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A statewide review of professional development in South Carolina has yielded a series of recommendations for improving professional development for principals, teachers, and other educators. The recommendations identify strategies for: meeting the state's standards for professional development; increasing local capacity to plan, organize, and provide learning opportunities for educators; and finding time and resources for professional development as priorities for state legislators.
PSA's review, conducted for the Education Oversight Committee of the South Carolina State Legislature, was part of a larger effort to improve professional development under South Carolina's Education Accountability Act. Its findings focus on the South Carolina Professional Development Standards and the requirement that state professional development funds be spent on activities that meet the standards. Among its recommendations are that:
- The South Carolina State Department of Education (SCSDE) mount an aggressive effort to disseminate and build strong consensus around the South Carolina Professional Development Standards
- The SCSDE and local school districts establish professional development accountability systems to ensure that professional development meets the new standards
- Local districts provide training on professional development methods to principals, other school leaders, and district staff
- School districts create districtwide professional development working groups to strengthen local professional development systems
- Districts continue to strengthen the local organization and operation of South Carolina's System for Assisting, Developing, and Evaluating Professional Teaching Performance Dimensions, which is the state's performance appraisal system for teachers
- Districts encourage and support teacher participation in the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification process
- School and district leaders work together to alter regular school and district schedules to include more professional development time that is linked to school and district improvement priorities
- The South Carolina Professional Development Standards and key priorities guide all investments in professional development.
The study's recommendations are based on surveys of approximately 3,250 South Carolina educators, case studies of professional development in 10 South Carolina school districts, interviews, and a review of professional development policies and documents.
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