ECS Education Policy Issue Site: Teaching Quality--Professional Development




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Professional Development

TEACHING QUALITY

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

	What States Are Doing
	Selected Research & Readings
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Professional development generally refers to the acquisition or updating of knowledge and skills required for maintaining a particular career path and growing as a professional in a particular field. As various professions attempt to adapt to global changes, professional development is used to help employees stay on top of innovations in technology and best practices in their fields. In education, professional development is an essential component for teachers to remain relevant and effective. Teachers need to recognize the diverse student population and be able to effectively address their various and special needs. Professional development can bring the benefits of integrating advancements in research concerning how people learn and new subject-area knowledge to a teacher's instruction in the classroom. In addition, professional development is an ever increasing component of enabling teachers and staff to advance in status or rank.

Education policymakers and school leaders incorporate professional development in various capacities to improve the quality of teaching and the level of student learning in schools:

For new and beginning teachers entering the field as a component of induction programs
For inexperienced and experienced teachers as a supportive intervention following an unsatisfactory evaluation
To train educators in new procedures and technologies associated with school reforms to support success
To enhance teachers' knowledge and skills in pedagogical practice and techniques and in specific content areas that they teach
May be used by states as a requirement for continuing licensure or advancement
May be incorporated as a component in diversified compensation programs.

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HIGHLIGHTS

	Teacher Professional Development Database A 50 state interactive policy database focusing on the professional development of teachers.
	Induction Programs and Mentoring StateNotes A series of three StateNotes on induction programs and mentoring for new and beginning teachers defines terms and identifies which states and territories have induction programs and mentoring policies.
	Induction Programs and Mentoring Report A 50 state report addressing induction programs and mentoring policies.

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