Administrative Regulation

AR 4131

Certificated Personnel

Staff Development

The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that certificated staff members have opportunities to learn both from outside sources and from each other. These opportunities may include release time, leaves of absence or use of noninstructional time for:

1. Visits to other classrooms and other schools

2. Attendance at professional education conferences or committee meetings

3. Participation in professional development networks that promote inquiry and allow staff to analyze and evaluate each other's work

4. Peer conferences and/or joint staff preparation time

5. Discussions with representatives of business and community agencies for the purpose of identifying the skills, knowledge and aptitudes necessary for specific career paths and developing meaningful career-related, work-based learning experiences

6. Internships in industry and community agencies where teachers can learn how academic skills are used in the workplace

(cf. 1700 - Relations Between Private Industry and the Schools)

7. Travel, study and research in subject matter content and effective educational practices

(cf. 4161.3 - Professional Leaves)

8. Training classes and workshops offered by the district, county office of education or state projects

9. Training in institutions of higher education, including credit courses conducted in or near the district whenever possible

10. Follow-up activities that help staff to implement newly acquired skills

Instructional Time and Staff Development Reform Program

The Superintendent or designee shall design a program which provides staff development opportunities for certificated classroom teachers and certificated teaching assistants on days that are not counted as instructional time. This staff development program shall meet the following conditions:

1. The program shall meet the district's educational priorities as defined by the Board of Education and be consistent with regulations adopted by the State Board of Education. (Education Code 44579.1)

(cf. 0000 - Vision)

(cf. 0200 - Goals for the School District)

(cf. 6010 - Goals and Objectives)

2. The program shall provide staff development in the academic content of the core curriculum; in instructional methods, including teaching strategies and classroom management; and in any other training designed to improve student performance. (Education Code 44579.1)

"Core curriculum areas" means those areas of study specified in Education Code 51210(a)-(g) and 51220(a)-(j). (5 CCR 6000)

3. For each staff development day provided under this program, records of attendance shall be maintained and participants shall be present for the full day. (Education Code 44579.1)

The district shall maintain a certification of the contemporaneous record of attendance of the eligible participants who attended each full staff development day for which the district requests funding. If a single staff development day is conducted over several calendar days, the contemporaneous records must evidence that each employee who participated in the staff development day was present for the equivalent of a full-time instructional work day. (5 CCR 6001)

4. Each staff development day shall be at least as long as the full-time instructional day for certificated employees of the district. However, a single staff development day may be conducted over several calendar days. (Education Code 44579.1)

5. If the staff development day is conducted after completion of an instructional day, it may not be held on a minimum day for which parents/guardians were notified pursuant to Education Code 48980. (Education Code 44579.1)

(cf. 5145.6 - Parental Notifications)

(cf. 6111 - School Calendar)

Beginning Teacher Support

To support teachers who are serving in their first or second year of service and enhance their effectiveness in teaching district students, the Superintendent or designee shall: (Education Code 44279.2)

1. Develop, implement and evaluate a teacher induction program which meets the Quality and Effectiveness for Beginning Teacher Induction Program Standards adopted by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing

2. Support beginning teachers in meeting the competencies described in the California Standards for the Teaching Profession adopted by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing

3. Meet criteria for the cost-effective delivery of program services

Regulation PALOS VERDES PENINSULA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

approved: February 8, 2001 Palos Verdes Estates, California