Running head: CURRENT REALITY AND GSAPS 1

Professional Learning Current Reality and GSAPS

Elizabeth Record Huffaker

PL & Technology Innovation

Kennesaw State University

CURRENT REALITY AND GSAPS 2

Vision
The vision for the use of technology specifically is outlined from the Cherokee County

School District Technology Three-Year Plan as,

“At the very core of the School District’s mission and purpose is providing opportunities

for all students to become contributing citizens and who can communicate effectively,

gather and use information, make responsible decisions, utilize technology effectively

and adapt to the challenges of the future.” (Cherokee County Three-Year Technology

Plan , 2018).

The specific learner, teacher and technology goals within the county that directly impact

how teachers and students will use technology are described in the table below:
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(Cherokee County Three-Year Technology Plan, 2018)

Needs Identification

Professional needs are identified through a variety of tools at Creekland Middle School.

Individually, teachers are evaluated using the Teacher Keys Evaluation System (TKES)

platform. In addition, standardized tests are a reflection of professional needs. Finally, teacher

input, administrative expectations and professional development within the school and county

help determine needs. Ultimately, it is a combination of quantitative and qualitative indicators.

The technology professional learning needs are specifically identified per individual

school. The technology team uses surveys, SIP goals and county technology goals (above) to

determine these needs. Once determined, the technology team also personalizes the needs for

each individual school by teaming with the administration.

Professional Learning

The forms of professional learning provided at CMS are delivered through professional

learning committees, instructional lead collaboration, county devised, optional book studies and

per teacher request (conferences).

The professional learning committees meet twice a week. The committees are composed

of the grade level subject teachers. Within the meetings, the teachers collaborate to determine

any professional need specific to their subject. There are also professional learning committees

for other purposes; such as discipline. The additional PLCs function similarly to the content area

PLCs, but meet less frequently. Within their meetings, professional needs based on the focus of

the committee are discussed and identified.

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Our administration has selected a leadership team; composed of team leaders and subject

area chairpersons. In these meetings, the leaders voice any needs from their respected areas.

The team addresses the needs and forms a collaborative solution.

Cherokee County school district devises professional development based on need at the

county level. The professional development is ongoing. Some of the trainings are optional

while others are required. The required trainings have been historically related to new

curriculum development. For example, with the implementation of a new English/Language

Arts curriculum, training followed.

Next, our principal offers an optional book study each year. In addition to her book

study, other professionals in the building host book studies as well. These are optional.

Finally, educators have the opportunity to request professional development based on

individually identified need. For example, as the STEM teacher last year, I was able to attend

the annual STEM conference in Athens, GA. Many coworkers have requested attendance to

various conferences and they are generally approved.

The professional learning specific to technology is modeled as a continuous workshop.

Teachers meet with our assigned instructional technology coach every two weeks for technology

training. The specific lessons are identified by evaluating the “trend data about student learning,

instruction, program evaluation, and organizational conditions.” (Creekland Middle School SIP,

2018). The training is collaborative; each grade level is delivered a forty-five minute lesson

regarding the current technology need.

The specific types of technology training that has been offered at CMS has included:

LMS support (Canvas), Microsoft Suite, Skype, FlipGrid, Nearpod and BrainPop. Additional,
CURRENT REALITY AND GSAPS 5

voluntary training is also consistently available. The optional training consists of a variety of

tools.

Our instructional technology coach always follows a training with a synopsis and tips list

from the session. He is also readily available to help implement the information taught if

needed. Furthermore, evaluation surveys, usage reports, matching tools with certain

strategies/standards are also used as follow-up support.

Alignment

The professional learning is directly aligned to the school improvement plan. The

bimonthly technology training specifically meets the SIP goal:

“3.11- All staff members participate in a continuous program of professional learning”

(Creekland Middle School SIP, 2018).

Within the bimonthly meetings, all staff continuously are trained on both current and

upcoming practices. Teachers are given the chance to ask questions, practice with new, and old,

tools and collaborate with others. Furthermore, the additional professional learning, as described

previously, also meets the needs of the aforementioned SIP goal.

Funding

First, professional learning is funded first through the county. The county employs a

technology team that is divided evenly through the county for instructional technology and

support. The coaches are salaried and serve between six and seven schools each. With the push

for technology, the department is growing rapidly.

CURRENT REALITY AND GSAPS 6

Additional professional developments are provided through local school funding and

grants. The professional development budget for CMS is $7,277.58.

Incentives

The incentives for teachers to participate in professional learning are first high

performance on the annual TKES evaluation. Then, our principal has a OneNotebook set up for

teachers to document their technology use by ISTE standard. For each standard, teachers record

activities/lessons completed that reflect the standard. The first twenty teachers that did this were

awarded iPads!

Diverse Background Professional Learning

Professional learning for students with special needs is available as an option through the

county. English as a Second Language endorsement is required for teachers in the ESOL setting.

Impact

The SIP specifically evaluates the impact of professional learning by comparing the cost

of the professional development to the milestone and end of course test scores. If the scores did

not reflect an improvement, the professional development was redesigned or removed. At our

school, the standardized test scores determine the usefulness of professional development.
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References

Cherokee County Three Year Technology Plan, 2017. Retrieved from

https://www.cherokeek12.net/userfiles/wp-uploads/2016/06/2017-2020-Three-Year-

Technology-Plan.pdf

Creekland Middle School Schoolwide Improvement Plan, 2018. Retrieved from

www.cherokeek12.net/creeklandms/sip.

Huffaker, E. R. personal communication, 2018.

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The means by which teachers, administrators, and other staff acquire, enhance, and refine the knowledge,
skills, practices, and dispositions necessary to create and support high levels of learning for all students

Professional Learning Standard 1: Aligns professional learning with needs identified

through analysis of a variety of data

Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1

Exemplary Operational Emerging Not Evident

Professional learning Professional learning Professional learning Professional learning

needs are identified needs are identified needs are identified needs are identified
and differentiated through a using limited sources using little or no
through a collaborative analysis of data. data.
collaborative analysis process using a
process using a variety of data (e.g.,
variety of data (e.g., student achievement
student achievement data, examination of
data, examination of student work, process
student work, process data, teacher and
data, teacher and leader effectiveness
leader effectiveness data, action research
data, action research data, perception data
data, perception data from students, staff,
from students, staff, and families).
and families).
Ongoing support is
provided through
differentiated
professional learning.

EVIDENCE: In the space below, provide detailed evidence supporting your rating above – The
results of the Milestones are used to determine professional learning and State Longitudinal Data
System is used to evaluate professional learning. Technological professional development is
continually provided every other week.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Continue with supports in place.

CURRENT REALITY AND GSAPS 9

Professional Learning Standard 2: Establishes a culture of collaboration among

administrators and staff to enhance individual and collective performance

Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1

Exemplary Operational Emerging Not Evident

Administrators and Administrators and Administrators and Administrators and

staff, as a staff routinely staff routinely staff routinely
foundational practice, collaborate to collaborate to collaborate to
consistently improve individual improve individual improve individual
collaborate to support and collective and collective and collective
leadership and performance (e.g., performance (e.g., performance (e.g.,
personal construct knowledge, construct knowledge, construct knowledge,
accountability and to acquire skills, refine acquire skills, refine acquire skills, refine
enhance individual practice, provide practice, provide practice, provide
and collective feedback). feedback). feedback).
performance (e.g.,
construct knowledge,
acquire skills, refine
practice, provide
feedback).
Teachers conduct
action research and
assume ownership of
professional learning
processes.

EVIDENCE: In the space below, provide detailed evidence supporting your rating above – The
leadership team meets once a month to discuss collective performance. Although the
administration has the goal to meet with individual staff in theory, it has not been implemented
in practice.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Maintain scheduled walk throughs with follow up conferences between

administration and individual staff.
CURRENT REALITY AND GSAPS 10

Professional Learning Standard 3: Defines expectations for implementing professional

learning

Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1

Exemplary Operational Emerging Not Evident

Administrators, Administrators, Administrators, Administrators,

teacher leaders, or teacher leaders, or teacher leaders, or teacher leaders, or
both consistently both regularly define both occasionally both rarely, if ever,
define expectations expectations for the define expectations define expectations
for the implementation of for the for the
implementation of professional learning. implementation of implementation of
professional learning, professional learning. professional learning.
including details
regarding the stages
of implementation
and how monitoring
will occur as
implementation
progresses.

EVIDENCE: In the space below, provide detailed evidence supporting your rating above –
Professional learning is consistently provided, but expectations for implementation are unclear.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Establish a calendar for professional development implementation

deadlines. This could be updated and published during the bimonthly technology professional
development.
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Professional Learning Standard 4: Uses multiple professional learning designs to support

the various learning needs of the staff

Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1

Exemplary Operational Emerging Not Evident

Staff members Staff members Some staff members Staff members

actively participate in actively participate in are engaged in receive single, stand-
job-embedded professional learning, professional learning alone professional
professional learning most of which is job- that makes use of learning events that
that engages embedded, which more than one are informational and
collaborative teams in includes multiple learning design to mostly large-group
a variety of designs (e.g., address their presentation designs.
appropriate learning collaborative lesson identified needs.
designs (e.g., study, analysis of
collaborative lesson student work,
study, analysis of problem-solving
student work, sessions, curriculum
problem solving development,
sessions, curriculum coursework, action
development, research, classroom
coursework, action observations, online
research, classroom networks) to support
observations, online their various learning
networks). needs. Professional
Professional learning learning includes
includes extensive follow-up with
follow-up with feedback and
descriptive feedback coaching.
and coaching.

EVIDENCE: In the space below, provide detailed evidence supporting your rating above –
Various professional learning designs are supported, but feedback and coaching are not.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Designate one administrator to one specific professional learning design.

Allow the administrator to schedule feedback and coaching sessions after evaluating usage.
CURRENT REALITY AND GSAPS 12

Professional Learning Standard 5: Allocates resources and establishes systems to support

and sustain effective professional learning

Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1

Exemplary Operational Emerging Not Evident

Extensive resources Adequate resources Some resources and Few, if any,

(e.g., substitute (e.g., substitute systems are allocated resources and
teachers, materials, teachers, materials, to support and systems are provided
handouts, tools, handouts, tools, sustain professional to support and
stipends, facilitators, stipends, facilitators, learning. sustain professional
technology) and technology) and learning.
systems (e.g., systems (e.g.,
conducive schedules, conducive schedules,
adequate adequate
collaborative time, collaborative time,
model classrooms) model classrooms)
are allocated to are in place to
support and sustain support and sustain
effective professional professional learning.
learning.
Opportunities to
practice skills, receive
follow-up, feedback,
and coaching are
provided to support
the effectiveness of
professional learning.

EVIDENCE: In the space below, provide detailed evidence supporting your rating above – Class
coverage is consistent when needed for professional development.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Evaluations scheduled after professional development implementation

with feedback.
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Professional Learning Standard 6: Monitors and evaluates the impact of professional

learning on staff practices and student learning

Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1

Exemplary Operational Emerging Not Evident

Monitoring and Monitoring and Monitoring and Monitoring and

evaluating the impact evaluating the impact evaluating the impact evaluating the impact
of professional of professional of professional of professional
learning on staff learning on staff learning on staff learning on staff
practices and practices and student practices occurs practices occurs
increases in student learning occurs sporadically. rarely, if ever.
learning occurs routinely.
extensively.
Evaluation results are
used to identify and
implement processes
to extend student
learning.

EVIDENCE: In the space below, provide detailed evidence supporting your rating above – SLDS
and Milestones/EOCT results are analyzed to evaluate effective professional learning.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Continue with current supports.

CURRENT REALITY AND GSAPS 14

KSU ITEC Professional Learning Standard: Professional learning reinforces educators’

understanding and use of strategies for promoting equity and high expectations for all
students, application of research-based teaching strategies and assessment processes, and
involvement of families and other stakeholders in promoting student learning.

Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1

Exemplary Operational Emerging Not Evident

Classroom practices Classroom practices of Classroom practices of Classroom practices

(e.g., considering most teachers reflect some reflect little or no
interests, backgrounds, evidence of teachers’
skill in communicating teachers reflect
strengths, and
preferences to provide
high expectations for evidence of teachers’ training in
meaningful, relevant each student and training in understanding the
lessons and assess adjusting classroom understanding the impact that attitudes
student progress, activities to meet impact that attitudes regarding race,
differentiating student needs. regarding race, disabilities,
instruction, and Respect for students’ disabilities, background, culture,
nurturing student high expectations,
cultures and life background, culture,
capacity for self-
experiences is evident high expectations, and and social class of
management) of all
teachers reflect an through the social class of both both students and
emotionally and emotionally and students and teachers teachers have on the
physically safe physically safe learning have on the teaching teaching and learning
environment where environment where and learning process. process.
respect and students of diverse
appreciation for a
diverse population is
backgrounds and
evident. There are high experiences are taught
achievement the school code of
expectations for all conduct (customs) to
students and teachers. help them be
The principal and other successful in the
leaders provide
school context.
professional learning for
teachers lacking
understanding of the
impact that attitudes
regarding race,
disabilities, background,
culture, high
expectations, and social
class of both students
and teachers have on
the teaching and
learning process.

EVIDENCE: In the space below, provide detailed evidence supporting your rating above –
Teachers who lack the understanding of the impact that attitudes regarding race, disabilities,
background, culture, high expectations, and social class of both students and teachers have on
CURRENT REALITY AND GSAPS 15

the teaching and learning process are identified by the administration and collaboratively
develop a coordinating plan.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Continue with current supports.