the hours. The required 60-hours professional development must be highlighted and a copy of the documentation must be attached to the back of the tracking form. Documentation can be one of the following: certificate, agenda or professional day summary documentation of attendance form. Documentation will become a part of the staff member’s evaluation record.
PRESENTER’S REQUEST FOR PAYMENT FORM
Presenter’s Request for Payment Guidelines: At times throughout the year teachers and administrators may be asked to be presenters for professional development activities. • Each teacher who presents may be paid $50.00 per presentation hour to compensate for preparation time • All funds paid will be in hour increments. • A Professional Development Presenter’s Request Form must be submitted in advance. • The campus principal and Assistant Superintendent for Learning Services must approve all activities. • All presentation for compensation must be outside the student/teacher interaction day. • A sign-in sheet and evaluation form must be turned into the Assistant Superintendent for Learning Services following the completion of the professional development activity.
• If the teacher chooses to accept payment for the presentation, the presentation cannot count as part of the 60 hours of required professional development. • If the presenter chooses not to request payment, the presentation/preparation may count as part of the 60 hour requirement (individual learning).
Teacher’s Request for Stipend Guidelines:
At times certified staff members are asked to attend professional development activities by the district during non-contract days. When this occurs and the professional development hours are not part of the sixty (60) hour requirement, a stipend can be requested of payment up to $100.00 a day. The following guidelines are listed below:
• A Professional Development Stipend Request Form must be submitted in advance. • All activities must be approved by the Assistant Superintendent for Learning Services and must be a part of the district approved educational initiatives. • An evaluation form must be turned in to the Assistant Superintendent for Learning Services at the completion of the professional development activity. • Certified staff members must provide proof of attendance. • Cannot count as part of the 60-hour requirement.
The 60 hour requirement (approved hours only) must be met in advance of receiving the stipend.
