Interboro's Professional Development Plan

Chapter 4 establishes that each school entity shall submit to the Secretary for approval a professional education plan every 3 years as required under Chapter 49, Section 17(a).

Chapter 49.17, Continuing professional education, establishes that every school entity shall develop a continuing education plan that addresses the following requirements:

1. Includes options for professional development including, but not limited to, activities such as: (i) graduate level coursework; (ii) obtaining a professionally related master's degree; (iii) department-approved in-service courses; (iv) curriculum development work; and (v) attendance at professional conferences.
2. Defines terms used including, but not limited to, the following: (i) Professionally related graduate level coursework. (ii) Professionally related master's degree. (iii) Curriculum development work. (iv) Professional conferences.
3. Developed as specified in section 1205.1 of the act in which the plan describes the persons who developed the plan and how the persons were selected.
4. Submitted to the Secretary shall be approved by both the professional education committee and the board of the school entity.
5. Includes a section which describes how the professional education needs of the school entity, including those of diverse learners, and its professional employees are to be met through implementation of the plan. The plan must describe how professional development activities will improve language and literacy acquisition for all students and contribute to closing achievement gaps among students.
6. Includes a description of how the school entity will offer all professional employees opportunities to participate in continuing education focused on teaching diverse learners in inclusive settings.
7. A school district that contracts with a community provider to operate a prekindergarten program shall address in the school district's professional education plan how the school district will offer professional education opportunities to teachers in the community provider's prekindergarten program.

LEA provided professional education meets the education needs of that school entity and its professional employees, so that they may meet the specific needs of students. Professional education for all levels of an LEA should be based on sound research and promising practices that promotes educators' skills over the long term.

Exemplary professional education for staff:

• Enhances the educator's content knowledge in the area of the educator's certification or assignment.
• Increases the educator's teaching skills based on research on effective practice, with attention given to interventions for struggling students.
• Provides educators with a variety of classroom-based assessment skills and the skills needed to analyze and use data in instructional decision-making.
• Empowers educators to work effectively with parents and community partners.

Chapter 49 further require that professional education plans must address training in meeting the needs of diverse learners (defined as students with limited English language proficiency or students with disabilities), improving language and literacy acquisition, and closing the achievement gap among students. The plan must describe how professional development activities will improve language and literacy acquisition for all students, including the provision of training in structured literacy for professional employees who hold instructional certificates in Early Childhood, Elementary/Middle, Special Education PK—12, English as a second language and Reading Specialists. The plan must contribute to closing achievement gaps among students and improve professional employees’ knowledge of professional ethics and culturally relevant and sustaining education.