This document discusses the key elements of effective staff development based on the National Staff Development Council's standards. It summarizes that staff development should: 1) Improve the learning of all students by organizing educators into learning communities focused on school and district goals. 2) Use data-driven and research-based approaches to determine learning priorities and help ensure continuous improvement. 3) Apply knowledge of human learning and collaboration to provide appropriate strategies and social support for educators. 4) Prepare educators to understand and appreciate all students, hold high expectations, and create safe, supportive learning environments.

1. ED 635-Chapter 7
By Matt Balas

2. Comprehensive,
Process or providing ongoing substantiated,
TEXT NDSC Website
opportunities to improve and intensive approach to
knowledge and skills of improve employee
employees effectiveness
Increasing Student Achievement

3. Context

4. Context
Learning Communities-Staff development that
improves the learning of all students and organizes
adults into learning communities whose goals are aligned
with those of the school and district

5. Context
Leadership-Staff development that improves the learning of
all students and requires skillful school and district leaders
who guide continuous instructional improvement
Leaders will:
Articulate the critical link between improved student learning and
•
the professional learning of teachers
• Ensure that all stakeholders - including the school board, parent
teacher organizations, and the business community - understand
the link and develop the knowledge necessary to serve as
advocates for high quality professional development for all staff
Establish policies and organizational structures that support
•
ongoing professional learning and continuous improvement

6. Context
Resources-Staff development that improves the
learning of all students and requires resources to
support adult learning and collaboration

7. Process

8. Process
Data-driven-Staff development that improves the
learning of all students and uses disaggregated
student data to determine adult learning priorities,
monitor progress, and help sustain continuous
improvement

9. Process
Evaluation-Staff development that improves the learning of all
students and uses multiple sources of information to guide
improvement and demonstrate its impact
Well-designed staff development evaluation can address
teacher skepticism by serving two broad purposes:
• improving the quality of current staff development efforts
• determining the effects of staff development in terms of its
intended outcomes.

10. Process
Research-based-Staff development that
improves the learning of all students and prepares
educators to apply research to decision making

11. Process
Design-Staff development that improves the
learning of all students and uses learning
strategies appropriate to the intended goal
Successful staff development require that planners select:
Learning strategies that are appropriate to the intended
•
outcome and other situational factors
Based on the intended outcomes and their diagnosis of
•
participants' prior knowledge and experience

12. Process
Learning-Staff development that improves the
learning of all students and applies knowledge
about human learning and change

13. Process
Collaboration-Staff development that improves the
learning of all students and provides educators with
the knowledge and skills to collaborate
Organize…Organize…Organize
“Organized groups provide the social interaction that often deepens
learning and the interpersonal support and synergy necessary for
creatively solving the complex problems of teaching and learning.”

14. Content

15. Content
Equity-
3. Staff development that improves the learning of all students
4. Prepares educators to understand and appreciate all students
5. Creates safe, orderly, and supportive learning environments
6. Holds high expectations for their academic achievement

16. Content
Quality Teaching-
Staff development that improves the learning of all students
•
• Deepens educators' content knowledge, provides them with
research-based instructional strategies
• Assists students in meeting rigorous academic standards
• Prepares students to use various types of classroom assessments
appropriately

17. Content
Family Involvement-Staff development that
improves the learning of all students and provides
educators with knowledge and skills to involve families
and other stakeholders appropriately

18. Bibliography
National Staff Development Council
http://www.nsdc.org/standards/family.cfm