Professional Development

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is dedicated to helping educators improve their practice through participation in High-Quality Professional Development (HQPD). High-Quality Professional Development is a set of coherent learning experiences that is systematic, purposeful, and structured over a sustained period of time with the goal of improving teacher practice and student outcomes.

Satisfying the requirements for PDPs in ESL/SEI and special education

In June of 2012 the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education revised the regulations and now all educators renewing a primary license must earn at least 15 PDPs in ESL/SEI and 15 PDPs in effective schooling for students with disabilities and instruction of students with diverse learning styles. In order to assist educators in satisfying these renewal requirements, the Department has identified courses and activities that can be used for license renewal, for example:

• ESE approved for-cost courses that can lead to the endorsement being awarded and earning PDPs
• SEI professional development from ESE approved providers
• An ESE online course called the Foundations for Inclusive Practice

Staff at North Middlesex continue to develop their content and pedagogical knowledge through completing graduate level courses, attending relevant workshops, and participating in district-offered professional development opportunities.

Research has shown that high-quality, job-embedded, ongoing professional development is the most effective for supporting student achievement. NMRSD adheres to the standards for professional learning advocated by the National Staff Development Council, specifically:

Professional learning is for educators to develop the knowledge, skills, practices, and dispositions they need to help students perform at higher levels. …The standards focus on one critical issue -- professional learning. (https://www.learningforward.org/standards)