The Role of a Science Partnership in the Development of Building-Based Professional Learning Communities
From a pool of 137 buildings in the partnership that participated in three years of Partnership provided professional development, 98 submitted successful applications to participate in a one-week Professional Learning Community planning session during the summer. An additional 10 schools were unable to participate in the summer, but are working within the Partnership to develop and sustain Professional Learning Communities. We have not yet explored the specific reasons for building non-participation. The Professional Learning Community workshop plans were uniformly high quality. They made effective use of both the STEM faculty to participate in both science content immersions and Content Specific Pedagogy sessions, and the tools for maintaining a strong focus on instruction, assessment, and collaboration. The workshops were extremely well received by the participating teachers (and administrators) as judged by surveys, observations, and continued Professional Learning Community activities during the fall. As evidenced in the activity logs and symposia surveys, most Teacher Leaders are effectively facilitating the Professional Learning Communities with the support of their building principal and the Teacher on Special Assignment. The symposia have been well attended and contribute to maintaining the Professional Learning Communities. Case studies will not be available until Spring 2008. Impact on student achievement will not be available until the results of the 2008 state assessment is available in fall 2008.
