Professional Development: How It Can Enhance Student Outcomes in

Neglected and Delinquent Programs

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About NDTAC

Neglected-Delinquent TA Center (NDTAC)

Contract between U.S. Department of Education and the American Institutes for Research John McLaughlin

Federal Coordinator, Title I, Part D Neglected, Delinquent, or At Risk Program

NDTAC’s Mission: Develop a uniform evaluation model

Provide technical assistance

Serve as a facilitator between different organizations, agencies, and interest groups

Join our listserv at http://www.neglected-delinquent.org/nd/forms/listserv1.asp

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What is Professional Development?

Skills and knowledge for both personal and career development

Learning opportunities in a particular field of practice

Facilitated learning

Formal and informal

4A Blueprint for Reform: The Reauthorization of the ESEA

Teachers should be given adequate time and support to develop themselves and their lessons.

Funding relevant professional development Providing professional development proven to

give teachers knowledge and skills Designing professional development to improve

classroom practices

More information about A Blueprint for Reform can be found at http://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/blueprint/index.html.

Professional Professional Development Development For Title I, Part D, For Title I, Part D, Programs Programs

Dr. Ted PriceAssistant Professor, Educational Leadership, West Virginia University

Dr. Fran WarsingSuperintendent, Office of Institutional Education Programs, West Virginia Department of Education

Rick MartinDirector of Curriculum, Learning, Accountability, and Student ServicesOrange County Department of Education, California

Elements of Effective Elements of Effective Professional Development Professional Development

Sufficient resourcesStrategic plan

◦ Values, Beliefs, VisionHigh quality

Peterson, Kent (March 2011). "Characteristics and Features of Quality Professional Development Programs." E-Lead. Web. http://www.e-lead.org/principles/characteristics.asp

Professional Development Professional Development ActivitiesActivities

Types Topics

• Internal trainings by outside experts or qualified, trained staff

• External conferences and trainings

• Mentoring and coaching programs

• Data• Technology training• English Language

Learners• Parent Engagement

Information obtained from Dwayne Harapnuik, director of faculty enrichment at Abilene Christian University

Reviewing the Research: Reviewing the Research: National Staff Development Council National Staff Development Council Report Report

Purpose

• Provides overall picture of the nation’s professional development

• Reviews the research literature on staff training

• Presents data collected from a nationally representative survey of teachers

Wei, R. C., Darling-Hammond, L., Andree, A., Richardson, N., Orphanos, S. (2009). Professional learning in the learning profession: A status report on teacher development in the United States and abroad. Dallas, TX. National Staff Development Council.

Reviewing the Research: Reviewing the Research: National Staff Development Council National Staff Development Council Report Report Findings Duration

◦ Programs of 30 to 100 hours, over six months to a year positively influenced student achievement

◦ Programs with fewer than 14 hours of time over six months to a year had little effect on student achievement

Content-Focused◦ Curriculum connected to teachers’ classroom practice◦ Focus on deepening teacher content knowledge◦ Relation to how students learn particular concept◦ Coherent experiences

Fosters collaboration◦ Collective participation

Reviewing the Research: Reviewing the Research: Lessons From Abroad Lessons From Abroad

Other Industrialized

Countries

United States

• Teachers spend about 60 percent of their working time engaged in instruction

• Teachers spend relatively more time sharing ways of improving

• Practices align with the research just discussed to greater extent

• Teachers spend about 80 percent of their working time engaged in instruction

• Professional learning typically takes place in isolated settings

• PD is predominantly an individual enterprise

• Focus is on serving individuals rather than focusing on what students need

Wei, R. C., Darling-Hammond, L., Andree, A., Richardson, N., Orphanos, S. (2009). Professional learning in the learning profession: A status report on teacher development in the United States and abroad. Dallas, TX. National Staff Development Council.

Reviewing the Research: Reviewing the Research: Teacher Professional Learning in the Teacher Professional Learning in the United States: Case Studies of State United States: Case Studies of State Policies and StrategiesPolicies and Strategies

Teacher Reports Less than 10% reported that PD had little or no impact

About 40% reported that PD confirmed what they were already doing

Only about 50% of the teachers receiving PD in a given area reported that it led to a change

Teachers were more likely to note the impact of PD when the duration was longer

Teachers in highest-poverty schools were more likely to report that PD in their content area was ongoing than teachers in lowest-poverty schools

Jaquith, A., Mindich, D., Wei, R.C., Darling-Hammond, L. (2010). Teacher professional learning in the United States: Case studies of state policies and strategies. Oxford, OH: Learning Forward.

Common Strategies for Common Strategies for Leveraging Quality Leveraging Quality Professional DevelopmentProfessional Development1. Developing standards to guide accountability

2. Monitoring quality3. Requiring induction and mentoring programs 4. Leveraging collegial strategies for

professional learning5. Partnering with professional organizations 6. Creating networks of intermediary

organizations7. Addressing federal mandates and

accountability requirements in constructive ways

Peterson, Kent (March 2011). "Characteristics and Features of Quality Professional Development Programs." E-Lead. Web. http://www.e-lead.org/principles/characteristics.asp

Guided by Policy: Guided by Policy: ESEA and Professional DevelopmentESEA and Professional Development

High quality and classroom-focused Sustained and intensive Positive impact on classroom instruction Impact on teacher performance Improve teachers’ knowledge of subject area Provide training on use of data and

assessments to inform instruction

More information can be found at Education Commission of the States: http://www.ecs.org/

Reviewing the Research:Reviewing the Research:The Dilemmas of Professional The Dilemmas of Professional DevelopmentDevelopment

Barriers and ChallengesMost of the staff development that is conducted

with K-12 teachers:Derives from short-term transition model Pays no attention to what is already going on in

a particular classroomOffers little opportunity for participants to

become involved in the conversation Provides no follow-up

Richardson, Virginia (2003). "The Dilemmas of Professional Development." Phi Delta Kappan. 84(5) 401-106.

Coaching Teachers: Coaching Teachers: What You Need to KnowWhat You Need to Know

Definition: Coaching is providing specialized support for a designated period of time. It is an interactive process built upon collaborative activities and collegiality focused upon improving student learning. • A four-year, nationwide research project

affirmed what many of us who have been coached—or who are coaches—know: instructional coaching works

• Or rather, it can work if the conditions are right

Foltos, Les (2010). Peer Coaching: Changing Classroom Practice and Enhancing Student Achievement . Utah Special Education, 32(3), 29-31.

Coaching Teachers:Coaching Teachers:So what is coaching? So what is coaching?

Coaching is about listening

Effective coaches aren’t over-directive

"Without trust there can be no coaching"

Coaching can be transformative

Aguilar, Elena (March 2011). "Coaching Teachers: What You Need to Know." Education Week. 16 Feb. 2011. Web. http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2011/02/15/tln_coaching.html

Coaching Teachers:Coaching Teachers:Personal Lessons LearnedPersonal Lessons Learned

Coaching is really, really hard. Coaches need training and ongoing professional development.

Benefits to coaching:◦ Creates more collaboration and sense of

community◦ Provides opportunities to practice new

strategies more often and with greater skill◦ Retains and increases new skills◦ Demonstrates clearer understanding of the

purpose and use of the learned strategy

Conclusions and HighlightsConclusions and Highlights

1. Only half of teachers who received PD reported actual change in their teaching practice

2. Teachers engaging for longer duration were more likely to report change in their teaching practice

3. Teachers in the highest-poverty schools appear to be receiving more ongoing, multi-year PD experiences than teachers in lowest-poverty schools

4. Content-focused PD and collaborative efforts contribute to greater impact on teaching practices

Professional Development: Professional Development: Implementation at the West Implementation at the West Virginia Department of Virginia Department of EducationEducation

Dr. Fran WarsingSuperintendent, Office of Institutional Education ProgramsWest Virginia Department of Education

Title I, Part D, PopulationTitle I, Part D, Population

Who are our students?

Incarcerated Youth – approximately 475 students – 2 facilities

Group Home youth – approximately 535 students – 4 facilities

Targeted Student Needs Targeted Student Needs Needs upon Entry

◦ 35% of students enter below grade level in math and reading

◦ Most students enter deficient in high school credits◦ Students had little access to technology prior to

entry Needs upon Exit

◦ Transition back to school - Students return to public school, post secondary education

◦ Transition to employment – Students are highly mobile and lacking in the ability to thrive in society

Title I Services and Title I Services and Professional DevelopmentProfessional Development Served high poverty students – Ruby Payne

training for all teachers

Addressed low level students’ needs – Read 180 training, Learning Focused Strategies (LFS) training

Provided 21st Century Skills – Globaloria, white board and personal responder training

Established learning communities at all schools

Observed OutcomesObserved Outcomes

Use of Learning Focused Strategies (LFS) has improved instruction and teachers have requested more training in this area

Collaborative efforts of teachers working in learning communities has a positive impact on their teaching practices

Better teaching practices result in fewer disciplinary problems in classrooms, allowing more teaching and learning to take place

Professional Development: Professional Development: Implementation at the Implementation at the Orange County Department Orange County Department of Education, Californiaof Education, California

Rick MartinDirector of Curriculum, Learning, Accountability, and Student Services, Division of Alternative EducationOrange County Department of Education, California

Title I, Part D, PopulationTitle I, Part D, Population

Who are our students?

Incarcerated youth – approximately 500 studentsGroup Home youth – approximately 115 students

Court school youth – approximately 150 youth

Targeted Student NeedsTargeted Student Needs

Needs upon Entry◦English learners – over 61% of the student

population ◦Deficient in credits◦Lack of basic skills for academic success

Needs upon Exit◦Transition services – high mobility of

students

Title I Services ProvidedTitle I Services Provided Individual tutoring for students –

remediation/basic skills & California High School Exit Exam preparation

Transition services – student guidance services, contact next school placement, transcript review

Paraeducator support – classroom support services, instructional aid in the classroom

Career coaches – career surveys, Regional Occupation Program contacts, resume building, job searches

Family Community Liaison – increase parent participation, parent communication, link with families at enrollment

Professional Development Professional Development TrainingTrainingLiteracy SummitCalifornia High School Exit Exam student

data reviewTest prep strategiesGuided Language Acquisition Design

(GLAD) trainingRevolution Prep training – tutorial

softwareMathmagic – math activities targeting

basic skills

Observed OutcomesObserved Outcomes

Increase of 10% of students who test at a proficiency level on the high school exit exam for both Math and English Language Arts

Greater collaboration among staff and increased awareness of services offered

Implementation of staff development strategies is more clearly observable

Summary: Elements of an Summary: Elements of an EffectiveEffective Professional Professional Development Program and Development Program and PlanPlan1. Common and clearly articulated vision

for PD that permeates policy and practice2. Effective monitoring of PD quality3. Mentoring and induction requirements

that are linked to and create a foundation for ongoing professional learning

4. An infrastructure of organizations that facilitates professional development

5. Stability of resources