2021-22 Phase Three: OPS Professional Development Plan for Districts
2021-22 Phase Three: Professional Development Plan for Districts
Owensboro Independent Matthew Constant
450 Griffith Ave
Owensboro, Kentucky, 42301 United States of America
©Cognia, Inc.
3 Table of Contents
2021-22 Phase Three: Professional Development Plan for Districts
2021-22 Phase Three: Professional Development Plan for Districts
The purpose of this diagnostic is to support the district in designing and implementing a
professional development plan that aligns to the goals established in KRS 158.6451 and the local needs assessment. The basis of the professional development plan aligns to 704 KAR 3:035, which states the following:
Annual Professional Development Plan:
Section 2. Each local school and district shall develop a process to design a professional development plan that meets the goals established in KRS 158.6451 and in the local needs assessment. A school professional development plan shall be incorporated into the school improvement plan and shall be made public prior to the implementation of the plan. The local district professional development plan shall be incorporated into the district improvement plan and posted to the local district Web site prior to the implementation of the plan.
Section 3. Each school and local district professional development plan shall contain the following elements:
1. A clear statement of the school or district mission
2. Evidence of representation of all persons affected by the professional development plan 3. A needs assessment analysis
4. Professional development objectives that are focused on the school or district mission, derived from the needs assessment, and specify changes in educator practice needed to improve student achievement; and
5. A process for evaluating impact on student learning and improving professional learning, using evaluation results
Research demonstrates a positive link between high-quality professional learning (HQPL), teaching practices and student outcomes. Effective professional learning not only has the potential to improve both classroom instruction and student outcomes, but also it can be
effective in recruiting and retaining teachers. When designing and/or selecting HQPL at the local level, it is important to ensure alignment to the characteristics of High-Quality Professional Learning.
Engaging ALL students with innovative teaching and learning. The learning
community of professional educators in the Owensboro Independent Schools will be leaders of learning through commitments to the following: (1) Moral
commitment to the learning of ALL students regardless of their background, (2) Strong instructional practices, (3) Desire to work collaboratively, (4) Learning is the work which requires a strong commitment to continuous learning, (5) Culture and
1. What is the district's mission?
leadership matter, (6) Success for ALL students involves the entire community, and (7) ALL students will learn through innovative teaching and learning.
The two main priorities are: (1) implementing a new collaborative K-8 curriculum.
We needed a curriculum that included differentiation which includes English
Language Learners and special education students. Using this Universal Design for Learning framework enables all students to interact with complex grade-level text.
(2) improving our Multi-Tiered System of Supports to where we are aligning all our systems, using correct and relevant data, and utilizing effective practices.
These two areas for professional development are key into meeting the diverse needs of all students. We know that if every K-8 teachers implements this engaging curriculum, our district will see progress in all areas. This will impact our universal instruction (Tier I). We also know that if we develop systems of learning, use
relevant data, and implement effective practices we are instituting a unified multi- tiered layer of supports for all students. This will impact our targeted instruction (Tier II and III).
Last year, OPS had a literacy task force that was charged by the district to find a common curriculum that our teachers, parents, and student would embrace. OPS needed a curriculum that engaged readers of complex text while students become motivated to produce high-quality projects. We needed a curriculum that would serve our diverse needs (socially disadvantaged, special education, and ELL populations). The task force decided on the EL K-8 ELA Curriculum. Our next task was to make sure ALL teachers should, could, and would implement the curriculum across our five elementary schools and two middle schools. This is where most of
2. The needs assessment provides the framework for all districts to clearly identify their most critical areas for improvement that will be addressed in the planning process through the development of goals, objectives, strategies, and activities.
Based on the most critical areas for improvement identified in the completed needs assessment per 703 KAR 5:225 (3), what are the district's top two priorities for professional development that support continuous improvement?
3. How do the identified top two priorities for professional development relate to district goals?
4a. For the first priority need, what are the specific objectives for the professional development aligned to the district goal(s)? Consider the long and short term changes that need to occur in order to meet the goal.
our professional development is centered around. OPS feels that within three years, this professional development piece will significantly impact our reading, math, science, social studies, and writing proficiency. The core practices of EL Education:
(1) learning expeditions, (2) active pedagogy, (3) school culture and character, (4) leadership and school improvement, and (5) structures is what we have to instill in ALL teachers.
Owensboro Independent Schools' intended results include the following: (1) Implementing a curriculum that is standards aligned, mapped horizontally across the year and vertically amongst the grade level. Curriculum that is also focused with a guiding question and have designed projects and products. (2) Delivering
instruction which includes planning and delivering effective lessons, differentiating while teaching reading and writing across disciplines. (3) Incorporating assessment that promotes growth mindset which is communicated through learning targets and criteria for success. Assessment should be used to give back descriptive feedback . Assessments must align standards and learning targets. Communicating how the assessment impact the student achievement is another component that has been missing from a previous curriculum. (4) Developing the culture and character that fosters traditions and clear school-wide/district-wide expectations. (5) Designing leadership that gives time for planning for improvement that fosters a data driven culture.
If Owensboro Independent Schools' students start demonstrating and performing in these three areas: (1) Mastery of Knowledge-thinking critically and
communicating clearly while applying their learning to demonstrate proficiency and deeper understanding of content, (2) Developing Character-becoming an effective learner while contributing to the organization and staying ethical, and (3) High- Quality Student Work-creating complex work and producing authentic work while demonstrating craftsmanship.
The targeted audience for professional development will be K-8 classroom teachers, instructional assistants, principals, and district instructional team.
4b. What are the intended results? (student outcomes; educator beliefs, practices, etc.)
4c. What will be the indicators of success? Consider the completed actions or markers that need to occur that would indicate the goals and objectives have been achieved.
4d. Who is the targeted audience for the professional development?
The students, parents, but most importantly classroom teachers will be impacted the most. OPS has seen the benefits in what the students are doing, writing, and discussing in since August 2021.
Quality professional development takes a lot of teacher energy and time. With all that time and energy, it takes money to pay staff for their time. OPS has paid and currently is paying for staff to receive monthly grade level training with ESSER funds.
We purchased teacher materials, student printed materials, trade books and decodables, and recommended trade books for each classroom. OPS spent over
$400,000 for all these materials.
OPS will keeping having their monthly grade level training sessions led by the district literacy coach and the elementary curriculum specialist. They also will have K-5 curriculum facilitators attend a weekly instructional meeting that focuses on one of the five dimensions (curriculum, instruction, assessment, culture &
character, and leadership). Our district's K-8 administration meets twice a month to focus on their concerns with teachers and the five dimensions. The instructional team at Central Office has been doing voluntary walk through for teachers that want feedback. Mainly focusing on curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Our school level professional learning communities focus on this dimensions, as well, and our PLCs have become more instructional focused throughout the district. OPS will conduct grade level professional development in early summer and then we will evaluate our next steps. New K-8 teacher training will focus on EL Education.
The plan calls for developing a checklist of some sort that the building
administrators will use to conduct walkthroughs and give coaching feedback to teachers. The tool would be derived from the five dimensions that shape student
4e. Who is impacted by this component of professional development? (students, teachers, principals, district leaders, etc.)
4f. What resources are needed to support the professional development? (staff, funding, technology, materials, time, etc.)
4g. What ongoing supports will be provided for professional development implementation? (coaching, professional learning communities, follow up, etc.)
4h. How will the professional development be monitored for evidence of implementation? Consider data (student work samples, grade-level assessments,
classroom observations, etc.) that will be gathered, persons responsible and frequency of data analysis.
achievement: curriculum, instruction, assessment, culture and character, and leadership. Within each dimension are some core principles that teachers could address during the coaching session. At the end of the 2021-2022 school year, we should have our teachers, schools, and district next steps.
This past summer, we hired a person (Ms. Janie Moseley past principal at Foust Elementary) that has shown results in an effective tier II and tier III level of supports.
Our first goal is for every school to have an effective MTSS in place and working as a productive team. The second goal is to eliminate/reduce the gap goals that exist at the elementary and secondary levels. Ms. Moseley collaborates with George Powell, our Director of Pupil Personnel, to deal with behavioral concerns. She deals with Summer Bell, our Director of Social and Emotional Learning, that incorporates the social and emotional aspects.
The intended results are to give the students the correct supports while having a system that is data driven. This has been challenging because of the social and emotional state of some of our students. OPS is trying to use common assessments (MAP & STAR for academic needs), (PBIS for behavioral concerns), and (SSIR for the social and emotional issues) as screeners. Once we have identified the correct students needed Tier II or III level of supports, then we will need to match activities/
strategies with the identified area(s). Another big step is each school needs to establish or re-established their team and conduct a self-reflection on where each school is in implementing MTSS.
The indicators of success would be individually based and specifically targeted to each school. Overall, we would like for each school to develop a system of tracking the individual progress to make sure each identified student is receiving evidence based instruction, intervention and supports. We are waiting for the second administration of data. We have several of our K-12 students receiving counseling through the identification process.
5a. For the second priority need, what are the specific objectives for the professional development aligned to the district goal(s)? Consider the long and short term changes that need to occur in order to meet the goal.
5b. What are the intended results? (student outcomes; educator beliefs, practices, etc.)
5c. What will be the indicators of success? Consider the completed actions or markers that need to occur that would indicate the goals and objectives have been achieved.
Classroom teacher and MTSS teams would be the targeted audience. There is a need to have solid collaborative problem solving teams in each building.
The students, parents, teachers, and school level administration should be
impacted by professional development that Ms. Moseley and Mrs. Summer Bell are provided. During the summer, Mrs. Bell provided a professional development from River Valley Behavioral Health on Youth Mental Health First Aid in which all of our schools participated. Our goal is to develop strong family, school, and community partnerships.
OPS hired our MTSS director using ESSER funds. OPS allocated school level ESSER funded positions each building. One additional school counselor and a couple of instructional coaches at each school. We used a professional development day for RVBH Youth Mental Health First Aid. Mrs. Moseley is meeting with school level teams about once every two weeks and some schools every week.
Our district level team is meeting with the school level teams often to address the coaching aspect. Once we have comparable data on individual students that monitor their progress, we will know and start planning next steps.
Since all this professional development is embedded into day to day operations, it will have to be monitored through a series of ways. First stage of monitoring will be done at the school-level (MTSS Team) to make sure they are using academic and social emotional levels of support. Their progress will be monitored by the district level (Ms. Moseley, Mrs. Bell, and Mr. Powell) as well. At the end of the year, we will
5d. Who is the targeted audience for the professional development?
5e. Who is impacted by this component of professional development? (students, teachers, principals, district leaders, etc.)
5f. What resources are needed to support the professional development? (staff, funding, technology, materials, time, etc.)
5g. What ongoing supports will be provided for professional development implementation? (coaching, professional learning communities, follow up, etc.)
5h. How will the professional development be monitored for evidence of implementation? Consider data (student work samples, grade-level assessments,
classroom observations, etc.) that will be gathered, persons responsible and frequency of data analysis.
conduct another MTSS school level team self-reflection to see if they have
progressed as a team. The last piece will be an analysis of progress made on each screener. Ultimately, we want to make each student has been given equitable access and opportunities to the grade level curriculum no matter the level of needed support.
N/A
6. Optional Extension: If your district has identified additional professional development priorities that you would like to include, you may upload an attachment with the answers to question 3 and a-h as seen in questions 4 and 5. If you do not wish to include an
optional extension, please list N/A in the space provided below.
Attachment Name Description Associated Item(s)
