Sights and sounds of implementing standards

By Stephanie Hirsh

Results, February 2004

What would you see and hear in a district that supports standards-based professional development? Our newly released book, Moving NSDC's Staff Development Standards into Practice: Innovation Configurations, describes actions of employees. But there are other actions that cross the boundaries between employee groups and demonstrate a district's commitment to professional learning for all employees.

THE SIGHTS

1. The district posts its staff development standards and the school board resolution accompanying their adoption where staff meets to discuss important decisions regarding the district's improvement efforts. Such documents are included in board agenda materials, available in the board study session room, and displayed in professional development resource centers and conference facilities. In addition, documents with implications for staff learning cite the standards. For example, recommendations for specific program changes cite the appropriate standards in rationale statements.

2. The district convenes meetings of district and school leaders to discuss staff development. Overview sessions combined with discussion groups and follow-up support ensures on-the-job applications of the content. The expectation that principals and other district leaders participate in these sessions is included in job descriptions. Stories describing professional learning--such as principals visiting classrooms to review new instructional strategies--appear regularly in district publications.

3. Calendars, schedules, and budgets highlight the district's commitment to deploying resources for professional learning. The community calendar notes staff development days and briefly explains their importance. Teacher schedules also display times for individual and team learning. Teacher recruitment materials discuss the district's commitment to teacher learning. A comprehensive district schedule identifies structured learning sessions for various employee groups. For example, principals' meetings focused on developing instructional leadership skills are on the district calendar and web site. School and program budgets note a professional development code and the district can respond with precision to the question: What percentage of the budget is allocated for professional learning?

THE SOUNDS

1. Employees refer to the standards in discussions regarding district and school improvement efforts. From school board study sessions to team meetings in schools, employees ask questions that are grounded in the district-adopted standards for staff development. For example: How does this program align with the standards for staff development we have adopted?

2. Using the IC maps and self-assessment, schools and districts collect valuable benchmark data for assessing the previous year's progress and setting goals for the next year. During the annual process of district goal-setting and evaluation, district staff review progress in implementing staff development standards as well as progress toward student achievement goals.

3. Parents articulate the connection between staff development and student learning. At school board meetings, parents express their interest in and support for professional learning for teachers and principals. They express to each other the value of teachers' participation in staff development workshops during the school day or on days when schools are closed. When parents see teachers in team meetings or teachers observing other teachers in the classroom, they discuss the relationship of this work to improved instruction for their children.

These are some of the sights and sounds of districts that are committed to standards-based professional development. Districts in which such commitment is clear are places where professional relationships thrive, staff learning is ongoing, and student learning benefits.