DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Professional Standards Board

FINAL

REGULATORY IMPLEMENTING ORDER

1598 Delaware Professional Development Standards

I. SUMMARY OF THE EVIDENCE AND INFORMATION SUBMITTED

The Professional Standards Board, acting in cooperation and collaboration with the Department of Education, seeks the consent of the State Board of Education to adopt regulation 14 DE Admin. Code 1598 Delaware Professional Development Standards. The Department of Education has encouraged the adoption of this regulation in order establish State-wide expectations for professional development and to meet the Delaware Race To The Top pledge of ensuring that all professional development and supports are effective, by creating a statewide professional development certification system for professional development, measuring student and participant outcomes, and continuously improving programs This regulation sets forth the standards for educator’s professional development in Delaware.

Notice of the proposed adoption of the regulation was published in the Delaware Register of Regulations on May 1, 2011. The Publication invited written comments. Written comments were received from the Governor’s Advisory Council for Exceptional Citizens who expressed concern about the lack of explicit charter school references and the use of the terms ‘adult’ and ‘educator’. The Professional Standards Board took notice of these concerns, but determined that a change was not necessary. The Board notes that the standards are adopted verbatim and amending the terms would be inappropriate.

II. FINDINGS OF FACTS

The Professional Standards Board and the State Board of Education find that it is appropriate to adopt this regulation to comply with changes in statute.

III. DECISION TO ADOPT THE REGULATION

For the foregoing reasons, the Professional Standards Board and the State Board of Education conclude that it is appropriate to adopt the regulation. Therefore, pursuant to 14 Del.C. §1205(b), the regulation attached hereto as Exhibit “A” is hereby adopted. Pursuant to the provision of 14 Del.C. §122(e), the regulation hereby adopted shall be in effect for a period of five years from the effective date of this order as set forth in Section V. below.

IV. TEXT AND CITATION

The text of the regulation adopted shall be in the form attached hereto as Exhibit “A”, and said regulation shall be cited as 14 DE Admin. Code 1598 of the Administrative Code of Regulations of the Department of Education.

V. EFFECTIVE DATE OF ORDER

The effective date of this Order shall be ten (10) days from the date this Order is published in the Delaware Register of Regulations.

APPROVED BY THE PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS BOARD THE 2ND DAY OF JUNE, 2011

IT IS SO ORDERED the 16th day of June, 2011.

Department of Education

Lillian M. Lowery, Ed.D., Secretary of Education

Approved this 16th day of June, 2011.

State Board of Education

1598 Delaware Professional Development Standards

The National Staff Development Counsel (NSDC[, 2001]) Standards for Staff Development connect professional development and student learning, and acknowledge that all educators have a responsibility to learn in order to improve student performance.

In accordance with 14 Del.C. §1205(b), the NSDC [2001] Standards are adopted as Delaware's Professional Development standards. The NSDC Standards shall serve as the foundation for professional development for Delaware educators.

2.1 Professional Development that improves the learning of all students:

2.1.1 Organizes adults into learning communities whose goals are aligned with those of the school and district.

2.1.2 Requires skillful school and district leaders who guide continuous instructional improvement.

2.1.3 Requires resources to support adult learning and collaboration.

3.1 Professional Development that improves the learning of all students:

3.1.1 Uses disaggregated student data to determine adult learning priorities, monitor progress, and help sustain continuous improvement.

3.1.2 Uses multiple sources of information to guide improvement and demonstrate its impacts.

3.1.3 Prepares educators to apply research to decision making.

3.1.4 Uses learning strategies appropriate to the intended goal.

3.1.5 Applies knowledge about human learning and change.

3.1.6 Provides educators with the knowledge and skills to collaborate.

4.1 Professional Development that improves the learning of all students:

4.1.1 Prepares educators to understand and appreciate all students, create safe, orderly, and supportive learning environments, and hold high expectations for their academic achievement.

4.1.2 Deepens educators' content knowledge, provides them with research-based instructional strategies to assist students in meeting rigorous academic standards, and prepares them to use various types of classroom assessments appropriately.

4.1.3 Provides educators with knowledge and skills to involve families and other stakeholders appropriately.