Professional Development Funding
The No Child Left Behind Act,
signed into law in 2002, put many provisions in place to increase
student performance and enhance teacher quality in core subject
areas, including science. The Act requires all teachers of
science to be designated as "highly qualified" in their fields
and has altered the manner in which teachers may take advantage
of professional development opportunities to increase their
knowledge and skills. It's important to note that
NCLB monies can be used to fund your participation
in the California Science Education Conference.
Several provisions of the act specify the funding available for teacher professional development.
Title I, Part A, of the act requires school districts to use at least five percent of their Title I funds for
professional development activities to ensure that teachers who are not currently certified as highly qualified
meet that standard, as defined by the state, by the end of the 2005-06 school year. Schools identified as not
having met their adequate yearly progress (AYP) goals must spend ten percent of their Title I, Part A funds on
teacher professional development.
Title II, Part A, of the act provides funding for professional development in subject matter knowledge,
improving teaching skills, assisting teachers to use the state content standards, and assessment. All of these
activities are available to teachers at the California Science Education Conference, presented in a cohesive,
coherent strand specifically designed to qualify for Title II funding.* Teachers participating in the No Child
Left Behind/Title II Professional Development Strand receive the kind of knowledge and skills defined in the act
and can earn university professional development credit as well. "The Professional Development strand [at the
California Science Education Conference] includes sessions that qualify under the High Objective Uniform State
Standard of Evaluation [HOUSSE] process as standards-aligned activities for No Child Left Behind compliance."
(State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell. Click here to read Superintendent O'Connell's letter.)
Schools have considerable discretion in the use of Title II, Part A, funds. Districts must submit a Local
Education Agency (LEA) plan (see link) that outlines the types of professional development in which their
teachers will participate, and they are required to have teacher involvement in the development of the plan.
The NCLB/Title II Professional Development Strand is the kind of activity that should be included in a district's
teacher quality improvement plan, but it will only be included if teachers become involved in their district's
planning process and insist upon it. See the CSTA website for information about NCLB, the LEA plan and highly
qualified teacher issues.
*The U.S. Department of Education has indicated
that Title II, Part A, funds may be used to pay the costs
associated with having teachers attend one-day or short-term
workshops or conferences if they are part of, and integral
to, professional development activities that meet the other
requirements of the law, and if the participation in such
a professional development activity is used to reinforce or
lay the groundwork as part of a larger, systemic, professional
development plan. [Improving Teacher Quality State Grants,
Title II, Part A, Non-regulatory Guidance, USDOE, December
2002.]
Districts which have applied for and been awarded state Title
II, Part B, Math and Science Partnership grants may
have additional professional development funds for teachers.
Check with your district's NCLB coordinator to find out the
availability of MSP funds.
Additionally, your district may have other grants, such as
NSF-funded programs, which provide funds
for professional development. Check with your district's curriculum
and instruction or professional development coordinator.
Teachers and administrators should also keep in mind that science is now being tested in grades 5, 8, 9,
10, and 11 as part of the state's STAR testing program and is included in the district's API scores.
Whatever funds are available in your district for professional development, you must plan early and ask often.
CSTA has prepared a template that you can present to your principal or NCLB site director for incorporation
into this LEA Plan.
Plan now to attend the 2008 California
Science Education Conference. Don't wait until the 08-09
school year. Talk to your administator today to make sure
that science professional development funds for attending
the conference are included in your LEA plan.
Letter to CSTA conference participants
from State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell.
More information on the No Child Left Behind act.
|
