No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB)

Each State receiving Title I, Part A funds must have a plan for ensuring, at a minimum, an increasing percentage of all teachers of core academic subjects who are receiving “high-quality” professional development to enable them to become “highly qualified and effective classroom teachers.” [34 CFR 200.57(a)(2(B)]

In effect, the NCLB requires all public school teachers of core academic subjects in the State to receive “high-quality” professional development. According to technical assistance SED received from the USDOE, this requirement is not limited to public school teachers of core academic subjects who are not yet “highly qualified.” The USDOE indicates that this requirement applies broadly to all public school teachers of core academic subjects, even those who are already “highly qualified,” because the NCLB requires teachers of core academic subjects to be both “highly qualified” and “effective.”

Planning and scheduling for the NCLB's professional development requirement is a local responsibility which must be achieved through the development and implementation of the LEA's Professional Development Plan (PDP) required under section 100.2(dd) of the Commissioner's Regulations.

SED provides technical assistance for LEAs and schools, and supports professional development in many ways. Examples include: the Mathematics Institute; the Reading Institute; the New York State Reading Academy; the New York State Reading Resource Center; the Early Literacy Guidance publication; the New York State Virtual Learning Space; seven Regional Support Centers; the New York State Mentor Teacher Internship Program; the New York State Teacher Resource and Computer Training Centers; the Teacher/Leadership Quality Partnership Program; and the Special Education Teacher Quality Initiative, which includes a State Improvement Grant for low-performing schools and the Higher Education Support Center at Syracuse University.

“High-quality” professional development is professional development that reflects the principles expressed in the definition in section 9101(34), which appears in Appendix B of this document. [USDOE, December 2002]

In addition, the USDOE indicates that “effective teacher professional development is more than just coursework designed to fill a State or district requirement. It is a set of activities that produces a demonstrable and measurable effect on student academic achievement.” The NCLB “emphasizes that effective professional development must be grounded in scientifically based research,” as defined in section 9101(37) of the NCLB, shown in Appendix C of this document. “Professional development works best when it is part of a systemwide effort to improve and integrate teacher quality at all stages: preparation, induction, support, and ongoing development.” [USDOE, December 2002]

Title II of the NCLB provides funds for preparing, training and recruiting high quality teachers and principals. The NCLB's definition of professional development states that professional development activities “are not one-day or short-term workshops or conferences” [section 9101(34)((A)(v)(II)]. Therefore, under the NCLB, participation at these short-term workshops and conferences is not, by itself, professional development, and so Title II, Part A funds may not pay the costs of registration and attendance at these short-term workshops or conferences as allowable “professional development” unless certain conditions are met.

Title II, Part A funds may be used to pay the costs associated with having teachers and other LEA staff attend one-day or short-term workshops or conferences only if they are part of, and integral to, professional development activities that meet the other elements of section 9101(34). For example, consistent with the results of its Title II, Part A needs assessment, an LEA might design a comprehensive set of intensive training opportunities that:

1. conform to the principles in the statutory definition; and
    
2. carefully use participation at a short-term workshop or conference to reinforce or lay the groundwork as part of a larger, systemic, professional development plan. [USDOE, December 2002]

In New York State, all professional development activities, including those funded by federal NCLB initiatives, must be developed as part of an LEA's required Professional Development Plan (PDP). A PDP may be part of a comprehensive district education plan (CDEP) of a school district or a BOCES, provided that the PDP meets all the requirements in section 100.2(dd) of the Commissioner's Regulations.
 

Appendix D is a side-by-side comparison of State and federal requirements for professional development for teachers. For further information, please refer to:

• the NCLB's requirements, shown in Appendix B and C; and
   
• State requirements in section 100.2(dd) of the Commissioner's Regulations at http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/part100/part10012j.pdf or http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/development/regulations_pdp.htm .