LF+Definition+of+PD

Definition || Key Points of the Definition ||
 * Learning Forward
 * **Proposed Amendments to Section 9101 (34) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act as reauthorized by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.**

(34) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT— The term “professional development” means a comprehensive, sustained, and intensive approach to improving teachers’ and principals’ effectiveness in raising student achievement --

(A) Professional development fosters collective responsibility for improved student performance and must be comprised of professional learning that: >> (i) evaluates student, teacher, and school learning needs through a thorough review of data on teacher and student performance; >> >> (ii) defines a clear set of educator learning goals based on the rigorous analysis of the data; >> >> (iii) achieves the educator learning goals identified in subsection (A)(3)(ii) by implementing coherent, sustained, and evidenced-based learning strategies, such as lesson study and the development of formative assessments, that improve instructional effectiveness and student achievement; >> >> (iv) provides job-embedded coaching or other forms of assistance to support the transfer of new knowledge and skills to the classroom; >> >> (v) regularly assesses the effectiveness of the professional development in achieving identified learning goals, improving teaching, and assisting all students in meeting challenging state academic achievement standards; >> >> (vi) informs ongoing improvements in teaching and student learning; and >> >> (vii) that may be supported by external assistance. >> (B) The process outlined in (A) may be supported by activities such as courses, workshops, institutes, networks, and conferences 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. ||.

(34)

(A)

(B) ||