Mapping the Route to Better Professional Learning

Focus: STAFF DEVELOPMENT

During a recent workshop, a superintendent from upstate New York described how his school district had identified student writing as an area for improvement. “We’re providing literacy coaching, expert-led workshops and grade-level professional learning communities,” he said, “but we have no idea which activities, if any, are making a difference.”

Fellow education leaders in the room shared similar experiences.

To address this common need, our team at the REL Northeast & Islands published a free toolkit, Evaluating Professional Learning. Based on our work with district- and state-level teams in New York and Connecticut, the toolkit can help educators collect meaningful data to ensure professional learning for teachers has a high return on investment.

Four strategies in the toolkit are adaptable anywhere.