ICHABOD CRANE 9700
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND STAFF DEVELOPMENT
The Board of Education believes that staff training and learning help ensure the success of educational programs and improve the efficiency of the district. Therefore, the district will provide learning opportunities to staff to increase their effectiveness and job performance. The Superintendent of Schools is responsible for implementing and administering staff learning programs for the district’s employees.
Administrators
All administrators in the school district not otherwise covered by this policy will receive appropriate training and professional development in accordance with law, regulation or any applicable collective bargaining agreement. The Superintendent will be responsible for providing such training and development.
Teachers and Leaders
All teachers and leaders (i.e., holders of school building leader, school district leader, and school district business leader certificates) will be provided with opportunities for professional growth directly related to student learning in accordance with any applicable collective bargaining agreement and the district’s Professional Learning Plan. Level III teaching assistants and long-term substitute teachers (employed for more than 40 days in a school year) will have the opportunity to participate in the district’s professional learning program.
The district’s Professional Learning Plan, which may be a multi-year plan, will include all items required by the Commissioner’s regulations, including but not limited to the following:
- A needs analysis, goals, objectives, strategies, activities and evaluation standards for professional learning in the district and a description of how the district will provide all teachers and leaders substantial professional learning activities directly related to student learning needs identified in school report cards and other sources.
- A description of how the district provides teachers and leaders with opportunities directly related to student learning outcomes identified in the district’s report card and other sources, and a description of how professional learning in educator practice and curriculum development are culturally responsive and reflect the needs of the community.
- A description of how the professional learning provided will align with New York standards and assessments, student needs, including linguistic, cultural diversity, and special needs, and will include culturally appropriate and responsive practices. Activities must be articulated across grade levels and subject areas and show how they will be provided and measured in a continuous manner.
- A description of how it will provide teachers, leaders, and Level III teaching assistants with opportunities to maintain their certificate in good standing by successfully completing 100 hours of professional learning every five years.
- A mentoring program to provide support for new teachers and leaders in order to ease the transition from teacher and leader preparation to practice, thereby increasing retention of teachers and leaders in the public schools, and to increase the skills of new teachers and leaders in order to improve student achievement.
- Unless granted an exemption by the Commissioner of Education, a description of how the district will provide professional learning to teachers, leaders, and Level III teaching assistants to address the needs of English Language Learners.
The Board will establish a Professional Learning Team to review and revise the district’s Professional Learning Plan annually. The Board will appoint members to the team at the Organizational Meeting.
The Professional Learning Team will meet on or before October 1 of the year preceding the school year for which the plan will be adopted. The Superintendent or designee will serve as the chair of the team and will be responsible for ensuring the timely review and revision of the district’s Professional Learning Plan.
The Professional Learning Team will submit any recommended revisions to the Professional Learning Plan to the Board by April 1. The Board will consider the recommendations at its first regular meeting thereafter. The Board may accept or reject the recommendations of the team in whole or in part. The Board may also request any additional information or data needed to evaluate the success of the program in achieving its objectives.
Any further changes in the plan must be submitted to the Board by June 1. The Board will consider and act on the revised plan by June 30th. The Board reserves the right to make changes to the revised plan.
Other Professional Staff and Support Staff
The district will provide staff development activities for other professional staff and support staff within the financial constraints of the district budget and in accordance with applicable collective bargaining agreements.
Other Staff Development Opportunities
The Board recognizes that many staff development opportunities are provided through non-school district sources. Within budgetary restraints, district employees may attend conferences, workshops, study councils, in-service courses, summer study grants, school visitations, and other relevant staff development opportunities.
Released time and reimbursement for such activities will be available upon approval of the Superintendent and in accordance with applicable collective bargaining agreements. The Superintendent may establish regulations pursuant to this policy to establish the circumstances under which such released time and reimbursement may be available. Staff members who attend such activities will be required to prepare a report or summary of the activity attended.
Cross-ref: 9420, Staff Evaluation
Ref: Education Law §§3006-a (required hours); 3604(8) (Superintendent conference days)
8 NYCRR §§80-6.3 (required hours); 100.2(o)(2)(iii)(b)(5) (required training on conducting staff evaluations); 100.2(dd) (Professional Learning Plans); 154-2.3(k) (professional learning related to the needs of English Language Learners)
Effective Date: November 4, 2025