To scale up and sustain the use of evidence-based practices, it is imperative that state education agencies systematically implement professional development that represents best practice. By delivering quality professional development to local districts, it is more likely that transition personnel will implement transition programs and practices…

The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) periodically assesses the needs of early childhood and K-12 students and educators regarding literacy instruction. These periodic assessments assist NDDPI with meeting the needs of educators and the students they serve through grants and other programs and opportunities. This report reviews…

Ohio's Plan to Raise Literacy Achievement serves as a guide to promote evidence-based language and literacy teaching and learning for all learners from birth to grade 12. Literacy acquisition affects learners' access to, and interest in, content at all grade levels and in all aspects of their lives. In light of this, literacy is not treated as a…

The most frequent form of professional development for teachers--occasional workshops conducted by outside consultants--is widely regarded as ineffective. This document presents findings of a study, conducted by the Indiana Education Policy Center School of Education Office, to examine professional development and its connection to teacher time.…

New Jersey and Washington have developed novel and different approaches to supporting faculty development by bringing faculty members, including many senior members, together to work on revitalizing the teaching experience. The program models are described, and the reasons they have been effective are explored. (Author/MSE)

This study examined Texas school district spending on staff development and analyzes characteristics of district staff development programs. The study reviewed two statewide programs that provide extended staff development opportunities to participating schools to see if gains in student learning could be documented. The report also looked at both…

This plan outlines the proposed professional development strategies and actions required for Maryland to achieve full success of the "Schools For Success 2000" school reform efforts. The plan's vision is reviewed and the leadership, resources, support systems, strategic alliance partner, best practices, and educational goals required to…

Describes the Georgia Instructor Academy, established to enhance the quality of Georgia's postsecondary technical teachers through technical training and professional development. Discusses the development of program standards and curriculum guides by Georgia's Board of Technical and Adult Education, the Technical Education: Guaranteed program,…

This report explores current thinking in professional development as it relates to strategies for reform. It begins with a discussion of the relationship between professional development and school reform and a description of recent efforts by the National Governors' Association to stimulate dialogue on the issue. The report then discusses the…

This State Policy Update provides background on professional development (PD) in adult education. Section 2 describes survey methods used to document how states funded and designed their PD systems. Section 3 reviews data collected by the survey of state PD systems, highlighting PD activities in Kentucky, New York, Oregon, and Tennessee. It…

A project described and examined the status of secondary trade and industrial (T&I) education in Virginia and made recommendations to improve such programs. Statewide enrollment data were retrieved for the school years 1986-87 through 1992-93. Questionnaires gathered concerns and recommendations of public school personnel about T&I…

In October 1992, a task force on professional development was established to identify ways in which the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) could use professional development to enhance its educational programs and services. This report provides information on the development of the task force, discusses findings, and presents recommendations…

This report on an evaluation of Ohio state-funded career enhancement pilot programs cover six school districts. Four kinds of programs are covered: (1) career ladder--teachers are promoted through a series of steps based on different levels of competence and responsibility; (2) career option--teachers take on and are compensated for defined…

This document provides a framework for the development of sustained and coordinated activities to support Kentucky teachers in learning the new roles and ways of teaching envisioned in the Kentucky Educational Reform Act. The report begins with a discussion of the context of reform, which is seen as consisting of two realities: new expectations…

An overall strategy is reported for updating secondary and postsecondary vocational/technical teachers in the technologies of their teaching areas. It is designed for use by vocational educators and others who provide technological update: local school, institution, and district administrators and boards; teacher educators; vocational/technical…