What exactly is the Professional Development Study Days initiative?

The initiative grows out of the District’s and the Broward Teachers Union’s desire to provide individual high school faculties with the autonomy to elect to schedule additional time for teacher professional development and training beyond the time that has already been set aside for this purpose on the District school calendar.

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How will this initiative work?

From the Memorandum of Understanding
“The school administration—working collaboratively with Faculty Council or teachers appointed by BTU in the absence of a Faculty Council—shall conduct an evaluation of the effectiveness of the current professional development activities. They shall examine the utilization of the total time available for professional development during the two (2) additional early release days (excluding the four (4) early release day devoted to grades) and the ten (10) planning days for the 2005-2006 (Note: will be 2006-2007) school year, exclusive of the time allocated for individual teacher planning and preparation.”

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Why is the District doing this?

Every program initiated by the District for implementation in the schools is intended to improve student performance.  That is the bottom line for us.  By scheduling additional time for professional development and training for teachers, it is anticipated that student performance will be enhanced.

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Does this initiative grow out of some larger effort?

 It is a part of the District’s High School Reform initiative, which is aimed at enhancing the academic performance of high school students.  The academic performance of high school level students is a national issue.  This initiative is a component of a much larger High School Reform plan the District has launched.

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Why do we need High School Reform?

Every year school districts throughout the country lose thousands of young people, who leave school without graduating or without the skills and knowledge to succeed in life.  This failure to prepare the next generation for tomorrow's challenges threatens the economic health and well-being of our nation.  Our schools, particularly our high schools, must prepare all students for the demands of college, employment and citizenship.
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
High Schools for the New Millennium: Imagine the Possibilities

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Why do teachers need Professional Development?

The National Staff Development Council (Sparks & Hirsh, n.d.) recommends that at least 25 percent of an educator's time be dedicated to professional learning.  This time is essential for mastering and incorporating new practices into classroom instruction.  Darling-Hammond (1999) contends that it is unrealistic to expect teachers to learn how to incorporate complicated practices into their instructional design after only a few hours of training.  Canady and Rettig (1995) suggest that schools schedule at least five, and preferably 10, days of workshops when implementing major instructional change.

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What is the impact on instructional time?

Even though students will receive less instruction time, the knowledge gained and shared among teachers will more than offset this instructional time deficit through the incorporation of more effective teaching strategies in the classroom.

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Will this have impact on college acceptances?

There is no anticipated impact on college acceptances.

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Will my child miss a class?

No, schools on a 7- period rotator schedule will change the schedule so that classes are alternated on Professional Development Study days throughout the year and all of the classes end up with equal amounts of instructional times. Those on block schedules shorten the time and alternate the classes so that all courses have an equal amount of instructional time.

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Could Professional Development be planned during school days and not shorten the school day?

Due to the conflict in school schedules not all English, Math, etc. teachers have the same planning, making it impossible for Professional Development unless they are pulled from the class which would result in the loss of more instructional time.

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We are starting school earlier and earlier.  Now you are asking to shorten the instructional day.

Professional Development activities include best practices that will be demonstrated, modeled, and mastered, resulting in teacher using better teaching methods in the classroom, effectively increasing the quality of instruction.

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Will teachers receive in-service points?

Yes, each high school must come up with a program and submit to Human Resource Development for approval.

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What after-school activities are planned for students?

None.

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What are the criteria for determining the programs I need?

A joint committee composed of an equal number of School Advisory Council members and Faculty Council members will established as the School Professional Development Team. They will look at school and student data and conduct a needs assessment to determine the programs.

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Will I be given a choice in the Professional Development or will it be prescribed?

You will be given a choice based on the student data from the classes you teach. Professional Development days will be part of the school day and part of your Professional Growth Plan.

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Will parents/community have the opportunity to give input on the Professional Development?

Yes, through the School Improvement Plan..

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What is the application process for a school to request additional Professional Development Days?

The school improvement waiver process and procedures in SBBC Policy 1403 will be used for high schools to apply for Professional Study Days.

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How will the faculty approve adding Professional Development days and the Staff Development programs?

The waiver process requires a faculty vote of 66 2/3 approval before a request can be submitted to the District.  The BTU contract spells out the exact procedures to be used for the voting.

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How can the parents (and community) provide input on a school planning to use additional Professional Development Days? (parents and teachers)

The waiver process requires public meetings to be held prior to the submission of a waiver request to the District.  Policy 1403 addresses the very specific requirements for a public meeting for the dissemination of information about a proposed waiver.

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What is the duration of the waiver?

A Professional Development Day waiver will be approved for one year only so that an evaluation can be completed at the end of each year.  Each year new dates will be selected and the staff development program will be revised based on the previous year's outcome.

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What will be the length of the school day during the professional development?

It will run on the exam schedule, 4 hours.

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