Educator Effectiveness

Guidelines for Reviewing, Approving, and Endorsing Individual Professional Development Plans

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Developing Individual Professional Development Plans

Educators are required to develop Individual Professional Development Plans that are consistent with the educational needs of the school and/or district and enhance their ability to improve student learning. School districts must provide the following material to all employees who hold a professional license prior to the development or the biannual review of an Individual Professional Development Plan:

  1. A copy of the district's annual Professional Development Plan.
  2. A copy of the District Improvement Plan or relevant School Improvement Plan.
  3. A copy of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Recertification Guidelines for Massachusetts Educators.

Districts may choose to suggest the following process to educators as Individual Professional Development Plans are developed and reviewed:

  1. Review a copy of the district's annual Professional Development Plan.
  2. Review a copy of the relevant School Improvement Plan.
  3. Review the required PDPs for the professional license(s).
  4. Create a set of individual professional development goals that are designed to enhance student learning and are consistent with district and school improvement goals. These goals may be based on the educator's own evaluation of her strengths and weaknesses, evaluations from supervisors and/or peers, planned career advancement activities, and her professional judgement.
  5. Collaborate with colleagues to choose available professional development activities that will help meet the goals identified in the individual plan. The individual plan represents a 5-year cycle; educators may add appropriate professional development activities as they become available during the 5-year cycle.
  6. Draft the individual professional development plan and share it with the supervisor for her review and approval.
  7. Complete the professional development activities and keep records.
  8. Revisit the Individual Professional Development Plan with a designated supervisor on biannual basis to review goals and amend the Plan as necessary.

Last Updated: June 8, 2020

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