Board Policy

BP 4131

Certificated Personnel

Staff Development

The Board of Education believes that in order to maximize student learning certificated staff members must be continuously learning and improving their skills. The Superintendent or designee shall develop a program of ongoing professional development which includes opportunities for teachers and certificated teaching assistants to enhance their instructional and classroom management skills and increase their knowledge of academic content in the core curriculum. The program may include but is not limited to:

1. Mastery of discipline-based knowledge, including the state-adopted standards, and effective subject-specific pedagogical skills

(cf. 6011 - Academic Standards)

(cf. 6142.1 - Family Life/Sex Education)

(cf. 6142.2 - AIDS Prevention Instruction)

(cf. 6142.5 - Environmental Education)

(cf. 6142.6 - Visual and Performing Arts Education)

(cf. 6142.7 - Physical Education)

(cf. 6142.8 - Comprehensive Health Education)

(cf. 6142.91 - Reading/Language Arts Instruction)

(cf. 6142.92 - Mathematics Instruction)

(cf. 6142.93 - Science Instruction)

2. Teaching methods and strategies, including the use of technologies to enhance instruction

(cf. 0440 - District Technology Plan)

(cf. 6162.7 - Use of Technology in Instruction)

3. Sensitivity to the needs of diverse student populations, including minorities, students with disabilities, English language learners and economically disadvantaged students, and ability to meet those needs

(cf. 4112.22/4212.22 - Staff Teaching Students of Limited English Proficiency)

(cf. 4112.23 - Special Education Staff)

4. Understanding of how academic and vocational instruction can be integrated and implemented to increase student learning; skill in evaluating and combining available instructional resources; opportunities to collaborate with other staff members in the alignment of academic and vocational curricula

(cf. 6030 - Integrated Academic and Vocational Instruction)

5. Knowledge of strategies that enable parents/guardians to participate fully and effectively in their children's education

(cf. 6020 - Parent Involvement)

6. Effective classroom management skills, ability to relate to students, understand their various stages of growth and development, and motivate them to learn

7. Training related to student health, safety and welfare

(cf. 3515.5 - Sex Offender Notification)

(cf. 5131.6 - Alcohol and Other Drugs)

(cf. 5141.4 - Child Abuse Reporting Procedures)

(cf. 5145.3 - Nondiscrimination/Harassment)

(cf. 5145.7 - Sexual Harassment)

(cf. 5149 - At-Risk Students)

The district's staff development program shall provide maximum opportunities for staff participation without impacting the number of instructional days offered to students as required by law.

(cf. 6111 - School Calendar)

The Superintendent or designee shall develop a district staff development plan that is coordinated with school improvement objectives and school plans established by individuals who are closest to the classroom and most knowledgeable about the needs of the school and its students.

(cf. 0420.1 - School-Based Program Coordination)

(cf. 0420.2 - School Improvement Program)

(cf. 0420.3 - School-Based Student Motivation and Maintenance Program)

(cf. 4131.6 - Professional Development Program)

The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that the district meets its obligations related to the professional growth of individual probationary and permanent teachers.

(cf. 4112.21 - District Interns)

(cf. 4116 - Probationary/Permanent Status)

(cf. 4131.5 - Professional Growth)

(cf. 4138 - Mentor Teachers)

Because the Board believes that intensive professional development is especially critical during the beginning years of a teacher's career, the Superintendent or designee shall develop a voluntary program of individualized support and assistance for first-year and second-year teachers.

(cf. 4112.2 - Certification)

The Board may budget funds for actual and reasonable expenses incurred by staff who participate in staff development activities.

(cf. 3350 - Travel Expenses)

The Superintendent or designee shall provide a means for continual evaluation of the benefit of these activities to staff and students.

(cf. 0500 - Accountability)

Legal Reference:

EDUCATION CODE

44032 Travel expense payment

44259.5 Standards for preparation all students

44277-44279 Professional growth requirements for maintaining valid credentials

44279.1-44279.7 Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment Program (BTSA)

44560 Inservice preparation in ethnic backgrounds

44570-44578 Inservice training - personnel, secondary education

44579-44579.4 Instructional Time and Staff Development Reform Program

44580-44591 Inservice training - personnel, elementary teachers

44630-44643 Professional Development and Program Improvement Act of 1968

44670.1-44680.8 School personnel staff development and resource centers

44681-44689 Administrator training and evaluation

44700-44705 Classroom teacher instructional improvement program

44755-44759.7 Inservice training in reading instruction, grades K-3 and 4-8

48980 Notification of parents/guardians: schedule of minimum days

51210 Courses of study for grades 1-6

51220 Courses of study for grades 7-12

51226.3 Legislative intent for staff development on the Great Irish Famine

52800-52870 School-Based Program Coordination Act

54720-54734 School-Based Pupil Motivation and Maintenance Program

56240-56245 Staff development; service to persons with disabilities

GOVERNMENT CODE

3543.2 Scope of representation of employee organization

CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 5

6000-6002 Instructional time and staff development reform program

13025-13044 Professional development and program improvement programs

UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 20

6101-6251 School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994

6601-6702 Dwight D. Eisenhower Professional Development Program

PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS BOARD DECISIONS

San Mateo City School District, (1984) PERB Dec. No. 375, 8 PERC 15021

Jefferson School Districts, (1980) PERB Dec. No. 133, 4 PERC 11117

Management Resources:

CTC PUBLICATIONS

California Standards for the Teaching Profession: A Description of Professional Practice for California Teachers, 1997

LABOR LAW REPORTER

Public Sector Labor Relations, Matthew Bender & Co., Inc. Rel. 2-5/91, Pub. 176, Section 11.05[14]

WEB SITES

CDE: http://www.cde.ca.gov

Policy PALOS VERDES PENINSULA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

adopted: February 8, 2001 Palos Verdes Estates, California