TITLE II/EISENHOWER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

DEVELOPING PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. What are the criteria for assessing high quality professional development programs and activities?

· There are clearly stated professional development objectives for teachers (e.g., the objective of our professional development is to increase teacher use of technology in order to enhance student learning.)

· There are clear expected teacher outcomes (e.g., "teachers will include the use of the Internet in their lesson plans.")

· There are clear expected student outcomes (e.g., "students will use the Internet as a research tool.")

· The professional development activities (strategies) are directly linked to the objectives (e.g., if an objective is that teachers use cooperative learning in the classroom, then at least one of the professional development activities should include cooperative learning experiences for the teachers).

· The processes in place for assessing the links between the professional development activities, expected teacher outcomes, and expected student outcomes are appropriate and varied.

· The collected data provide evidence that the professional development activities lead to the obtained teacher outcomes.

· The professional development activities are based on, and reflect, the best available research and practice in teaching, learning, and leadership.

· The professional development content has direct application for teaching.

· The professional development goals and objectives were developed through an inclusionary process. For example, teachers, administrators, and other appropriate school staff all participated in the process.

· The professional development goals are part of a long-term school improvement plan. For example, the professional development goals are aligned with school/district goals.

· There is a summative evaluation process, i.e., there is a data-based process for making final decisions about the impact of the professional development initiative.

· There is a formative evaluation process, i.e., there is a data-based process for making improvements in the professional development initiative as it develops.

· The organizational structures of the professional development initiative accommodate the implementation of the professional development activities on the individual, collegial, and organizational levels. For example, there are structures in place such as flexible scheduling, paid leave and time for reflection that allow teachers to develop individually, as a member of a faculty, and as a staff of the school.

2. Is attendance at a conference an effective strategy for achieving professional development objectives and indicators?

Although conferences are allowable, as long as they are an integral part of the overall professional development plan, research has shown that they are not an effective strategy for increasing teachers' knowledge and skills.

3. What is the difference between an indicator and a benchmark?

They are basically the same.

4. Do we have to set an objective aligned with every national objective and indicator?

Yes, except, possibly objective 4. A single LEA objective may encompass more than one national objective and/or indicator. (The LEA objective does not have to be worded exactly as the national objective; it just has to be aligned with or correlate with the national objective and/or indicator.)

5. Do we have to set an objective aligned with every state objective and indicator?

LEAs may set objectives aligned with every state objective and indicator, but they are not required to do so.

6. What kinds of instruments/sources should be used for collecting professional development performance indicator data?

· Teachers' reports on their professional development;

· Teacher surveys about their professional development experiences;

· Observations of classroom instruction;

· Teachers' lesson plans; or

· Student achievement tests, local and/or state.

7. When should data be collected?

Prior to planning the professional development activities, data should first be collected to determine the teacher's professional development needs, skills and/or knowledge in the various content areas. This will be the school's and/or district's baseline data.

Data should then be collected and evaluated midway through the professional development activity/program to determine if midcourse corrections should be made in the activity.

Finally, data should be collected and evaluated at the end of the activity or program to determine if the benchmark or performance indicator has been reached. Data collection and evaluation procedures should be carried out by the district and/or school professional development committees.

8. What should be looked for in the data?

The data collected should provide evidence that the professional development activities led to the expected teacher outcomes. The collected data provide evidence that the obtained teacher outcomes led to the obtained student outcomes. If the data shows that the expected teacher or student outcomes were not achieved, then appropriate programmatic adjustments must be made to the professional development initiative.