Under the No Child Left Behind Act, paraprofessionals must be certified as highly qualified. To meet the standard, they need a high school diploma as well as a two-year associate's degree, or two years of college credit, or a passing score on a state or local assessment that demonstrates knowledge of and ability to assist in teaching reading,…

School districts and a college of education in Omaha, Nebraska, collaborate to reallocate existing resources for a teacher induction program that boosts the quality of teaching by both novice and experienced teachers and enhances job satisfaction. The program improves teacher quality by providing new teachers with mentors, continuing their…

Texas has responded to its teacher shortage with a program for support and renewal. Its new teacher induction pilot is based on a set of performance standards that define expectations for beginning teachers. The pilot provides a support team of mentors, principals, and teacher educators that helps new teachers collect data and assess their skills…

Improving school leadership quality must start with leadership standards. The Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) developed standards for use in all school leadership positions. This paper describes: how to use the standards for principals' professional development; how to ensure quality preservice administrator preparation; how…

Describes a California project which encourages educators to follow best practices for staff development and school improvement. The project helps them evaluate their staff-development plans by examining five essential questions about staff development and its connections to student success, professional climate, standards, and assessment. The…

National Staff Development Council (NSDC) standards guide the development of new staff-development programs in Maryland, and they have provided the framework that guides Maryland's teacher-training efforts. This article offers details on the NSDC standards and discusses how Maryland is making use of them. (SM)

Syracuse University models effective adult learning and professional development practices in its leadership program for K-12 educators. Its newly redesigned graduate program helps break down longstanding barriers between teacher and administrator preparation, emphasizing core functions of schools (teaching and learning). This paper examines key…

The St. Louis Educational Leadership Institute, a partnership between St. Louis University, local public schools, and a charitable foundation, is designed to develop future urban school leaders. The four-year program includes seminars, a problems course, an internship, advisement sessions, and portfolio exhibition. This paper describes the…

Describes an innovative collaboration between a Texas University and several school districts which partners veteran and novice teachers in a professional growth opportunity. Certified beginning teachers receive a fellowship stipend and tuition to get a master's degree, partner with full-time mentor teachers, and perfect their teaching skills.…

Staff developers used data-gathering tools to help one high school community deal with decision making for improving programs, organizational climate, and student learning. The school/university collaboration involved collecting data about how the organization and the people within it worked, then using the data to change the organization. (SM)

This article explores how Asians foster community and nourish spirit in staff development settings, discussing the role of rituals in learning communities, contrasting Asian approaches with North American approaches, and arguing for including rituals in staff development for a more balanced sharing of learning across cultures. (SM)

New ways of thinking about leadership require that leaders move their big desks and establish environments that encourage trust and open communication. Educational leaders must trust their colleagues to make wise choices. When teachers are treated democratically as leaders, classrooms will also become democratic learning organizations. (SM)

"Technology in the Curriculum: A Telecourse for K-12 Educators" was a graduate course emphasizing the integration of technology in the K-12 curriculum. This collaborative effort between a university and school districts required no campus visits by participants. The article describes experiences with the course, offering insights into distance…

Explores various tools that presenters utilize to set the stage for their presentations and enhance audience retention, focusing on similarities to successful theatrical presentations. The four tools include setting the stage prior to the program, using the set effectively, selecting and placing props carefully, and considering oneself the…

Describes how a task force of parents, teacher educators, and community agency and public school personnel were supported in the inclusion process through a one-year Institute on Inclusion. The paper examines this adult development effort, noting that surveys of participants indicated that effective development increased their comfort level with…