Professional Development
 
1.   Effective September 1, 1999, all districts will be required to develop a plan to provide all their teachers with substantial professional development programs directly related to student learning needs as identified in the School Report Card, State initiatives and implementation of New York State standards and assessments. The plan must be approved by the Commissioner. Professional development, while the responsibility of the school district, should be paid for by the State and should not diminish student instructional time.  As we did for the past two years, the Regents will continue to advocate for additional funding for professional development through the Regents State Aid proposal, as well as ensuring that current professional development funds are used to maximum effect. The Regents will establish in regulations the responsibility of the teacher and school district personnel in developing the professional development plan. To create appropriate access to professional development activities, districts will use current superintendent conference days and release time for teachers; may include activities such as mentoring and statewide curriculum development/assessment; and may use programs offered at teacher centers, colleges, school districts and other educational providers, either inside or outside the school day and year. School districts failing to develop an approved professional development plan shall be subject to State sanctions.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2.   Professional development activities must be developed collaboratively by administrators and teachers, taking into account teachers' capacities, and consulting with such others as is appropriate, e.g., teacher educators. As noted above, activities can either be in or outside the school day and year, but if outside the school day or year, they will be volitional for teachers.  Where mechanisms do not exist, districts may wish to create professional development committees to address such issues as program content, providers, funding and schedule of offerings.
 
3.   Alternatives to the district professional development program should be identified and might include, for example, performing exemplary professional service such as mentoring, shaping or providing professional development or completing the evaluation process for achieving advanced certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
 
 
4.   To receive State or federal funds for professional development through the State Education Department, a school district must demonstrate how these funds will be used to provide professional development to meet student learning needs.
 
5.   Each board of education will evaluate annually the effectiveness of the district's professional development activities in relation to the learning needs of its students and make needed adjustments.
 

Maintaining Certification

 
1.   All teachers receiving a professional certificate on or after September 1, 2000 will be required to successfully complete at least 175 hours of professional development every five years, directly related to student learning needs as identified in the School Report Card, state initiatives and implementation of New York State standards and assessments to maintain their certificate in good standing. The conditions under which professional development is provided and acquired shall be consistent with the principles in Section A (Professional Development).  The Regents and the Commissioner, in consultation with all stakeholders, will monitor the effectiveness of the professional development requirement and make changes, if warranted.
 
 
2.   Each district will maintain a professional development transcript for each teacher affected by the 175-hour requirement. The transcript will document completion of the State-mandated professional development consistent with the district's student learning needs. Wherever possible, the transcript should be accessible to the State Education Department through electronic transfer and will be used to assess a teacher's completion of the requirements for continuing certification.
 
3.   The offering of professional development activities by districts and the obtaining of professional development by teachers should be distributed reasonably over the five-year period.
 
4.   Teachers whose transcripts are not complete and who may not be eligible for continuing their certificate will be provided full due process, including the opportunity to present additional information, including extenuating circumstances, to the Department and the right to a hearing before a panel of the Professional Standards and Practices Board. The panel will make recommendations to the Commissioner to continue a teacher's certificate, grant the teacher additional time to complete specified professional development activities, suspend or, in willful cases, revoke the certificate. The Commissioner may accept, reject or modify the panel's recommendation. During the period of due process, the teacher's certificate will remain in effect. If the Commissioner elects to revoke the certificate, the district will pursue the existing expedited disciplinary procedure under Education Law 3020-a to remove the teacher.
 
5.   The proposed process for professional development and the maintenance in good standing of a certificate will not affect the district's right or ability to initiate disciplinary proceedings to remove an incompetent teacher under Education Law 3020-a.
 
 
 
 
6.   The Commissioner will establish equivalent regulations describing the process for maintaining a certificate in good standing for teachers on leaves of absence and for teachers not otherwise covered by these provisions: nonpublic school teachers where the school elects not to provide the mandated professional development, unemployed teachers, and teachers with service in two or more districts within any five-year certificate maintenance cycle.
 
Improving Local Accountability
 
The existing requirement in Commissioner’s Regulations for an annual performance review of all classroom teachers will be revamped immediately. The new system will include the following:
 
 
1.   The Commissioner and the Regents will establish in regulations model criteria for staff performance reviews consistent with the teacher standards set forth in this plan. Districts may require additional criteria for staff performance reviews.
 
 
 
 
2.   Current administrators will receive training in performing staff evaluations based on proven models. Existing professional development funds will provide this training. In addition, college preparatory programs for administrators will include comprehensive training in conducting staff evaluations.
 
3.   Classroom teachers whose performance is evaluated as unsatisfactory by a school administrator will be required to undertake a teacher improvement plan established by the district in consultation with the teacher. Such a plan may include peer review and assistance, and professional development activities to meet the needs of the teacher.
 
4.   For individuals possessing a transitional or initial certificate, an evaluation of the teacher’s portfolio will be required. The portfolio may include a video of teaching performance, a sample of lesson plans, a sample of student work and student assessment instruments and teacher reflection on his/her classroom performance.