New York State Professional Development Standards

The New York State Professional Development Standards were developed by the State Professional Standards and Practices Board for Teaching.

Prior to their development, the efforts of the Regents, the State Education Department and the State Professional Standards and Practice Board for Teaching had resulted in formal processes that promote and support professional development.  Below are existing State requirements and systems that are the foundation for the standards.

·         Commissioner’s Regulation 80-3.6(b)(1) requires that Professional certificate holders and Teaching Assistant III certificate holders complete professional development every five years (175 hours for teachers and school leaders and 75 hours for TA IIIs) in order to maintain their certification.

·         Commissioner’s Regulation 100.2(dd) Professional Development requires each district and BOCES to collaboratively develop a plan for professional development that is annually revised and approved by its board of education.

·         Commissioner’s Regulation 100.2(0) Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) focuses on the process of teacher evaluation and improving professional practice in the context of local needs and resources.  This regulation requires that those with unsatisfactory performance receive a teacher improvement plan with appropriate professional development.

The professional development standards grew out of the PSPB/s concern that, in order to help school districts provide the most effective professional development programs for educators, New York State should adopt statewide professional development standards.  The Board of Regents adopted the state standards for professional development at its January 27, 2009 meeting. 

The professional development standards focus on ten areas and include a set of quality indicators for each standard.

·         Standard 1:      Designing Professional Development

·         Standard 2:      Content Knowledge and Quality Teaching

·         Standard 3:      Research-based Professional Learning

·         Standard 4:      Collaboration

·         Standard 5:      Diverse Learning

·         Standard 6:      Student Learning Environments

·         Standard 7:      Parent, Family and Community Engagement

·         Standard 8:      Data-driven Professional Practice

·         Standard 9:      Technology

·         Standard 10:    Evaluation

The Standards provide a blue print for high-quality professional development for educators to improve instruction and student achievement.  These standards promote and sustain continuous development, growth, and examination of practice.

To read a detailed explanation of each standard, go to: http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/pdf/pdstds.pdf