Standards for Maryland Professional Development Schools
Adapted from: Draft Standards for Identifying and Supporting Quality Professional Development Schools (NCATE), and Common Understandings about Professional Development Schools (MD PDS Consortium)
Standards
Components
Teacher Preparation
Continuing Professional
Development
Research and Inquiry
Student Achievement
I.Learning Community
The PDS
recognizes and supports the distinct learning needs of faculty/staff,
interns, students, parents, and community members.
a.
PDS partners collaboratively integrate PreK-12 instructional content
priorities in the teacher education program and field-based experiences;
b. Interns engage in the full range of teacher activities in the school
community;
c. Interns are placed in cohorts and reflect on learning experiences with
their cohort peers and IHE and school faculty.
a.
PDS partners collaboratively create, conduct and participate in needs-based
professional development to improve instruction and positively impact student
achievement;
b. PDS partners plan and participate in activities where all school staff is
encouraged to support and interact with interns;
c. School and campus-based instructional activities are informed by PDS
experiences.
a.
PDS partners collaboratively engage in inquiry and/or action research;
b.
PDS partners disseminate results of research/inquiry activities.
a.
IHE and school faculty model the use of state/local learning outcomes and
assessments in coursework and field experiences;
b.
Interns demonstrate competency in using specified learning outcomes and
assessments to plan, deliver and assess instruction.
II.Collaboration
PDS partners
work together to carry out the collaboratively defined mission of the PDS.
a.
IHE and school faculty collaboratively plan and implement curricula for
interns to provide authentic learning experiences;
b. PDS partners share responsibility for evaluating interns;
c. PDS partners collaboratively meet the needs of pre-service mentors;
d.
IHE teacher education, arts and science, and school faculty collaborate in
planning and implementing content-based learning experiences for PDS
partners.
a.
PDS stakeholders collaborate to develop, implement and monitor teacher
education across institutions;
b. IHE and school faculty engage in cross-institutional staffing;
c. PDS partners identify and address professional development needs of
faculty and interns;
d.
PDS partners provide ongoing support for all educators, including non-tenured
and provisionally certified teachers.
a.
PDS partners collaboratively examine the action research/inquiry process;
b.
PDS partners identify the research/inquiry agenda based on the data-driven
needs of the PDS.
a.
PDS partners use demographic and performance data to modify instruction to
improve student achievement;
b. Representatives of PDS stakeholder groups participate on the school
improvement team;
c. PDS partners collaborate to plan and implement PreK-12 performance
assessments and use outcomes to guide instructional decisions.
III.Accountability
The PDS accepts the
responsibility of and is accountable for upholding professional standards for
preparing and renewing teachers in accordance with the Redesign of Teacher
Education.
a. IHE and school faculty collaborate on
the development of intern performance assessments;
b. The teacher education program requires
that interns be assessed through a standards-based portfolio;
c. PDS partners develop and implement a
collaborative agreement regarding exit standards for interns;
d. IHE and school faculty solicit and
use feedback from interns to modify the teacher education program.
a.
PDS partners assess the collaborative professional development provided in
the PDS;
b. IHE and school faculty collaboratively prepare to mentor and supervise
interns;
c.
PDS partners work together to meet one another's professional development
needs;
d.
PDS partners recognize one another's accomplishments.
a.
PDS partners collect, analyze and use data for program planning and
implementation;
b.
PDS partners use results of research and inquiry to inform future practice
within the PDS.
a.
PDS stakeholders assume responsibility for improving PreK-12 student
achievement;
b.
PDS partners collaborate to determine the impact of PDS on student
achievement.
IV.Organization, Roles and Resources
Partner
institutions allocate resources to support the continuous improvement of
teaching and learning.
a.PDS partners communicate regarding roles,
responsibilities and operating procedures and use continuous feedback to
improve the operation of the PDS;
b.
PDS partners share resources to support the learning of PreK-12 students and
PDS partners;
c.
PDS partners seek and assess feedback concerning PDS induction for interns
and new faculty, making changes as needed.
a.
IHEs recognize and reward the PDS work of IHE faculty and staff through
organizational structures and incentives that fully integrate PDS work with
the mission of the teacher education program;
b. PDS stakeholders institutionalize recognition and rewards for pre-service
mentors;
c.
PDS partners use the PDS as a vehicle for the recruitment and retention of
teachers;
d.
A Memorandum of Understanding signed by PDS partners delineates the
organization of the PDS and the resources to be provided.
a.
PDS partners model professional ethics and engage in substantive examination
of ethical issues affecting research and practice;
b.
IHE and local school system partners provide joint resources to support
collaborative school-based PDS research/inquiry.
a.
PDS stakeholders examine the impact of PDS on student achievement;
b.
PDS partners use performance data in strategic planning to design, implement,
evaluate and revise PDS policies, roles and resources;
c.
The IHE and school district institutionalize resources to ensure the
continuity of the PDS.
V.Diversity and Equity
The PDS
supports equitable involvement of PreK-16 faculty/staff and interns to
support equitable outcomes for diverse learners.
a.
The IHE provides all interns equitable access to an extensive internship of
at least 100 days over two consecutive semesters in a PDS;
b. Interns demonstrate skill in working with diverse student, parent and
staff populations;
c.
Interns demonstrate the ability to work with students with special needs and
collaborate with special educators.
a.
PDS partners provide equitable opportunities for stakeholder participation in
PDS activities;
b. PDS partners participate in, assess and refine training to support
knowledge, skills and dispositions surrounding equity issues;
c.
PDS partners represent diverse backgrounds.
a.
PDS partners plan and conduct action research/inquiry with attention to
issues of equity;
b.PDS partners disseminate research
findings related to student equity and use these for program improvement.
a.
PDS partners work with parents and community members in support of student
learning;
b. PDS partners collaborate to ensure that all education is multicultural;
c.PDS partners focus on meeting the
needs of diverse learners to eliminate achievement gaps.