Professional Development Schools
- Home
- Professional Development Schools
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SCHOOLS
CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP
The mission of the Professional Development Schools partnership is to close the achievement gap between people of poverty and people of privilege at the urban school sites of Pfeiffer-Burleigh, Roosevelt, and Strong Vincent schools within the School District of the City of Erie. The Professional Development Schools sites are training sites for future teachers, and other personnel who strive to enhance the quality of education for children by improved curricula and implementation of pertinent educational research.
The partnership is an intimate and sophisticated relationship that will exist long-term, transcending individual personnel. Faculty driven, the Professional Development Schools share goals and responsibilities for meeting student needs with research supported decision making.
Memorandum of Agreement
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
The School District of the City of Erie
The purpose of this memorandum of agreement is to specify the mission, objectives, management, personnel responsibilities, budgetary obligations, future commitments, and structure of a partnership between Edinboro University of Pennsylvania (EUP) and the School District of the City of Erie (ESD). The mission of the partnership is to close the achievement gap between people of poverty and people of privilege.
The mission-driven objectives of the partnership are as follows:
- To increase the test performances and real skills and knowledge of students in Pfeiffer-Burleigh Elementary School, Roosevelt Middle School, and Strong Vincent High School.
- To increase the knowledge base and clinical skills of EUP candidates so that they are prepared to work effectively in schools with large numbers of children of poverty.
The objectives of the partnership will be met by merging the resources of EUP and ESD to create professional development schools at Pfeiffer-Burleigh Elementary School, Roosevelt Middle School, and Strong Vincent High School. The following definition will guide the organization of our professional development schools:
Most colleges and universities enjoy cordial working relationships with the public schools. A professional development school (PDS) is a much more intimate and sophisticated relationship. A university and a PDS have a written agreement that identifies common goals and articulates the responsibilities of both parties. Usually, the agreement involves the president of the university, the school superintendent, the board of trustees, and the school board. The agreement provides for financial support of PDS objectives, which may include enhanced achievement for students, improved curricula in both the university and the public school, and pertinent educational research. Often, the university has a professor "in residence" at the PDS. The PDS is a training site for future teachers, but there is also an understanding that the university students and personnel have an obligation to enhance the quality of education for children. In addition, the objectives, activities, and organization of the PDS should be consistent with guidelines published by the National Association for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).
Management of the Professional Development Schools
This memorandum of agreement will not infringe upon the authority of ESD to manage ESD personnel, the physical plants, rules of conduct for visitors, and other matters essential to the operation of ESD schools. However, ESD does agree to permit modifications of curricula, new programs and activities, and action research consistent with the mission of the partnership and recommended by PDS Program Committees to the ESD Superintendent and the President of EUP or their designees.
Programs, Activities, and Research in the Professional Development Schools
Each PDS will have a Program Committee, the composition of which will be jointly determined by the ESD Superintendent and the President of EUP. The committee will make recommendations pertaining to some or all of the following:
- The site-specific redesign of clinical experiences for EUP candidates
- Team-building activities for PDS and EUP faculty
- Professional development activities for PDS and EUP faculty
- Temporary reassignments of faculty from the PDS to EUP and from EUP to PDS
- Modifications in PDS and EUP curricula
- Action research and grant writing activities directly relevant to the mission and objectives of the partnership
Edinboro University Obligations
EUP agrees to provide high quality administration and supervision for all programs associated with the PDS's and to pay all of the usual and normal costs associated with clinical experiences at the PDS sites. EUP also agrees to provide - at no cost to ESD or its teachers - professional development, including activities designed to meet Act 48 requirements, as long as the activities are recommended by the Program Committees and approved by the ESD Superintendent and the President of EUP or their designees. The maximum amount of professional development per year will be three course credits and 21 clock hours of Act 48 activities per PDS faculty member per year. In addition, PDS faculty who work with EUP candidates will be granted the status of Affiliate University Faculty, which will include certain privileges such as free access to EUP sports events. Finally, EUP agrees to contribute $6,000 per year to support initiatives of the PDS Program Committees.
School District of the City of Erie Obligations
ESD grants EUP exclusivity in the assignment of teacher candidates to clinical experiences in the PDS schools and agrees to provide reasonable work space, photocopy privileges, and parking for EUP candidates and faculty. ESD also agrees to dedicate teacher work days at PDS sites to activities that support the objectives of the partnership and to seek recommendations for such activities from the PDS Program Committees. Finally, ESD agrees to contribute $6,000 per year to support initiatives of the PDS Program Committees.
Evaluation of the Partnership
Each PDS Program Committee will be responsible for assessing the impact of the partnership on the achievement of the students and the proficiencies of EUP candidates. Conclusions and recommendations will be data-driven.
Duration of the Agreement
The partnership will continue from year to year but may be amended or dissolved by mutual agreement at any time. Either EUP or ESD may dissolve the partnership following a written explanation and a minimum of six months notice.
________________________ _________________________
Frank G. Pogue, President James Barker, Superintendent
NCATE Standards
For
Professional Development Schools
Edinboro University is accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). The objectives, activities, and organization of the PDS are consistent with guidelines published by NCATE.
I. Learning Community
The PDS is a learning-centered community that supports the integrated learning and development of P-12 students, candidates, and PDS partners through inquiry-based practice. PDS partners share a common vision of teaching and learning grounded in research and practitioner knowledge. They believe that adults and children learn best in the context of practice. Learning supported by this community results in change and improvement in individual practice and in the policies and practices of the partnering institutions.
The PDS partnership includes principal and supporting institutions and individuals. The principal PDS partners are members of the P-12 schools and professional preparation programs who agree to collaborate. The supporting PDS partner institutions include the university, the school district, and the teacher union or professional education association(s). Arts and sciences faculty, other interested school and university faculty, family members, community members, and other affiliated schools are important PDS participants in the extended learning community.
II. Accountability and Quality Assurance
PDS partners are accountable to themselves and to the public for upholding professional standards for teaching and learning. They define clear criteria at the institutional and individual levels for participation. PDS partners collaboratively develop assessments, collect information, and use results to systematically examine their practices and establish outcome goals for all P-12 students, candidates, faculty, and other professionals. The PDS partnership demonstrates impact at the local, state, and national level on policies practices affecting its work.
III. Collaboration
PDS partners and partner institutions systematically move from independent to interdependent practice by committing themselves and making a commitment to each other to engage in joint work focused on implementing the PDS mission. They collaboratively design roles and structures to support the PDS work and individual and institutional parity. PDS partners use their shared work to improve outcomes for P-12 students, candidates, faculty, and other professionals. The PDS partnership systematically recognizes and celebrates their joint work and the contributions of each partner.
IV. Diversity and Equity
PDS partners and candidates develop and demonstrate knowledge, skills, and dispositions resulting in learning for all P-12 students. PDS partners ensure that the policies and practices of the PDS partner institutions result in equitable learning outcomes for all PDS participants. PDS partners include diverse participants and diverse learning communities for PDS work.
V. Structures, Resources, and Roles
The PDS partnership uses its authority and resources to articulate its mission and establish governing structures that support the learning and development of P-12 students, candidates, faculty, and other professionals. The partner institutions ensure that structures, programs, and resource decisions support the partnership's mission. They create new roles and modify existing roles for P-12 students, candidates, faculty, and other professionals, to achieve the PDS mission. The partnership effectively uses communication for coordination and linkage with the school district, university, and other constituencies and to inform the public, policy makers, and professional audiences of its work.
Governing Members:
Jeremy Brown, President Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
James Barker, Superintendent School District of the City of Erie
Ken Adams, Dean of Education Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
Scott Baldwin, Dean of Graduate Studies & Research Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
Steering Committee Members:
| Pfeiffer-Burleigh | |
| Edinboro University: | School District of the City of Erie: |
| Dr. Ginny McGinnis, Elementary Education | Rose Sheridan, Principal |
| Dr. Jeanne Faieta, Special Education | Patty Joint-Lipchik, Teacher |
| Patty Shea, Teacher | |
| Dave Eubank, Assistant Principal | |
| Roosevelt | |
| Edinboro University: | School District of the City of Erie: |
| Fabienne Mir, Principal | |
| Carol Baker, Teacher | |
|
Dave McDonald, Teacher Rich Pagano, Teacher |
|
| Strong Vincent | |
| Edinboro University: | School District of the City of Erie: |
| Dr. Margaret Smith, Social Work | Ken Brasington, Principal |
| Dr. Dawn Snodgrass, Professional Studies | Michelle Bennett, Teacher |
Pfeiffer-Burleigh Elementary School
Steering Committee: These members participate on all school teams.
School Teams:
Clinical Experiences Participants:
College Days Participants:
Dr. Jody Gallagher, Dept of Professional Studies, EUP
Dr. Denise Ohler, Office of Career Services, EUP
Professional Development Participants:
Research and Data:
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SCHOOLS
CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT
at
Roosevelt
Steering Committee: These members participate on all school teams also.
School Teams:
Clinical Experiences Participants:
Tutoring:
Professional Development Participants:
Steering Committee Members
Grant Writing:
Freshman Respect Academy:
Research and Data:
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SCHOOLS
CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP
at
STRONG VINCENT HIGH SCHOOL
Steering Committee: These members participate on all school teams also.
School Teams:
Clinical Experiences Participants:
Tutoring:
Professional Development Participants:
Steering Committee Members
Grant Writing:
Freshman Respect Academy:
Research and Data:
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SCHOOLS
CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP
with
DATA GUIDED DECISIONS
Focus Group
- Summer 2005
- Conference Data
Ohio State Teacher Efficacy Scale (OSTES)
Cultural Diversity Awareness Inventory Checklist (CDAI)
Professional Development Schools Interest Survey
Training and Workshops Selection For Spring 2006
EDUC 686 Behavior Policies Survey
