Redesign Remarks: The Latest on Redesigning Staff Professional Development

Please note: The professional development redesign updates center around training for certified staff. APC is currently having conversations about training and learning needs for classified staff.
At the December regional meetings, an overview of the professional development redesign was given. We asked you to share your top three comments or questions you wanted the PD Cadre to consider. We received a lot of comments and questions and below are the main themes from that feedback.

• Agency staff members need to have input throughout the process. The opportunity for input needs to be ongoing and not just at the end. 
• Job-alike learning is valued and needs to be included in the Agency's professional development redesign.
• Staff members need a voice in creating their professional learning plan.
• Having a differentiated professional development plan that factors in the knowledge and skills of staff is a good thing.
• Try to balance the time spent out of assignment for professional learning so there is time to provide direct service minutes and support the needs of students and schools. 
• Professional learning should also be cutting edge and allow us to be seen as leaders in learning. 
• Time to learn in smaller groups/teams should be considered.
• Consider alternate ways to offer professional learning opportunities and think about more locations outside of Johnston when offering face-to-face learning opportunities.
• Provide more options for credit. Some staff members need CEUs and not license renewal credit.
• Provide flexibility for and value the individual learning needs of staff based on situations specific to their assignment and/or the needs of the districts they serve.

We are developing a Q & A document to address the questions that were raised. This effort continues to evolve and is an ambitious undertaking. We are making a few more additions to work groups so that list should be published in next week’s Connection. If have any questions, contact Kevin Fangman, Executive Director of District Services.