Professional Development Plan for Austin Elementary Concordia University Texas EDAD 5353 Karen Deleon Dr. Darla Massey-Jones

What is High-Quality Professional Development? According to Speck & Knipe (2005), “High-quality professional development is a sustained collaborative learning process that systematically nourishes the growth of educators through adult learner-centered, job-embedded processes” (pp.3-4).

Elements of High-Quality of Professional Development Assesses Needs Establishes Goals Centers on Learner Sustains Growth Requires Resources Evaluates Progress to Goals These are the six essential elements of high-quality professional development which focus on improving student achievement (Speck & Knipe, 2005).

Professional Development Plan: Assessing 4th Grade Students’ Needs Teachers’ Expressed Needs: Low editing and revising skills Students did not know how to begin a composition Student Achievement Data Analysis: 2014-2015 Campus STAAR Writing = 59% 2014-2015 State STAAR Writing = 70% Speck and Knipe (2005) explain that a professional development plan may be identified by the following two items: Teachers’ expressed professional development needs Analysis of student achievement data will identify areas of strength and weakness “Meaningful analysis that requires teachers and leaders to see patterns and trends provides for understanding and informed decision making about professional development needs and plans” (Speck & Knipe, 2005, p.10).

Professional Development Plan: Establishes Goals Due to the low 4th Grade 2014-2015 STAAR Writing test scores across the district as a whole with the lowest TEKs (20B, 15C, 15D) focusing on editing and revising, Harlingen C.I.S.D. set a goal to increase student writing passing rates on the 4th Grade STAAR Writing test. Speck and Knipe (2005) explain that a professional development plan must have a single purpose, such as increasing student achievement in a certain content area. The authors explain that this “… ensures … you are pursuing a goal with a focused intent over an extended period of time” (Speck & Knipe, 2005, p.89).

Professional Development Plan: Sustains Growth Professional Learning Community (PLC) = every other week Grade Level Meetings = monthly meetings at a minimum Faculty Meetings = every other week The authors explain that it is important to have a reasonable timeline to effectively implement a professional development plan (Speck & Knipe, 2005). The learning community must be able to collaborate, evaluate and reflect on the data, make inquiries, and discuss the outcomes of the professional development (Speck & Knipe, 2005). “Educators need quality time to master new strategies and new learning by practicing… reflecting on these practices, and refining their learning” (Speck & Knipe, 2005, p.15). 1. Professional Learning Community (PLC) = every other week - Grade levels meet to discuss learned strategies and data analysis 2. Grade Level Meetings = monthly meetings at a minimum - More focused data analysis - Teachers’ perspectives on student progress discussed - Resources discussed - Campus strategies refined 3. Faculty Meetings = every other week - Assessment results shared - Goals & strategies discussed

Professional Development Plan: Requires Resources First Target Audience: All 4th Grade Writing teachers Required Tools: Harlingen C.I.S.D. Writing Academy Training, Spring of 2016 Harlingen C.I.S.D. 2nd Writing Academy Training, Spring 2017 District Mandatory Writing Training, February 2017 Two areas must be considered regarding resources for professional development: The target audience, experienced vs. beginning teachers. Not all teachers posses the same skill level. Therefore, the level of depth of training to implement new strategies vary. Required tools such as seminars, coaching, graphics, videos, Web sites, learning strategies, timely assessments, and / or physical movement activities must be explored. “Teachers need rich examples, modeling, practice, … coaching… and opportunities for colleague feedback and refinement” (Speck and Knipe, 2005, p.14). Required Tools: 1. Harlingen C.I.S.D. Writing Academy Training, Spring of 2016 - Carmen Alvarez, Early Literacy Specialist - Schawn Wreden, ELAR District Specialist 2. Harlingen C.I.S.D. 2nd Writing Academy Training, Spring 2017 - Schawn Wreden 3. District Mandatory Writing Training, February 2017

Professional Development Plan: Requires Resources continued… Required Tools continued… Writing Academy Strategies 1. Brainstorm: “Funnel” 2. Introduction 3. Body 4. Conclusion Writing Academy Strategies 1. Brainstorm: “Funnel” = Focus on 3 things and select one you would like to talk about 2. Introduction = Funnel 3. Body = 1 reason why or how + 1 Splash Splash CAFE C (Caution) = make reader aware of something A (Anecdote) = something the writer remembers F (Fact) = Example: “Research shows that…” E (Example / Scenario) 4. Conclusion = include feeling or lesson learned

Professional Development Plan: Requires Resources continued… Required Tools continued… Writing Academy Revising & Editing Techniques = Use GLUE 1. Go 2. Look 3. Underline 4. See Writing Academy Revising & Editing Techniques 1. Go = Go straight to the questions. Do not read the story first. 2. Look = Think about what they want you to do & Look in the story to find the answer. 3. Underline = Key words 4. See = Which answer choice makes sense

Professional Development Plan: Requires Resources continued… Required Tools continued… Small Writing Groups Strategy - Writing Strategies by Mrs. Ingram (Counselor & previous 4th Grade Writing teacher) - Editing / Revising Practice by Mrs. Montemayor (Paraprofessional) - Wednesday Writers by Miss Eunice’s (Music teacher) Small Writing Groups were added as a strategy to assist building students’ writing skills.

Professional Development Plan: Evaluates Progress to Goals 4th Grade Assessments 2015-2016 4th Grade STAAR Writing 75% passing rate 2016-2017 Campus Formative Assessment (CFAs) #1 = 69.6% #5 = 79.3% #7 = 88.1% (District = 80.1%) “A solid evaluation instrument helps determine if the strategy needs to be continued, refined, discarded, or replaced with more effective ways of accomplishing the goal” (Speck & Knipe, 2005, p.94).

Professional Development Plan: Assessing 3rd Grade Students’ Needs Teachers’ Expressed Needs: No Writing training provided to 3rd Grade Teachers 3rd Grade Students have low writing skills Student Achievement Data Analysis: 2016-2017 DCA #1 = 4.0 % passing rate 2016-2017 DCA #2 = 9.8 % passing rate Speck and Knipe’s (2005) two items help identify a Professional Development Plan: Teachers’ expressed needs: 3rd Grade Teachers expressed desire to be trained on Writing Academy Strategies Student achievement data: 3rd Grade Writing District Common Assessments (DCAs) indicate low performance

Proposed Professional Development Plan Establishes Goals: Due to low 3rd Grade’s low performance scores on 2016-2017 Writing DCAs, Austin Elementary’s goal is to increase 3rd Grade students’ writing passing rates. Sustains Growth: PLCs Grade Level Meetings Faculty Meetings Growth will be sustained through the following: 1. Professional Learning Community (PLC) = every other week - Grade levels review writing strategies and analyze data 2. Grade Level Meetings = monthly - Analyze data - Discuss Teachers’ perspectives on student progress - Discuss Resources - Refine Campus strategies 3. Faculty Meetings = every other week - Share assessment results - Discuss Goals & strategies

Proposed Professional Development Plan continued… Required Resources: Second Target Audience: All 3rd Grade teachers Required Tools: Writing Academy Training by District Personnel Writing Academy Training by campus 4th Grade Teachers Evaluates Progress: 2017-2018 Writing DCAs (Fall & Spring) Required Resources:: 3rd Grade Teachers will be trained to utilize Writing Academy strategies and techniques. Trainings can be conducted both off campus by district personnel and on campus by previously trained 4th Grade teachers. Evaluates Progress: Writing DCAs will be utilized to determine if the Writing Academy strategies should continue to be used, require refining, be discarded, or be replaced in order to accomplish the campus’ goal.

Reference Mrs. Aleshire, 3rd Grade Teacher, personal communication, February 7, 2017 Mrs. Cervantes, 4th Grade Teacher, personal communication, January 31, 2017 Mrs. Esquivel, 4th Grade Teacher, personal communication, January 31, 2017 Mrs. Gonzalez, Principal, personal communication, January, 30, 2017 Mrs. Perkins, 3rd Grade Teacher, personal communication, February 7, 2017 Mrs. Rodriguez, Assistant Principal, personal communication, January 30, 2017 Mrs. Swope, Instructional Coach, personal communication, February 23, 2017 Speck, M. & Knipe, C. (2005). Why Can’t We Get It Right? Designing High-Quality Professional Development for Standards- Based Schools. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Texas Education Agency. 2015-16 Texas Academic Performance Report. Retrieved from https://rptsvr1.tea.texas.gov/cgi/sas/broker?_service=marykay&year4=2015&year2=15&debug=0&single=N&tit le=2016+Texas+Academic+Performance+Reports&_program=perfrept.perfmast.sas&prgopt=2016%2Ftapr%2 Ftapr.sas&ptype=P&level=campus&search=campname&namenum=Austin&campus=031903102 Texas Education Agency. 2014-15 Texas Academic Performance Report. Retrieved from https://rptsvr1.tea.texas.gov/cgi/sas/broker?_service=marykay&year4=2015&year2=15&debug=0&single=N&tit le=2015+Texas+Academic+Performance+Reports&_program=perfrept.perfmast.sas&prgopt=2015%2Ftapr%2 Ftapr.sas&ptype=P&level=campus&search=campname&namenum=Austin&campus=031903102