Funding Plan, Template, and Letters
The No Child Left Behind 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. NCLB monies can be used to fund your participation in the California Science Education Conference.
Funds are available under NCLB, Title II, Part A. Here’s what to do:
Schools and districts are required to submit a Local Education
Agency (LEA) Plan outlining teacher professional development
they plan to undertake to help their teachers meet the "highly
qualified" standard of NCLB.. This is a five-year plan
that districts should re-visit each year to assure that their
plan meets the needs of individual teachers. Your
involvement is critical in this process.
CSTA has provided you with a template that you can present
to your principal or NCLB site director for incorporation
into this LEA Plan. The template uses the 10 essential elements
of the LEA Plan, Part III and includes sample responses and
explanations. These samples were designed to facilitate your
attendance at the California Science Education Conference
(CSEC), as part of your ongoing professional development plan.
CSTA has developed a professional development strand specifically
to address the requirements of NCLB. And, remember: NCLB funds
can be used to support conference attendance as part of your
ongoing professional development plan.
PD Template in pdf format PD Template in Word
Essentially, each district must submit to the state a Local Education Agency (LEA) Plan which outlines, among other things, the steps the district will take to ensure its teaching staff becomes highly qualified. The law requires that teachers be involved in helping to develop the district's professional development plan.
CSTA has created programs for teachers to enhance their teaching skills
and content knowledge. These professional development opportunities
will be presented at the 2008 California Science Education
Conference, sponsored by CSTA, October 30-November 2 in San
Jose. Attendance at the conference and participation
in these professional development programs can be funded using
NCLB/Title II monies, but it is imperative that conference
attendance be written into your district's professional development
plan and that you are proactive in seeing that the district
supports your attendance at the conference as a means of meeting
the "highly qualified
teacher" mandates of the Act.
CSTA has taken steps to provide this information to principals, superintendents, and directors of curriculum. Click here to download CSTA's letter to principals and letter to superintendents.
Teachers are urged to discuss the professional development requirements of the NCLB with their principals or site administrators and make sure that conference attendance is included in their site's professional development plan. It's important that administrators understand the imperatives of continuing professional development for science teachers and recognize that the opportunities available at the California Science Education Conference meet the criteria set forth in the No Child Left Behind Act and, therefore, may be paid for with Title II monies
Pages 34-38 of the Local Education Agency (LEA) Plan
Letter to Principals
Letter to Superintendents
More information on the No Child Left Behind Act |
