Center for Professional Practice

Professional Development Schools

The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) requires that all full-time teacher candidates who are seeking certification through regular teacher education programs be trained in a Professional Development School (PDS). These partnerships exist as collaborative coalitions among colleges and universities, school systems, and individual schools.The work of the PDS is centered in the goals of the individual school's plan for improvement based on specific goals and objectives that are aligned with state curriculum and testing mandates. Teacher interns must be in the PDS a minimum of 100 days in two consecutive semesters. Teacher interns become totally engaged in the outcome-based performances of preK-12 students and reflect that engagement through their own performance- and standards-based, and rubric assessed portfolios. Maryland has adopted the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium [INTASC] standards, as well as the Maryland Essential Dimensions of Teaching (Edots).

During the past decade, PDS has represented the most widespread reform in Maryland's teacher preparation programs. PDS sites have increased by 1,479%. Today 92% of all new teachers graduating from Maryland's colleges and universities in regular teacher preparation programs are trained in PDS. Preliminary retention studies show marked differences between PDS-trained and non-PDS-trained new teachers. In one large urban school system, as many as 40% more PDS-trained teachers are continuing as teachers through an ongoing three-year study. Educators can have greater confidence in the hypothesis that PDS graduates will remain in teaching, making continuing, ongoing and often expensive professional development more cost effective. In addition, a portion of the costs incurred in the preservice years for PDS graduates may be saved during the induction years of teaching, when PDS graduates need less intensive induction support and training.

Recent research on the PDS produced the following data:

                                                      MARYLAND PDS RESEARCH FINDINGS:

                                                      FIVE YEARS: Retention: Class of 2001*

                    *N= 87 Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Ed. Graduates in 00-01.

More information on the research can be found at:

A statewide accountability structure is in place to monitor and assess the proliferation of PDS for quality assurance and continued growth. MSDE staff meets regularly with school system PDS liaisons to ensure the necessary exchange of information about PDS. MSDE provides a high level of technical assistance to ensure that PDS continues to be the cornerstone of teacher preparation, and that data collection is ongoing and critically analyzed to facilitate the simultaneous excellence in teacher preparation and school improvement that PDS represents. Additional information can be found at the MSDE website click here to view.