Policy: Professional Development

Policy

It is the policy of the Hartford School District to support the important connection between educator professional development and improved student achievement and assure that professional and para-professional staff members acquire and maintain the knowledge and skills needed to contribute effectively to the achievement of the goals and strategies articulated by the schools’ action plans.

Principles to Guide Professional Development

Professional development programs sponsored by the district will be directly

linked to student performance goals identified in the annual action plan.

The Superintendent will oversee a professional development system that is

characterized by the following:

  its primary focus is on improved student learning and achievement

  it is based on current, documented research findings

  it provides structure and substance that allow continuity

  it focuses on content and curricular needs as well as teaching methodology

  it includes the needs of all who contribute to the education system

  it is developed and directed by professional educators

Implementation

The superintendent or his or her designee will base annual and multi-year

professional development programs on an analysis of student performance data,

best-practices research, state and local standards compliance and the district

action plan priorities.

The superintendent will report at least annually to the school board on the

district’s professional development program, with an emphasis on its

relationship to student achievement goals.

Date Adopted:                       August 11, 2009

Legal Reference(s):             1 V.S.A. §§ 310 et seq. (Open Meeting Law)

                                                16 V.S.A. § 165 (a)(4) (Public

School Quality Standards)

                                                16 V.S.A. §§1981 et seq. (Labor

relations - professional staff)

                                                21 V.S.A. §§ 1721 et seq.(Labor

relations)

                                                16 V.S.A. §261a(5) (Duties of

supervisory union boards)

                                                Vermont State Board of Education

Rules §§2120.4, 2120.5

Cross Reference:                 Board Member Education (B1)

                                                Board Goal-Setting and

Self-Evaluation (B2)

                                                Educator Supervision &

Evaluation (D4)

                                                Fiscal Management and General

Financial Accountability (E1)

                                    Local Action Plan (G8)

1. 16 V.S.A. §261a requires supervisory union boards to “..provide for the

establishment of a written policy on professional development…and periodically

review that policy.  The policy may provide financial assistance outside the

negotiated agreements for teachers’ professional development outside the

negotiated agreements for teachers’ professional development activities and may

require the superintendent periodically to develop and offer professional

development activities…”. It is unlikely that this requirement would not also be

applied to supervisory district boards.  SBE Rule 2120.1 (Action Plans) requires

“involvement of school board members in development of Action Plans.”  The Rule

also requires school boards to “approve” Action Plans. SBE Rule 2120.1(b)

requires that Action Plans include “strategies…including professional

development of administrative and professional staff.”