Creating the Teacher Professional Development Plan (PDP):
The teacher and supervisor should work together to develop the PDP using the New Jersey Professional Standards for Teachers, New Jersey's Definition of Professional Development, and the New Jersey Standards for Professional Learning to identify strengths and challenges and related professional learning goals and activities, using multiple sources of evidence to inform the plan. The PDP should include identified areas for improvement and growth, specific professional learning activities to address these areas, timelines for completion, hours accrued, and reviews of progress. The PDP must specify, at a minimum:
· One area derived from the results of the teacher’s most recent annual performance evaluation;
· One area aligned to the teacher’s role as a member of a professional learning team, as appropriate; and
· One area aligned with school or district improvement goals, as appropriate.
Professional learning activities such as grant writing, mentoring a pre-service or novice teacher, facilitating a collaborative team, professional service on boards or committees, teaching a course, making presentations, or developing curriculum should be considered part of the PDP when these activities align to PDP goals. As part of the 20-hour requirement, teachers must also fulfill any requirements for professional development stipulated elsewhere in statute or regulation (e.g., training on HIB and suicide prevention).
Guidelines for specific sections of the PDP:
Areas Identified for Development of Professional Practice:
Identify in priority order areas for development and growth based on the teacher’s most recent summative evaluation, work as part of a collaborative team, school/district priorities, and any other information/evidence examined to inform this plan. Consider opportunities for the teacher to grow professionally by using his/her strengths and/or by taking leadership roles, as appropriate. For each area, explain the rationale and related sources of evidence for its inclusion.
Professional Learning Goals and Activities:
Determine specific professional learning goals to address the areas identified for development in the first section. There may be more than one learning goal identified per area; some learning goals may address multiple areas. Next, describe one or more professional learning activities to address each goal. For each learning activity, consider follow-up activities, as appropriate, that will help the teacher deepen learning and/or apply the learning to practice (e.g., additional coaching, working with collaborative team). Next, estimate the number of hours the teacher is expected to receive upon completing both the initial and follow-up activities. Finally, indicate the required completion date.
District and School PDP Support:
In the box, summarize the supports the school district and principal will provide to enable the teacher to implement this plan (NJAC 6A:9-15.4(i) and 6A:9-15.5(e)).