Teacher Professional Development Study

commissioned by

Idaho’s MOST Professional Development Committee

September 26, 2002

Submitted by

Philip P. Kelly, Ph.D.

Senior Policy Analyst,

Center for School Improvement & Policy Studies

1

Overall Data Summary

Teacher vs. Principal Perceptions of Professional Development • Teachers and principals have vastly different views of professional development within their own

buildings, indicating a lack of both communication and common understanding among faculty and administrators.

• Generally, principals portrayed a much more positive status of teacher professional development than did the teachers.

School Professional Development Plans • 40.9% of teachers and 54.8% of principals indicated that their school had a written professional

development plan. Only 15.7% of teachers and 35.5% of principals indicated that they had prioritized goals within their plan.

• 39.2 % of teachers and 6.5% of principals did not know if they had a school professional development plan.

Format of Professional Development • The traditional “sit ‘n git” workshop format of professional development dominates teachers’

experiences, accounting for 57.4% of all experiences reported by teachers and 71.0% of those reported by principals.

• Teacher professional development experiences typically are very brief, indicative of the “drive-by” approach to professional development. Teachers report that 51.2% of all experiences last 6 hrs or less, while 78.7% lasts 2 days or less. Principals report significantly different figures of 18.2% and 30.3%, respectively.

• Only 16.1% of teachers report that professional development offers follow-up support in the form of opportunities for practice and feedback, while 67.7% of principals report such support.

Potential Problems for Professional Development • Teachers and principals strongly agree on potential problems to facilitating professional

development. • The top two problems are time and money, being rated significantly higher than other choices. • Teachers consistently indicate that they are in need of meaningful follow-up support to effectively

develop their skills. Top Professional Development Needs • Teachers and principals both ranked Standards Implementation and Curricular Alignment as the top

two areas of need. Teachers indicated Technology as third, while principals highlighted Classroom Assessment.

Data-based Decision Making • 71.0% of principals indicated that data on student learning provide focus for professional

development, while less than half (47.1%) of teachers indicated the same. • 64.5% of principals indicated that professional development prepared teachers to be skillful users of

data/research, while only 40.9% of teachers indicated the same.

2

Disaggregated Data Summary Grade Level Analysis • Grade levels of teachers were grouped into PreK-3, 4-6, 7-8, and 9-12. When disaggregated by

grade level, statistically significant (p<0.05) differences were observed for 22 different factors. • Generally, as grade level increased, teachers responded less positively about professional

development. • Some factors exhibited clear breaks between elementary (PreK-6) and secondary (7-12) teachers,

such as o Teacher Apathy and Lack of Local Expertise being perceived as more problematic for

secondary teachers. o District/School In-services are perceived to be more useful for elementary teachers.

Highest Degree Earned Analysis • Highest degrees earned were grouped into BA/BS, MA/MS, Ed. Spec., and Ed.D./Ph.D. When

disaggregated by highest degree earned, statistically significant (p<0.05) differences were observed for 9 different factors.

• Teachers with advanced degrees are underrepresented in elementary grades. • Teachers with only BA/BS degrees value Journals/Magazines and Conferences more than teachers

with advanced degrees. • Teachers with advanced degrees think Teacher Apathy and Time are more problematic than BA/BS

teachers, while BA/BS teachers highlight funding as more problematic. Years of Experience Analysis • Years of teaching experience were grouped into 0-5yrs, 6-10yrs, 11-15 yrs, 16-20yrs, and >20yrs.

When disaggregated by years of experience, statistically significant (p<0.05) differences were observed for 6 different factors.

• Professional development needs tended to shift away from classroom management and content knowledge to standards implementation and curricular alignment as years of experience increased.

• Options for teacher learning tended to shift in several ways, detailed in the disaggregated data section of this report.

Canyon/Ada Counties v. Rest of Idaho Analysis • Teachers were grouped according to the population centers of Canyon & Ada counties and other.

When disaggregated by location, statistically significant (p<0.05) differences were observed for 14 different factors.

• Teachers in Can/Ada counties earned more graduate degrees than elsewhere in Idaho. • Out-state teachers report that access to providers, distance, lack of local expertise, and money as

being more problematic than Can/Ada teachers. • Teachers in Can/Ada counties report more use of student data as a focus for professional

development than other teachers in Idaho.

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Issues to be Addressed Time – The importance of time for participation in professional development and the necessary follow-up support cannot be overstated. Whenever the opportunity presented itself, whether in selected or open response, teachers and principals overwhelmingly indicated that they need more time for professional development. This concern was expressed in a variety of forms, including calls for more follow-up and better scheduling of professional development experiences. Lack of Common Understanding and Knowledge Base – From the data collected during this study, one cannot conclude that teachers and principals have a common understanding of teacher professional development, the planning processes in their building, or the effect of the professional development activities that do occur. Lack of Systemic Support – The effect of professional development does not seem to be adequately monitored in either classroom practice or teacher evaluation. When it is included in teacher evaluation, principals typically only address completion, not content or effect. Administrator Role in Professional Development – Because of the hierarchical structure within most public schools, it is imperative that the administrators fully understand best practices in teacher professional development and share this knowledge with their faculty. Teachers expressed high levels of concern regarding administrative leadership of teacher professional development. Their concerns include

• Lack of Focus/Direction • Lack of Coordination/Planning • Administrator Apathy

• Poor PD Choices • Lack of Teacher Input • Poor Scheduling of PD

Lack of Graduate Training – Even though respondents had an average of 16 years of service, 56% only had a BA/BS as their highest degree. According to the Idaho Department of Education, the statewide figure is even higher at 81% with BA/BS as their highest degree. Varied Needs of Varied Teachers – The disaggregated analyses presented at the end of this report clearly demonstrates that a one-size-fits-all approach will underserve significant portions of the teaching population. Data was disaggregated according to grade level, highest degree earned, years of teaching experience, and location in Canyon/Ada counties or elsewhere in Idaho. Statistically significant differences were identified for each of these factors and should be kept in mind when drafting professional development policies.

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Teacher Professional Development Study September 26, 2002

Representativeness of Sample

• Data summarized from 782 respondents, including 751 teachers and 31 principals. This represents 5.5% of Idaho teachers and 4.0% of Idaho principals.

• Ninety districts, the Department of Corrections and the Idaho School for the Deaf and Blind participated in the survey representing 228,205 students or 93.1% of Idaho schoolchildren.

• The teachers responding to the survey are better educated than general teaching population. 44% of respondents noted a degree higher than BA/BS compared to 19% for all teachers.

• The teachers responding to the survey are slightly more experienced that the general population of teachers. Please see comparison below.

Thirty-one principals (representing 26 districts, 1029 teachers, and 14,787 students) participated in the Professional Development Survey. Portrait of Principals’ Schools Average Faculty Size 33.2 teachers Average Enrollment 477 students Median Faculty Size 29 teachers Median Enrollment 440 students Range of Faculty Size 1 to 124 teachers Range of Enrollment 5 to 1600 students How much did your school spend on teacher professional development during the 2000-01 year? Responses varied widely, from $ 0.00 to $ 55,000. Average PD$/Teacher $ 676.13 Average PD$/Student $ 71.70 Median PD$/Teacher $ 171.44 Median PD$/Student $ 12.91 Range of PD$/Teacher 0 to $ 5,125.00 Range of PD$/Student 0 to $ 800.00 Does your school have a formalized, written professional development plan?

Principal Response

6.5%

38.7%

54.8%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

Yes No Unknown

Teacher Response

17.4%

39.2%

2.5%

40.9%

0.0%

5.0%10.0%

15.0%

20.0%25.0%

30.0%

35.0%40.0%

45.0%

Yes No Unknow n No Answ er

5

Are the goals listed above prioritized?

Principal Response

19.4%

35.5%

0.0%5.0%

10.0%15.0%20.0%25.0%30.0%35.0%40.0%

Yes No

Teacher Response

3.7%

11.2%10.4%

15.7%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

Yes No Unknow n No Answ er

Do members of the larger community contribute to decisions about teacher professional development?

Principal Response

58.1%

32.3%

6.5% 3.2%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

Yes No Unknow n No Response

Teacher Response

20.2%

36.4% 38.4%

5.0%

0.0%5.0%

10.0%15.0%20.0%25.0%30.0%35.0%40.0%45.0%

Yes No Unknown No Answer

How many hours of formal professional development are required of teachers annually?

Principals’ Response Teachers’ Response Average # of hours 20.8 15.8 Median # of hours 18 20 Range of hours 0 to 56 0 to 98

In how many hours of formal professional development do teachers typically engage?

Principals’ Response Teachers’ Response Average # of hours 33.6 43.9 Median # of hours 30 30 Range of hours 0 to 60 0 to 650

6

Typically, what format does formal professional development take in your building?

Principal Response

71.0%

9.7% 9.7% 6.5% 3.2%0.0%

10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%

50.0%60.0%70.0%80.0%

Workshop TeacherNetworking -Intraschool

UniversityClass

Lecture Conference

Teacher Response

57.4%

10.6% 9.8% 7.2% 5.7% 5.4% 3.8%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

Workshop UniversityClasses

Lecture TeacherNetworkingIntraschool

Conferences TeacherNetworkingInterschool

No Answer

7

Typically, how long do formal professional development experiences last for teachers?

Principal Response

15.15%

3.03%

15.15%

3.03%

12.12%

6.06%9.09%

36.36%

00.05

0.10.15

0.20.25

0.30.35

0.4

0-3 hr

s

4-6 hr

s

1-2 da

ys

3-4 da

ys

1-2 m

onths

Semes

ter

Acad.

Yr

Multipl

e yrs

Teacher Response

21.1%

30.1%27.5%

4.9%3.0%

6.1%2.0% 1.4%

3.8%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

0-3 hr

s

4-6 hr

s

1-2 da

ys

3-4 da

ys

1-2 m

onths

Semes

ter

Acad.

Yr

Multipl

e yrs

No Ans

wer

Rating of potential problems in facilitating professional development. (1 = no problem, 5 = very problematic).

PRINCIPALS Score St. Dev. TEACHERS Score St. Dev. Time 3.97 1.30 Time 3.86 1.29Money 3.53 0.97 Money 3.73 1.31Distance 2.90 1.29 Distance 2.74 1.47Lack of Local Expertise 2.63 1.35 Teacher Apathy 2.74 1.35Teacher Apathy 2.57 0.97 Access to Providers 2.58 1.36Access to Providers 2.34 0.94 Lack of Local Expertise 2.55 1.79Web Connectivity 1.40 0.81 Web Connectivity 1.9 1.29

8

What are your top teacher professional development needs?

PRINCIPALS TEACHERS Standards Implementation 54.8%Standards Implementation 48.8%Curricular Alignment 51.6%Curricular Alignment 38.2%Classroom Assessment 29.0%Technology 30.4%Teachers' Instructional Skills 22.6%Special Ed./Inclusion 15.6%Technology 16.1%Teachers' Content Knowledge 15.4%Special Ed./Inclusion 12.9%Classroom Assessment 15.0%Teachers' Content Knowledge 6.5%Teachers' Instructional Skills 14.0%ELL/ESL/Bilingual 6.5%ELL/ESL/Bilingual 13.2%Classroom Management 0.0%Classroom Management 9.6%

Please indicate your level of agreement with each of the following statements. Principal Response Teacher Response

SA + A SD + D SA + A SD + D In this school/district, teachers' contracts, calendars, and daily schedules support professional development. 74.2% 19.4% 52.2% 29.6%In this school, data on student learning provide focus for professional development efforts. 71.0% 6.5% 47.1% 26.3%In this school, the evaluation of professional development consistently includes all of the following: data about knowledge gained by teachers, level of implementation, and changes in student learning. 35.5% 19.4% 19.5% 48.4%Professional development prepares teachers to be skillful users of educational research. 64.5% 3.2% 40.9% 31.6%In this school, teams of teachers and administrators methodically study research before adopting improvement strategies. 61.3%

12.9%

Professional development regularly offers opportunities to practice new skills and receive feedback on the performance of those skills. 67.7% 16.1% 28.9% 44.7%Through professional development, teachers have many opportunities to develop deep knowledge of their content. 67.7% 6.5% 38.0% 41.3%Professional development teaches classroom assessment skills that allow teachers to regularly and accurately monitor gains in student learning. 67.7% 9.7% 34.2% 38.3%

Teacher Only Responses Please indicate your level of agreement with each of the following statements. SA + A SD + DThe needs and preferences of teachers are taken into account in the professional development activities that are planned for my school. 55.2% 25.7%In my school, planning of professional development is done by a team of teachers and administrators. 47.7% 30.7%Professional development in my school is ongoing. 71.9% 14.2%

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Professional development in my school is job-embedded within the regular school day. 31.7% 44.0%Professional development in my school is viewed by teachers as essential for achieving the goals of the school/district. 44.4% 30.1%Professional development in my school results in changes in classroom practice for most participants. 42.0% 29.2%Professional development in my school results in a deeper understanding of subject matter for most participants. 53.0% 20.2%Professional development in my school organizes teachers into learning communities with common goals. 43.1% 28.1%Formal professional development activities have a big effect on my classroom teaching practices. 56.7% 21.9%Teachers in my school frequently engage in in-depth professional discussions about curriculum, instruction and assessment. 51.1% 29.7%Professional development activities in my building are facilitated with adequate follow-up support. 19.6% 50.8%I have examined the Idaho Achievement Standards for my grade level and/or subject matter 79.4% 8.0%The Idaho Achievement Standards have caused me to change how/what I teach. 50.8% 24.9%I have examined the Idaho Core Teacher Standards. 50.5% 25.1%The Idaho Core Teacher Standards have caused me to change how I teach. 24.3% 35.3% Do the teachers on your staff regularly have time during the school day to engage in professional development? Principal Response No Teacher Response

48.4%41.9%

6.5%3.2%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

Yes No Unknown No Response

Is the impact of teacher professional development on teachers’ classroom practice measured?

Principal Response Teacher Response

51.6%45.2%

3.2%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

Yes No No Response

21.0%

33.5%

42.5%

3.0%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

Yes No Unknow n No Answ er

Does teacher professional development inform the teacher evaluation process? Principal Response Teacher Response

29.0%22.6%

6.5%

41.9%

0.0%5.0%

10.0%15.0%20.0%25.0%30.0%35.0%40.0%45.0%

Yes No Unknown NoResponse

31.6%

17.7%

3.4%

47.3%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

Yes No Unknow n NoAnsw er

11

Disaggregated Data Analyses

In the following section, the data presented on the previous pages is disaggregated according to:

• Grade Level • Highest Degree Earned • Years of Teaching Experience

• Geography (Canyon/Ada counties v. rest of Idaho)

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Grade Level Analysis Grade Levels Taught

n=751

30.5%

8.7%20.9%

22.9%17.0%

0.0%10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%

PreK-3 Gr. 4-6 Gr. 7-8 Gr. 9-12 NoAnsw er

Factor p-value Data on student learning provide focus for PD planning 0.000 PD prepares teachers to be skillful users of data 0.000 PD results in changes in classroom practice 0.000 PD results in a deeper understanding of subject matter 0.000 Formal PD activities have a big effect on teachers’ teaching practices 0.000 PD teaches classroom assessment skills 0.000 Idaho Achievement Stds have caused teachers to change 0.000 PD is viewed by teachers as essential for achieving school goals 0.001 PD organizes teachers into learning communities 0.001 Through PD, I have opportunities to develop deep content knowledge. 0.002 Evaluation of PD is multifaceted. 0.002 Is PD part of teacher evaluation process? 0.005 Needs of Teachers taken into account in PD planning 0.007 Top PD Needs 0.009 PD regularly offers opportunities for practice and feedback 0.012 Is evidence gathered to document effect of PD? 0.017 PD is ongoing 0.026 Options you find most helpful when learning about new ideas. District/School In-service 0.000 Professional Association 0.006 Potential problems in facilitating PD Teacher Apathy 0.000 Distance 0.002 Lack of Local Expertise 0.033 In my school, data on student learning provide focus for professional development efforts. (p=0.000) Agreement with this statement declines significantly with increasing grade level. Professional development has prepared me to be a skillful user of educational research and relevant student data. (p=0.000) Approximately 50% of PreK-6 teachers agree with this statement, while the percentage drops to 41.4% for 7-8 teachers and 27.1% for 9-12 teachers.

13

Professional development in my school results in changes in classroom practice for most participants (p=0.000) Agreement with this statement declines significantly with increasing grade level. Professional development in my school results in a deeper understanding of subject matter for most participants. (p=0.000) Agreement with this statement declines significantly with increasing grade level.

Formal professional development activities have a big effect on my classroom teaching practices p=0.000 Agreement with this statement declines significantly with increasing grade level.

Professional development teaches classroom assessment skills that allow me to regularly and accurately monitor gains in student learning. (p=0.000) Agreement with this statement declines significantly with increasing grade level. The Idaho Achievement Standards have caused me to change how/what I teach. (p=0.000) Agreement with this statement declines significantly with increasing grade level. Professional development within my school is viewed by teachers as essential for achieving the goals of the school/district. (p=0.001) Approximately 54% of PreK-6 teachers agree with this statement, while the percentage drops to 39.8% for 7-8 teachers and 35.8% for 9-12 teachers. Professional development in my school organizes teachers into learning communities with common goals. (p=0.001) Agreement with this statement declines significantly with increasing grade level. Through professional development, I have many opportunities to develop deep knowledge of my content. (p=0.002) Approximately 45% of PreK-6 teachers agree with this statement, while the percentage drops to approximately 32% for 7-12 teachers. In my school, the evaluation of professional development consistently includes all of the following: data about knowledge gained by teachers, level of implementation, and changes in student learning. (p=0.002) Approximately 26% of PreK-6 teachers agree with this statement, while the percentage drops to 14.1% for 7-8 teachers and 15.3% for 9-12 teachers. Is your involvement in professional development a part of your teacher evaluation process? (p=0.005) Positive responses to this question were very low (PreK-3 1.2%, 4-6 3.2%, 7-8 4.7%, 9-12 2.6%). Negative responses were higher for secondary teachers than for elementary teachers (approximately 38% to 24%). The needs and preferences of teachers are taken into account in the professional development activities that are planned for my school (p=0.007) The majority of teachers agreed with this statement. 4-6 teachers had the highest level of agreement 66.9%, while 7-8 teachers had the lowest at 49.2%.

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Top Professional Development Needs (p=0.009) Professional development needs vary tremendously across grade levels PRE-K-3 4-6 Gr. 7-8 Gr. 9-12 Gr.Standards Implementation 22.7% 22.3% 22.7% 24.0%Curricular Alignment 19.8% 16.6% 21.9% 17.9%Special Education/Inclusion 15.1% 7.0% 4.7% 5.2%Technology 9.9% 17.8% 9.4% 17.9%ELL/ESL Bilingual 9.3% 6.4% 7.0% 3.9%Teacher's Content Knowledge 8.7% 7.6% 6.3% 11.8%Teacher's Instructional Skills 4.7% 5.1% 7.0% 6.1%Classroom Assessment 4.1% 7.0% 6.3% 3.1%Classroom Management 4.1% 5.7% 5.5% 6.1%No Answer 1.7% 4.5% 9.4% 3.9% 100.0%100.0%100.0% 100.0% Professional development regularly offers opportunities to practice new skills and receive feedback on the performance of those skills. (p=0.012) Approximately 34% of PreK-6 teachers agree with this statement, while the percentage drops to 21.1% for 7-8 teachers and 24.7% for 9-12 teachers. Is any evidence gathered to document that professional development actually affects classroom practice? (p=0.017) Positive responses to this question decrease significantly with increasing grade level. Professional development within my school is ongoing. (p=0.026) Although a majority of teachers agreed with this statement, agreement decreases significantly with increasing grade level. Options teachers find most helpful when learning about new ideas Although in most categories, teachers in different grade levels do not differ significantly, they do differ on

• District/School In-service – PreK-6 teachers rated in-service education more highly than 7-12 teachers. (p=0.000)

• Professional Association – 7-12 teachers rated professional associations more highly than PreK-6 teachers. (p=0.006)

Potential Problems for facilitating professional development Significant differences between teachers of different grade levels were observed in

• Teacher Apathy – 7-12 teachers think teacher apathy is more of a problem than do PreK-6 teachers. (p=0.000)

• Distance – Distance is perceived to be a bigger problem for teachers in grades 9-12 and 4-6. (p=0.002)

• Lack of Local Expertise – 7-12 teachers think lack of local expertise is more of a problem than do all other teachers. (p=0.033)

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Highest Degree Earned Analysis Highest Degree Earned

n=751

39.9%

2.1% 1.2%

53.9%

2.8%0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

BA/BS MA/MS Ed.Spec.

EdD/PhD NoAnsw er

Factor p-value Grade Levels Taught 0.007 PD has prepared me to be a skillful user of research and data. 0.007 Idaho Achievement Stds have caused me to change what/how I teach. 0.028 Options you find most helpful when learning about new ideas. Talking with other teachers 0.000 Journals/Magazines 0.000 Conferences 0.000 Potential problems in facilitating PD Teacher Apathy 0.003 Money 0.043 Time 0.046 Grade Level Taught (p=0.007) Teachers with advanced degrees are under represented in the elementary grades. Professional development has prepared me to be a skillful user of educational research and relevant student data. (p=0.007) Teachers with advanced degrees are more polar in their answers than BA/BS teachers, both agreeing and disagreeing more. The Idaho Achievement Standards have caused me to change how/what I teach. (p=0.028) Teachers with BA/BS degrees agree more with this statement than teachers with advanced degrees. Options teachers find most helpful when learning about new ideas Although in most categories, teachers across Idaho do not differ significantly, they do differ on

• Talking with other teachers – Teachers with advanced degrees value talking with other teachers more than BA/BA teachers. (p=0.000)

• Journals/Magazines – Teachers with only BA/BS degrees value journals/magazines more than teachers with advanced degrees. (p=0.000)

• Conferences – Teachers with only BA/BS degrees value conferences more than teachers with advanced degrees. (p=0.000)

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Potential Problems for facilitating professional development Significant differences between BA/BS teachers and teachers with advanced degrees were observed in

• Teacher Apathy – Teachers with advanced degrees think teacher apathy is more of a problem than do teachers with BA/BS degrees. (p=0.003)

• Money – Teachers with BA/BS degrees think money is more of a problem than do teachers with advanced degrees (p=0.043)

• Time – Teachers with advanced degrees think time is more of a problem than do teachers with BA/BS degrees (p=0.046)

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Years of Experience Analysis

Years of Teaching Experience n=751

14.2% 13.6% 13.2%18.9%

4.4%

17.7%18.0%

0.0%5.0%

10.0%15.0%20.0%

0-5 yr

s

6-10 y

rs

11-15

yrs

16-20

yrs

21-25

yrs

25+ y

rs

No Ans

wer

Factor p-valueTop PD Needs 0.009 Options you find most helpful when learning about new ideas. Teacher Observation 0.000 Conferences 0.005 Principal Evaluation 0.015 Talking to other teachers 0.017 University Classes 0.044 Top Professional Development Needs (p=0.009) Professional development needs vary tremendously across the career path of Idaho teachers. Please see attached graphs for interesting patterns according to years of experience. 0-5yrs 6-10 yrs 11-15 yr 16-20 yr >20yrs Standards Implementation 14.8% 26.2% 20.3% 25.5% 24.9%Curricular Alignment 14.8% 13.1% 24.8% 19.6% 20.3%Technology 10.4% 15.0% 11.3% 17.6% 18.7%Special Ed./Inclusion 10.4% 6.5% 9.0% 7.8% 7.5%Classroom Assessment 4.4% 3.7% 4.5% 3.9% 5.8%Teachers Content Knowledge 14.8% 11.2% 9.0% 5.9% 5.8%No Answer 4.4% 3.7% 4.5% 3.9% 5.0%ELL/ESL/Bilingual 5.9% 7.5% 8.3% 7.8% 4.1%Teachers' Instructional Skills 6.7% 10.3% 5.3% 3.9% 4.1%Classroom Management 13.3% 2.8% 3.0% 3.9% 3.7% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% Options teachers find most helpful when learning about new ideas Across the career of an Idaho teacher, preferences tend to shift when looking for new ideas. 0-5yrs 6-10 yrs 11-15 yr 16-20 yr >20yrsConferences 51.9% 69.2% 66.9% 60.8% 70.1%Talking with other teachers 80.7% 85.0% 73.7% 71.6% 70.1%University Classes 45.2% 45.8% 57.9% 55.9% 44.0%Teacher Observation 36.3% 30.8% 16.5% 14.7% 17.4%Principal Evaluation 9.6% 4.7% 3.0% 2.0% 2.9%

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Canyon/Ada County Analysis

Location of Teachers

n=751

57.0%

1.6% 1.7%

39.7%

0.0%10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%

Can/Ada Other College No Answer

Factor p-valuePD is part of Teacher Evaluation 0.000 PD Planning done by Team 0.000 Highest Degree Earned 0.001 Format of PD Activities 0.002 Community Contribution to PD 0.021 Presence of Written PD Plan 0.031 Data on Student Learning provide focus for PD 0.039 Options you find most helpful when learning about new ideas. Journals/Magazines 0.000 University Classes 0.002 Potential problems in facilitating professional development Access to Providers 0.000 Distance 0.000 Time 0.001 Lack of local expertise 0.002 Money 0.006 Is your involvement in professional development a part of your teacher evaluation process? (p=0.000) Professional development is incorporated into teacher evaluation more readily in Canyon and Ada Counties than elsewhere in Idaho, 65.4% to 35.0% respectively. In my school, planning of professional development is done by a team of teacher and administrators. (p=0.000) More Canyon/Ada county teachers agree to this statement than elsewhere in Idaho, 21.1% to 17.6% respectively. While more teachers elsewhere in Idaho disagree with the statement in those in Can/Ada counties, 37.4% to 21.5% respectively. Highest Degree Earned (p=0.001) Teachers in Canyon and Ada Counties have more graduate degrees than elsewhere in the state, 52.9% to 36.9% respectively.

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Format of Professional Development activities (p=0.002) The formats employed for professional development differ significantly between Canyon and Ada counties and the rest of the state.

Format other Can/AdaChoose 4.0% 3.0%Conference 6.1% 5.0%Lecture 11.7% 8.4%Teacher Networking interschool 7.0% 3.7%Teacher Networking intraschool 4.9% 9.7%University Class 12.9% 7.0%Workshop 53.5% 63.1% 100.0% 100.0%

Do members of the community contribute to decisions about teacher professional development? (p=0.021) While approximately the same percentage of teachers (37.4%other/39.3%Can/Ada) do not know if community members are involved, more teachers in Can/Ada report the involvement of community members (23.5% to 17.5% respectively). Does your school have a formalized, written professional development plan? p=0.031) More Can/Ada teachers report a formal, written professional development plan for their schools than other Idaho teachers, 45.3% to 37.6% respectively. More teachers outside Canyon and Ada Counties do not know if they have a plan than do Can/Ada teachers, 41.6% to 36.6% respectively. In my school, data on student learning provide focus for professional development efforts. (p=0.039) More teachers in Can/Ada counties agree or strongly agree that student data provides a focus for professional development than do other teachers in Idaho, 54.1% to 42.9% respectively. Options teachers find most helpful when learning about new ideas Although in most categories, teachers across Idaho do not differ significantly they do differ on

• Journals/Magazines – More Can/Ada teachers preferred them. (p=0.000) • University Classes – More out-state teachers preferred them. (p=0.002)

Potential Problems for facilitating professional development Significant differences between Can/Ada teachers and other teachers in Idaho were observed in

• Access to Providers – More of a problem for out-state teachers (p=0.000) • Distance – More of a problem for out-state teachers (p=0.000) • Time – More of a problem for Can/Ada teachers (p=0.001) • Lack of Local Expertise – More of a problem for out-state teachers (p=0.002) • Money – More of a problem for out-state teachers (p=0.006)