Systemic Professional Training and Development: A How To for No Child Left Behind Maine Department of Education Tom Keller January 6,2003 I. Rationale
Recent research has shown that nationally one in three teachers are underqualified. In this instance, ‗underqualified‘ means that they do not have a professional level of certification. It is probably even more prevalent that underqualified teachers are ones who are teaching content disciplines for which they have insufficient training. Whitehurst, 2002, cites personal cognitive ability and content discipline training as the two highest predictors of teacher success in a classroom. Maine is experiencing rapid replacement of its teachers. For example, twenty five percent of science teachers in Maine have fewer than five years of experience. With over forty percent having greater than nineteen years of experience, it is obvious that our new teacher population will continue to blossom. Many new and experienced teachers are well versed in standards based curriculum, instruction, and assessment, and some can act as leaders for others. Some, however, will need targeted professional training and development. To assess the needs of new and experienced teachers and plan for their continual improvement, a well-designed and implemented needs assessment is essential. In fact, under the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB), Title II, Part A legislation, a needs assessment must be conducted once every five years. II. Starting
These pages constitute a primer on professional training and development and NCLB. Each section contains decision points where choices must be made. Each choice then opens up new opportunities and problems. It is best to read through this entire document and identify the decision points for further reflection. This primer addresses major points from research reports regarding effective professional training and development and the NCLB legislation. It is not a sequential step-by-step process. This needs assessment and planning process may be conducted in an individual school system, in partnership with local or a set of regional systems, or through a third party such as the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance, the Southern Maine Partnership, The Center for Educational Services, or other similar group. III. Goals
The purpose of NCLB Title II, Part A as stated in the legislation is
―… to provide grants to State educational agencies, local educational agencies, State agencies for higher education, and eligible partnerships in order to —
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(1) increase student academic achievement through strategies such as improving teacher and principal quality and increasing the number of highly qualified teachers in the classroom and highly qualified principals and assistant principals in schools; and (2) hold local educational agencies and schools accountable for improvements in student academic achievement.‖
The targets for increasing student academic achievement and improving teacher and principal quality are made clear by the goals of the No Child Left Behind Act. There are five NCLB goals Maine has accepted as a requisite to receiving federal funds. Four of the five goals apply to this needs assessment and Title II, Part A funding. The five goals are: Performance Goal 1. By 2013-14, all students will reach high standards, at a minimum attaining proficiency or better in reading/language arts and mathematics. Indicator 1.1 The percentage of students, in the aggregate and for each subgroup as identified in section 1111(h)(1)(C)(i) (information, in the aggregate, on
student achievement at each proficiency level on the State academic assessments described in subsection (b)(3) (disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, disability status, migrant status, English proficiency, and status as economically disadvantaged, except that such disaggregation shall not be required in a case in which the number of students in a category is insufficient to yield statistically reliable information or the results would reveal personally identifiable information about an individual student);, who are at or
above the proficient level in reading/language arts on the State‘s assessment. Indicator 1.2 The percentage of students, in the aggregate and in each subgroup, who are at or above the proficient level in mathematics on the State‘s assessment. Indicator 1.3 The percentage of Title I schools that make adequate yearly progress. Performance Goal 2. All limited English proficient students will become proficient in English and reach high academic standards, at a minimum attaining proficiency or better in reading/language arts and mathematics. Indicator 2.1 The percentage of limited English proficient students, determined by cohort, who have attained English proficiency by the end of the school year. Indicator 2.2 The percentage of limited English proficient students who are at or above the proficient level in reading/language arts on the State‘s assessment, as reported for performance indicator 1.1. Indicator 2.3 The percentage of limited English proficient students who are at or above the proficient level in mathematics on the State‘s assessment, as reported for performance indicator 1.2. Performance Goal 3. By 2005-2006, all students will be taught by highly qualified teachers. Indicator 3.1 The percentage of classes being taught by ―highly qualified‖ teachers (as the term is defined in section 9101(23) of the ESEA), in the aggregate and in ―high-poverty‖ schools (as the term is defined in section 1111(h)(1)(C)(viii) of the ESEA). Indicator 3.2 The percentage of teachers receiving high-quality professional development (as the term, ―professional development,‖ is defined in section 9101 (34) see below.)
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Indicator 3.3 The percentage of paraprofessionals (excluding those with sole duties as translators and parental involvement assistants) who are qualified. Performance Goal 4. All students will be educated in learning environments that are safe, drug free, and conducive to learning. Indicator 4.1 The number of persistently dangerous schools, as defined by the State. Performance Goal 5. All students will graduate from high school. Indicator 5.1 The percentage of students who graduate from high school each year with a regular diploma: Disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, disability status, migrant status, English proficiency, and status as economically disadvantaged; Calculated in the same manner as used in National Center for Education Statistics reports on Common Core of Data. Indicator 5.2 The percentage of students who dropout of school: Disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, disability status, migrant status, English proficiency, and status as economically disadvantaged; Calculated in the same manner as used in National Center for Education Statistics reports on Common Core of Data. These goals and performance indicators (with the exception of Goal 4) are the needs which local school systems must assess and develop plans to achieve. Title II of the NCLB Act is entitled ―Preparing, training, and recruiting high quality teachers and principals‖ and Part A is ―Teacher and Principal Training and Recruitment Funds‖. Professional development has been termed many things including professional training and development which is used by the Maine Department of Education. The US Department of Education defines it as ―NCLB Section 9101(34) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT- The term
professional development' — (A) includes activities that — (i) improve and increase teachers' knowledge of the academic subjects the teachers teach, and enable teachers to become highly qualified; (ii) are an integral part of broad schoolwide and districtwide educational improvement plans; (iii) give teachers, principals, and administrators the knowledge and skills to provide students with the opportunity to meet challenging State academic content standards and student academic achievement standards; (iv) improve classroom management skills; (v)(I) are high quality, sustained, intensive, and classroomfocused in order to have a positive and lasting impact on classroom instruction and the teacher's performance in the classroom; and (II) are not 1-day or short-term workshops or conferences; (vi) support the recruiting, hiring, and training of highly qualified teachers, including teachers who became highly qualified through State and local alternative routes to certification;
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(vii) advance teacher understanding of effective instructional strategies that are — (I) based on scientifically based research (except that this subclause shall not apply to activities carried out under part D of title II); and (II) strategies for improving student academic achievement or substantially increasing the knowledge and teaching skills of teachers; and (viii) are aligned with and directly related to — (I) State academic content standards, student academic achievement standards, and assessments; and (II) the curricula and programs tied to the standards described in subclause (I) except that this subclause shall not apply to activities described in clauses (ii) and (iii) of section 2123(3)(B); (ix) are developed with extensive participation of teachers, principals, parents, and administrators of schools to be served under this Act; (x) are designed to give teachers of limited English proficient children, and other teachers and instructional staff, the knowledge and skills to provide instruction and appropriate language and academic support services to those children, including the appropriate use of curricula and assessments; (xi) to the extent appropriate, provide training for teachers and principals in the use of technology so that technology and technology applications are effectively used in the classroom to improve teaching and learning in the curricula and core academic subjects in which the teachers teach; (xii) as a whole, are regularly evaluated for their impact on increased teacher effectiveness and improved student academic achievement, with the findings of the evaluations used to improve the quality of professional development; (xiii) provide instruction in methods of teaching children with special needs; (xiv) include instruction in the use of data and assessments to inform and instruct classroom practice; and (xv) include instruction in ways that teachers, principals, pupil services personnel, and school administrators may work more effectively with parents; and (B) may include activities that — (i) involve the forming of partnerships with institutions of higher education to establish school-based teacher training programs that provide prospective teachers and beginning teachers with an opportunity to work under the guidance of experienced teachers and college faculty; (ii) create programs to enable paraprofessionals (assisting teachers employed by a local educational agency receiving assistance under part A of title I) to obtain the education necessary for those paraprofessionals to become certified and licensed teachers; and (iii) provide follow-up training to teachers who have participated in activities described in subparagraph (A) or another clause of this subparagraph that are designed to ensure that the knowledge and skills learned by the teachers are implemented in the classroom.‖
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IV.
Four Levels of Focus
The goal of education is to educate every child to his or her maximum potential and NCLB should help Maine educators do this. Schools that are effective in doing this focus their efforts at four levels – district and community, school, classroom, and student. While the first two levels are important, addressing them alone or not addressing them at all will not be sufficient to impact student achievement. To do so requires careful attention to the classroom and student level. This means deliberately collecting and analyzing data to identify and strengthen needs at these levels. A. District and community
The first level is at the school system, and includes the community at large. The school community agrees to goals and visions and pledges the necessary support. B. School
The school must be organized to support teachers in their everyday occupation, both for direct student instruction and achievement and for professional growth. C. Classroom
Individual teacher quality data are especially important. It is vital to have data on the enacted curriculum and the teacher‘s capabilities in delivering that curriculum. D. Student
Individual student data is key to the entire needs assessment. Disaggregating data to as fine a unit as possible is necessary. Noting the progress or lack thereof over time is essential. V. The Elements of a Plan
The US Department of Education has determined that eleven elements will constitute an acceptable plan for Title II, Part A funds. These elements are: ―Section 2123(1)(A) A description of the activities to be carried out by the local
educational agency under this subpart and how these activities will be aligned with — (i) challenging State academic content standards and student academic achievement standards, and State assessments; and (ii) the curricula and programs tied to the standards described in clause (i). (B) A description of how the activities will be based on a review of scientifically based research and an explanation of why the activities are expected to improve student academic achievement. (2) A description of how the activities will have a substantial, measurable, and positive impact on student academic achievement and how the activities will be used as part of a broader strategy to eliminate the achievement gap that separates lowincome and minority students from other students.
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(3) An assurance that the local educational agency will target funds to schools within the jurisdiction of the local educational agency that — (A) have the lowest proportion of highly qualified teachers; (B) have the largest average class size; or (C) are identified for school improvement under section 1116(b). (1)(A) IDENTIFICATION- Subject to subparagraph (C), a local educational agency shall identify for school improvement any elementary school or secondary school served under this part that fails, for 2 consecutive years, to make adequate yearly progress as defined in the State's plan under section 1111(b)(2); (1) (C) APPLICATION- Subparagraph (A) shall not apply to a school if almost every student in each group specified in section 1111(b)(2)(C)(v) enrolled in such school is meeting or exceeding the State's proficient level of academic achievement. (4) A description of how the local educational agency will coordinate professional development activities authorized under this subpart with professional development activities provided through other Federal, State, and local programs. (5) A description of the professional development activities that will be made available to teachers and principals under this subpart and how the local educational agency will ensure that the professional development (which may include teacher mentoring) needs of teachers and principals will be met using funds under this subpart. (6) A description of how the local educational agency will integrate funds under this subpart with funds received under part D (Section 2402 (b)(1) PRIMARY GOAL- The primary goal of this part is to improve student academic achievement through the use of technology in elementary schools and secondary schools.) that are used for professional development to train teachers to integrate technology into curricula and instruction to improve teaching, learning, and technology literacy. (7) A description of how the local educational agency, teachers, paraprofessionals, principals, other relevant school personnel, and parents have collaborated in the planning of activities to be carried out under this subpart and in the preparation of the application. (8) A description of the results of the needs assessment described in subsection (c). (Section 2122 (c) NEEDS ASSESSMENT(1) IN GENERAL- To be eligible to receive a subgrant under this subpart, a local educational agency shall conduct an assessment of local needs for professional development and hiring, as identified by the local educational agency and school staff. (2) REQUIREMENTS- Such needs assessment shall be conducted with the involvement of teachers, including teachers participating in programs under part A of title I, and shall take into account the activities that need to be conducted in order to give teachers the means, including subject matter knowledge and teaching skills, and to give principals the instructional leadership skills to help teachers, to provide students with the opportunity to meet challenging State and local student academic achievement standards.) (9) A description of how the local educational agency will provide training to enable teachers to — (A) teach and address the needs of students with different learning styles, particularly students with disabilities, students with special learning needs
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(including students who are gifted and talented), and students with limited English proficiency; (B) improve student behavior in the classroom and identify early and appropriate interventions to help students described in subparagraph (A) learn; (C) involve parents in their child's education; and (D) understand and use data and assessments to improve classroom practice and student learning. (10) A description of how the local educational agency will use funds under this subpart to meet the requirements of section 1119. (SEC. 1119. QUALIFICATIONS FOR TEACHERS AND PARAPROFESSIONALS. (a) TEACHER QUALIFICATIONS AND MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES(1) IN GENERAL- Beginning with the first day of the first school year after the date of enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, each local educational agency receiving assistance under this part shall ensure that all teachers hired after such day and teaching in a program supported with funds under this part are highly qualified) (11) An assurance that the local educational agency will comply with section 9501 (regarding participation by private school children and teachers). (SEC. 9501. PARTICIPATION BY PRIVATE SCHOOL CHILDREN AND TEACHERS. (a) PRIVATE SCHOOL PARTICIPATION(1) IN GENERAL- Except as otherwise provided in this Act, to the extent consistent with the number of eligible children in areas served by a State educational agency, local educational agency, educational service agency, consortium of those agencies, or another entity receiving financial assistance under a program specified in subsection (b), who are enrolled in private elementary schools and secondary schools in areas served by such agency, consortium, or entity, the agency, consortium, or entity shall, after timely and meaningful consultation with appropriate private school officials provide to those children and their teachers or other educational personnel, on an equitable basis, special educational services or other benefits that address their needs under the program.)‖
VI.
The Effect of Each of the Eleven Elements
These eleven elements provide little direction if taken sequentially. A way to create a plan is to keep the goals of No Child Left Behind in focus is to sort the 11 elements into three categories: formative (3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11) implementation (1, 5, 6, 9), and, evaluation (2). Within the formative category, there are elements that address the ―who‖ and the ―what‖. The ―who‖ is who must be involved in the planning and the ―what‖ is what must be the focus of the plan. Who: Planners
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The ‗who‖ is defined by elements 7, 8 and 11. In particular, elements 7 and 8 specify the populations to be represented in planning and preparing the application. This planning preparation must be done by teachers (including teachers participating in programs under part A of title I), paraprofessionals, principals, other relevant school personnel, and parents. It makes sense (and is consistent with element 11) to include representatives from private schools at this point. They may either prepare their own plan (to these same 11 elements) or participate in the local school system‘s plan. What: Focus of the Plan The formative elements of ―what‖ (numbers 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, and 10) refer to the targets of the professional development plan. Element 4 presents an opportunity for systemic planning because it requires ―a description of how the local educational agency will coordinate professional development activities…through other Federal, State, and local programs.‖ This coordination creates a much larger pool of funds to work from since it includes at least the state Per Pupil Professional Development funds. This program includes (element 6) ―professional development to train teachers to integrate technology into curricula and instruction to improve teaching, learning, and technology literacy.‖ Element 3 identifies an initial target of the funds (i.e., schools with the lowest proportion of highly qualified teachers, that have the largest class sizes, or have been identified for AYP improvement). Elements 8, 9 and 10 begin to focus more on outcomes of the professional development. Element 8 identifies these as: ― giv(ing) teachers the means, including subject
matter knowledge and teaching skills, and to give principals the instructional leadership skills to help teachers, to provide students with the opportunity to meet challenging State and local student academic achievement standards. Element 9 further refines these outcomes as: ―enabl(ing) teachers to — (A) teach and address the needs of students with different learning styles, particularly students with disabilities, students with special learning needs (including students who are gifted and talented), and students with limited English proficiency; (B) improve student behavior in the classroom and identify early and appropriate interventions to help students described in subparagraph (A) learn; (C) involve parents in their child's education; and (D) understand and use data and assessments to improve classroom practice and student learning.‖
And element 10 returns to the requirements of Title I requiring highly qualified teachers. How: Implementation Implementation focuses on the how of the professional development plan. Elements 1, 5, 6, and 9 are central to this. The first part of element 1 refers to alignment of activities with Maine’s Learning Results. The second part of Element 1 requires defending a professional development activity by its ―scientifically based research and an explanation of why the activities are expected to improve student academic achievement.‖ The Whitehurst (2002) document will be of some use as will other sources of educational
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research. A debate exists within the professional development community on how directly a connection can be made between professional development and increased student achievement. The research behind No Child Left Behind centers on two findings. The more content training a teacher has, the more effective he or she is. That leads to the language on ―highly qualified‖. Students who have a sequential series of school years with less effective teachers rarely catch up with their peers. In this case, ―less effective‖ is defined by longitudinal study of test scores of individual classes or classrooms.
By this analysis, professional development should first target subject matter knowledge, and then teaching skills. The five goals of No Child Left Behind support this analysis. Elements 5, 6, and 9 expand the opportunity to include: teacher mentoring (which provides increased content knowledge to teachers provided the mentor is well trained in the target content discipline) integrating technology into instruction using assessments and assessment data pedagogical implications (such as addressing the needs of students with different learning styles), and, social issues (such as student behavior and involving parents). VII. Moving from Needs Assessment to Local Plan
Clearly, student performance in reading/language arts, mathematics, and science is the key. To reach student proficiency in these areas, schools must have curriculum, instruction, and assessment that are aligned with Maine‘s Learning Results and are effectively implemented. They must have teachers who are competent in these subject disciplines, and who are effective instructors. A decision can be made to assess the enacted curriculum using a tool such as the Survey of Enacted Curriculum from the Council of Chief State School Officers. This document is currently available for mathematics and science; reading/language arts should be available by early 2003. Local surveys can provide the same information, however, they must report what is actually being taught in the classroom. An assessment of teacher qualifications will identify areas of weaknesses that can be addressed through professional development. Tools such as the Eisenhower National Clearinghouse‘s CD on professional development will accomplish this. Analysis of classroom data from the Maine Educational Assessment, nationally standardized tests, or local common assessments will identify less effective teachers and help target professional development for them. A goal of NCLB is that all students will reach at least proficiency in reading/language arts and mathematics by 2013-2014. Unless all teachers of these subject disciplines have the opportunity to be well trained in content matter and teaching skills, have the curriculum materials, instructional resources, and assessment literacy necessary to
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accomplish this, it will not be achieved. With student achievement as a primary focus, local educational agencies cannot lose sight of educating students in the other content disciplines. For example, science will be nationally assessed starting in 2007 – 2008. Assessing the needs guides the direction to be taken. Turning those needs into strengths requires difficult decisions, especially when it appears that a teacher cannot help his or her class reach high standards. VIII. The Title II, Part A Process
The needs assessment and professional development plans are local issues, but federally required. They are to be kept on file locally and their existence certified by the superintendent. There will be an annual application for Title II, Part A funds as part of the state‘s NCLB consolidated application that will also require the preceding year‘s performance data and narrative report. The application must be based on the local needs assessment and plan and show effects on subsequent performance data. IX. Bibliography Whitehurst, Grover J., Research on Teacher Preparation and Professional Development, paper presented at the White House Conference on Preparing Tomorrow‘s Teachers, March 5, 2002, appears as Appendix C in Improving Teacher Quality State Grants, Title II, Part A Non-Regulatory Draft guidance (http://www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/SIP/TitleIIguidance2002.doc). X. Appendices 1. A crosswalk between the Maine Training and Development Standards and the NCLB Plan Elements. 2. A Culture of Learning: Achieving Results in Maine Schools Through Professional Training and Development. Resources 1. Maine Department of Education No Child Left Behind website, especially the Title II, Part A Non-Regulatory Guidance document, http://www.state.me.us/education/nclb/tiia/home.htm 2. US Department of Education No Child Left Behind website, http://www.ed.gov/legislation/ESEA02/ 3. Council of Chief State School Officers, Survey of Enacted Curriculum website, http://www.ccsso.org/sec.html 4. Eisenhower National Clearinghouse, ―By Your Own Design‖, http://www.enc.org/professional/guide/
XI.
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