4131 Staff Development_ Inservice Education, Visitation, Conferences

NORTHFIELD BOARD OF EDUCATION FILE CODE: 4131/4131.1

Northfield, New Jersey Monitored

Mandated

Policy X Other Reasons

STAFF DEVELOPMENT; INSERVICE EDUCATION/VISITATIONS/CONFERENCES

The Northfield Board of Education recognizes its legal obligation to provide in-service activities that are aligned with student learning and educator development needs, and school, district, and/or State improvement goals. It is the board’s priority that continuing education for teaching staff focus on the improvement of teachers’ and school leaders’ effectiveness in assisting students in the achievement of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards.

The Superintendent shall develop a comprehensive management system for staff professional improvement and shall assist staff members in the area of professional improvement by providing relevant information regarding workshops, professional meetings and course offerings. Professional learning shall incorporate coherent, sustained, and evidence-based strategies that improve educator effectiveness and student achievement, including job-embedded coaching or other forms of assistance to support educators’ transfer of new knowledge and skills to their work.

District-Level Professional Development Plans

The Superintendent or his or her designee shall oversee the development and implementation of a plan to address districts’ professional development needs. The school district professional development plan shall be reviewed on an annual basis to assess its effectiveness and revise it, as necessary, to meet the school district’s learning goals for students, teachers, and school leaders. When overseeing and annually reviewing the school district plan, the Superintendent or designee shall:

1. Review school-level professional development plans;
2. Assess the learning needs of students, teachers, and school leaders based on educator evaluation data, school-level plans, and data from school- and district-level performances;
3. Plan, support, and implement professional learning that addresses the New Jersey Student Learning Standards, and that align with the standards for professional learning in N.J.A.C. 6A:9C-3.3 and the Professional Standards for Teachers and the Professional Standards for School Leaders in N.J.A.C. 6A:9-3;
4. Develop and update, as necessary, the district mentoring plan for non-tenured teachers, including novice provisional teachers who hold a certificate of eligibility (CE) or a certificate of eligibility with advanced standing (CEAS);
5. Present the plan to the district board of education to review for fiscal impact; and
6. Certify annually to the New Jersey Department of Education, through a statement of assurance, that the school district is meeting the requirements for the school district plan and that it includes requirements of the district mentoring plan.

School districts sending to the same middle and/or high school may form a regional consortium to develop one districtwide plan based on the sending schools’ plans.

School-Level Professional Development Plans

The principal shall oversee the development and implementation of a plan for school-level professional development that shall ensure:

1. The school level plan includes:
2. A description of school-level and team-based professional learning aligned with identified school goals; and
3. Teacher and student learning needs; and
4. All teachers receive the necessary opportunities, support, and resources to complete individual professional development requirements of N.J.A.C. 6A:9C-4.4(a) that at least 20 hours per year of qualifying professional development experiences are provided. The 20-hour annual requirement shall be based on the length of full-time employment and reduced by a pro rata share reflecting part-time employment, or an absence, including the use of family or medical leave.

Professional Development for School Leaders

“School leader” means an administrator whose position requires possession of a school administrator, principal, or supervisor endorsement.

All active school leaders serving on a permanent or interim basis shall complete training on issues of school law, ethics, governance, and harassment, intimidation and bullying (N.J.S.A. 18A:26-8.2); and other statutory requirements related to student safety and well-being. To meet this ongoing requirement, the specific training needs of each school leader will be reviewed annually as part of the professional development planning process.

1. School Leaders

Each school leader shall create, implement, and complete an individual professional development plan (PDP) that:

1. Aligns with the Professional Standards for School Leaders (N.J.A.C. 6A:9-3.4) and the Standards for Professional Learning;
2. Derives from the results of observations, evidence, and recommendations included in the annual performance evaluation of the Superintendent, principals, or supervisors;
3. Identifies professional goals that address specific individual, school, or district goals;
4. Grounds professional development activities in objectives related to improving teaching, learning, and student achievement, and in support of the school and/or district professional development plan; and
5. Includes training on: school law, ethics, and governance pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:26-8.2; and other statutory requirements related to student safety, bullying and harassment, and well-being.

Each school leader’s individual PDP shall be developed by October 31. However, when the school leader is hired after October 1, the PDP shall be developed within 25 working days of his or her hire.

1. Professional Development for the Superintendent

The Superintendent shall develop an individual PDP for review by his or her district board of education. In developing the individual PDP, the following process shall be followed:

1. The board shall review the Superintendent’s individual PDP, including the individual training needs and shall ensure the individual PDP aligns to school district goals and to the school district’s plan for professional development;
2. The Superintendent shall submit annually to the board evidence of progress toward completion of the individual PDP. The Superintendent also shall submit every three to five years, depending on the length of his or her contract with the board, summative evidence of plan completion;
3. The Superintendent may appeal to the executive county superintendent if he or she disagrees with the board regarding PDP contents or progress toward completion. The executive county superintendent shall have final decision-making authority on all such matters.
4. Professional Development for Positions Requiring a Principal, Supervisor of Superintendent Endorsement

Leaders whose positions require a principal or supervisor endorsement, or whose positions require a Superintendent endorsement but who do not serve as a Superintendent of the district, shall develop an individual PDP in collaboration with his or her designated supervisor. Leaders shall provide evidence of progress toward fulfillment of his or her plan. The Superintendent or designee shall:

1. Review each principal’s, supervisor’s, or other school leader’s individual PDP, including individual training needs and shall ensure it aligns to school and school district goals and the school district’s plan for professional development;
2. Meet with the principal, supervisor, or other school leader at mid-year to assess progress toward his or her PDP’s completion or modification; and
3. Review the individual PDP’s status as part of the principal’s, supervisor’s, or other school leader’s annual performance evaluation.
4. Evidence of Progress and Maintaining Records

The school leader’s designated supervisor, or the board in the case of the Superintendent, shall:

1. Use the performance evaluation process and professional development planning process to monitor the school leader’s progress in meeting the professional development requirements. If a school leader’s progress is found to be inadequate, the school leader’s designated supervisor or the board in the case of the Superintendent shall take appropriate remedial action by applying sound and accepted principles of progressive supervision and other appropriate means; and
2. Maintain accurate records of each school leader’s progress in meeting the individual professional development requirements. Such records shall include a copy of each school leader’s current PDP and timeline, as well as any documentation and evidence showing the school leader’s progress toward meeting the plan’s requirements.
3. If a school leader leaves the employ of one New Jersey school district and is hired by another, the school leader’s designated supervisor, or the board in the case of the Superintendent, shall ensure a revised individual PDP appropriate to the new employment is developed in collaboration with the school leader.

Professional Development for Teachers

Each teacher shall be guided by an individualized professional development plan (PDP), which shall include at least 20 hours per year of qualifying activities. The 20-hour annual requirement shall be based on the length of full-time employment and reduced by a pro rata share reflecting part-time employment, or an absence, including the use of family or medical leave.

The content of each PDP shall be developed by each teacher’s supervisor in consultation with the teacher and shall align with the Professional Standards for Teachers in N.J.A.C. 6A:9-3 and the Standards for Professional Learning in N.J.A.C. 6A:9C-3.3. The individual PDP shall be effective for one year and shall specify, at a minimum:

1. One area for development of professional practice derived from the results of observations and evidence accumulated through the teacher’s annual performance evaluation;
2. One area for development of professional practice derived from individual, collaborative team, school, or school district improvement goals.

Each teacher’s individual PDP shall be updated annually no later than October 31. However, when the teacher is hired after October 1, the PDP shall be developed within 25 working days of his or her hire.

Progress on the individual PDP shall be discussed at the annual summary conference as detailed in board policy 4116 Evaluation of Teaching Staff Members and law (N.J.A.C. 6A:10-2.4) but may occur more frequently throughout the year. Evidence of progress toward meeting the requirements of the teacher’s individual PDP may be provided by the teacher and/or his or her supervisor, and shall be reviewed as part of each annual summary conference.

. A teacher’s individual PDP goals may necessitate more than the recommended minimum requirements of 20 hours of professional development annually. Additional hours of qualifying experiences may be required for teachers in low-performing schools, as determined by the Commissioner.

The board of education shall ensure that all teachers receive the necessary opportunities, support, and resources to engage in ongoing professional learning and to complete the requirements of their respective PDPs.

Supervisor Responsibilities in the Development of Profession Development Plans (PDP)

The teacher’s designated supervisor shall:

1. Use the teacher performance evaluation process and the professional development planning process to monitor each teacher’s progress in meeting the professional development requirements. The designated supervisor shall take appropriate steps to assure such progress. If a teacher’s progress is found to be inadequate, the teacher’s designated supervisor shall take appropriate remedial action by applying sound and accepted principles of progressive supervision and other appropriate means; and
2. Maintain accurate records of each teacher’s progress in meeting the individual professional development requirements. Such records shall include a copy of each teacher’s current PDP and timeline, as well as any documentation and evidence showing the teacher’s progress toward meeting the plan’s requirements.

If a teacher leaves the employ of one New Jersey school district and is hired by another, the former district of employment shall share the teacher’s individual PDP and all supporting documentation with the new employing school district. If the current individual PDP is found to be unsuitable to the teacher’s new assignment, the new employing school district shall ensure a revised individual PDP and timeline is created within 30 days of hire by the employee’s new supervisor in collaboration with the new teacher.

Achievement Gap and Inequity

The board shall on a continuing basis, provide professional development training for all school personnel (certified and noncertified) to identify and resolve problems associated with the student achievement gap and other inequities arising from prejudice on the basis of protected status. Parents/guardians and other community members shall be invited to participate in the professional development training. Newly hired certified and noncertified staff shall be provided professional development training on educational equity issues within the first year of employment.

Mandated In-service Programs

The Superintendent shall arrange development of appropriate in-service presentations, seminars and/or workshops on equity issues, special education, missing, abused and neglected children, drug/alcohol abuse awareness, suicide awareness, handling blood and body fluids, possible hazardous substances in the workplace, crises response, school violence and other topics specifically required by federal or New Jersey law. These required presentations, seminars and/or workshops shall not count automatically toward the required annual 20 hours of continuing education. The Superintendent or his or her designee shall determine when required presentations, seminars and/or workshops shall count toward the teaching staff member’s completion of the required annual 20 hours of continuing education.

Adopted: June 2, 1997

NJSBA Review/Update: November 2009; February 2018

Readopted: October 24, 2011

Key Words

Staff Development, Professional Inservice, Visitations, Conferences, Continuing Education

Legal References: N.J.S.A. 18A:6-111 et seq. Instruction in Suicide Prevention

See particularly:

N.J.S.A. 18A:6-112 Instruction in suicide prevention for public school teaching staff

N.J.S.A. 18A:6-117 et seq. Teacher Effectiveness and Accountability for the Children

N.J.S.A. 18A:6-128  Ongoing professional development; corrective action plan

N.J.S.A. 18A:6-130 et seq. Professional development

N.J.S.A. 18A:7A‑11 Reports be school districts, commissioner; interim review

N.J.S.A. 18A:17-46 Act of violence; report by school employee; notice of action taken; annual report

N.J.S.A. 18A:26-8.2 “School leader” defined; training as part of professional development

N.J.S.A. 18A:27‑4 Power of boards of education to make rules governing employment of teacher, etc.;

employment thereunder

N.J.S.A. 18A:30‑7 Power of boards of education to pay salaries

N.J.S.A. 18A:31‑2 Attendance at conventions of New Jersey

Education Association

N.J.S.A. 18A:37-17 Establishment of Bullying Prevention Programs and Approaches

N.J.S.A. 18A:37-21 School Safety Team

N.J.S.A. 18A:40A‑3 Initial in-service training programs; curriculum;

See particularly: availability

N.J.S.A. 18A:40A-3(a), -18(c)

N.J.S.A. 34:5A-10 Retention of workplace surveys

N.J.S.A. 34:5A-13 Employee education and training program; certification of instructors

N.J.A.C. 6A:7-1.4 Responsibilities of the district board of education

N.J.A.C. 6A:7-1.6 Professional development

N.J.A.C. 6A:9C-1.1 et seq. Required professional development for teachers

See particularly: and school leaders

N.J.A.C. 6A:9C-4.1 through -4.4

N.J.A.C. 6A:10-2.4 Evaluation procedures for all teaching staff

N.J.A.C. 6A:10-2.5 Corrective action plans for all teaching staff

N.J.A.C. 6A:10-4.1 et seq. Components of teacher evaluation

N.J.A.C. 6A:14-1.2(b)14 District eligibility for assistance under IDEA Part B

(regarding highly qualified teachers)

N.J.A.C. 6A:15-1.8 In-service training (Bilingual Education)

N.J.A.C. 6A:16-1.1et seq. Programs to Support Student Development

See particularly:

N.J.A.C. 6A:16-3.1(a)4, -5.1(d), In-service training, alcohol, tobacco, drug prevention:

-6.2(b)12 safety and security, cooperation with law

Enforcement

N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.7 Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying

N.J.A.C. 6A:16-11.1 Reporting potentially missing, abused or neglected

children or attempted or completed suicide

N.J.A.C. 6A:30-1.1 et seq. Evaluation of the Performance of School Districts

N.J.A.C. 6A:32-4.1 Employment of teaching staff

 

Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, Pub. L. 114-95,, 20 U.S.C.A. 6301 et seq.

 

The Comprehensive Equity Plan, New Jersey State Department of Education

Possible

Cross References: *4115 Supervision

*4116 Evaluation

*4231/4231.1 Staff development; in-service education/visitations/conferences

*5131.6 Drugs, alcohol, tobacco (substance abuse)

*5141 Health

*5141.4 Child abuse and neglect

*6142.2 English as a second language; bilingual/bicultural

*6171.3 At-risk and Title 1

*6171.4 Special education

*Indicates policy is included in the Critical Policy Reference Manual.