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Article 14 – Professional Learning

Article 14 – Professional Learning

14.01 – Planning: The District and the Association agree that a highly skilled workforce is needed to ensure each student reaches their highest potential. Regular professional learning is an important part of building and maintaining a successful workforce. Planning of professional learning will focus on an assessment of employee and workforce needs, the availability of resources, and will be based on the following:

  1. Legal Compliance: In accordance with Florida Statute 1012.98, the District must develop and submit a Master In-service Plan (MIP) annually to the Florida Department of Education (FL DOE). Professional learning must be job related, aligned with the District’s requirements for workforce learning and succession planning, and support the maintenance of required certifications and licensure.
  2. Student Need: Professional learning will work with Academic Services to develop a plan that supports District requirements based upon trends in student data, trends in employee performance evaluations, and other feedback provided as part of the participatory decision-making process.
  3. Employee Need: Professional Learning will conduct an annual survey of employee interests related to professional learning . Weekly advertisements of professional learning opportunities will be sent to all District employees via District email.

14.02 - Learning: Professional learning will be designed based upon research into best practices and will rely upon evidence-based approaches to instruction, in accordance with the Florida Professional Learning Standards and the District’s MIP. Multiple instructional formats and methods will be utilized to differentiate instruction based upon the unique needs of individual learners.

  1. Organizational Onboarding: Professional learning will be provided to all new employees in the form of a Welcome Aboard training and New Employee Orientation (NEO). Accomplished Professional Practices for the Lee County Education System (APPLES) training will be offered to all newly hired instructional staff, however instructional staff with verified work experience will have the opportunity to waive this requirement, with approval from their site-based administrator, upon the completion of required APPLES professional learning courses.
  2. Mandatory Training and Safety Requirements: All employees are required to complete annual training related to protection of the health, safety, and welfare of students and staff. Additional mandatory training may be required based upon a stated need by Professional Learning or administrator recommendation.
  3. Instructional Support: School and district-based administrators will collaborate to provide professional learning that serves as a support for the instruction of students. Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) may be utilized to support instructional effectiveness.
  4. Promotion and Advancement: Professional learning will be utilized to support employees interested in promotion and advancement or in the realization of other professional or career related goals in a K-12 educational setting.
  5. Outside Professional Learning : The District recognizes the widespread availability of professional learning opportunities offered by organizations outside of the District and will honor its commitment to support education professionals as life-long learners. Employees may submit a request for in-service credit for professional learning completed within the current fiscal year. Professional Learning will assess the recency and relevance of outside professional learning to assure alignment with District standards before approving or denying requests.

14.03 - Implementing: Professional learning will be focused on the delivery of job embedded training opportunities, including mentoring and other flexible training opportunities, and will be responsive to student and employee needs.

  1. School or site-based Support: Professional Learning will aid in the identification of a School or Site-based In-service Representative (SIR) and an APPLES administrator to guide and support the implementation of professional development. Mentors will be required to complete a clinical educator training program or equivalent course work to ensure that they are prepared to support other employees.
  2. Coursework: Professional learning identified as part of the District’s MIP will include online and on-demand options to support remote work and distance learning. Courses that require in person attendance of participation may be required, but virtual training opportunities will be provided whenever possible.
  3. Scheduling: Professional learning will be scheduled based upon employee input and will seek to reduce the need for disruptions to the educational environment, including limiting the need for employee absence during instructional hours and the need for employees to attend to professional learning outside of regularly scheduled work hours. Professional learning may be scheduled for the summer break, Thanksgiving break, winter break, or spring break. Professional learning may be scheduled for afternoons, evenings, or weekends. Professional development may be scheduled during the pre-school week and on designated early dismissal days as established by the District Calendar Committee. Professional learning may be scheduled during PLCs, if requested by the employee members of the PLC.

14.04 - Evaluating: Professional Learning will utilize pre-course and post course assessments to measure the effectiveness of professional learning . Employees may be required to complete a post-course evaluation survey in order to ensure adequate employee feedback. Cyber security measures, including but not limited to electronic sign-in and passkeys, may be utilized to ensure the integrity of professional learning  systems.

  1. Records: In-service records will be maintained and will be available to employees and their immediate supervisors for review. Professional Learning will routinely audit courses and records to assess course content, the availability of professional learning opportunities, and course completion data.