[Federal Register: June 14, 1996 (Volume 61, Number 116)]
[Notices]
[Page 30449-30454]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
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Part VII
Department of Education
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National Awards Program for Model Professional Development; Notice
Inviting Applications for Awards
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
National Awards Program for Model Professional Development;
Notice Inviting Applications for Awards
Purpose of Program: The National Awards Program will recognize a
variety of schools and school districts with model professional
development activities in the pre-K through twelfth grade levels that
have led to increased student achievement.
Eligible Applicants: All local educational agencies and public and
private schools are eligible to apply.
Supplementary Information: Schools and school districts throughout
the Nation are undertaking efforts to raise academic standards and to
improve the academic achievement of all students. For these efforts to
be successful, it has become clear that they must include strategies
for permitting teachers (and other school and local educational agency
(LEA) staff) to obtain the skills and knowledge they need to enable all
students to achieve. Indeed, whatever the school reform initiative,
teachers are the core. However, teachers need access to new knowledge
and skills to enable them to continue to teach to higher standards and
to respond to the challenges facing education today.
Realizing that high-quality professional development must be at the
core of any effort to achieve educational excellence, the Secretary in
1994 directed a broadly representative team within the U.S. Department
of Education to examine the best available research and exemplary
practices related to professional development, and work with the field
to develop a set of basic principles of high-quality professional
development. Out of this national effort came the Department's
Statement of Mission and Principles of Professional Development. This
statement reflected both extensive collaboration with a wide range of
education constituents and review of public comment received on a draft
Statement of Mission and Principles of Professional Development
published in the Federal Register on December 9, 1994 (59 FR 63773).
The Department issued the final Statement of Mission and Principles
(Attachment A) in 1995 after review of public comment and reexamination
of the best available research on exemplary practices. This statement
is grounded in the practical wisdom of leading educators across the
country about the kind of professional development that, if
implemented, maintained, and supported, will have a positive and
lasting effect on teaching and learning in America.
The Statement of Mission and Principles of Professional Development
represents a framework for guiding school and school district staff as
they design and implement their professional development activities.
Many of the same national education organizations that worked with the
Department to develop the Mission and Principles of Professional
Development now have sought the Department's help this year in
identifying and recognizing those professional development efforts
across the pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade spectrum that reflect
the Mission and Principles. Given the efforts of schools and school
districts throughout the Nation to pursue school reform initiatives,
the Secretary agrees with these organizations that there is an urgent
need to identify sites whose professional development activities can be
models for other schools and districts that are working to enhance
their own professional development activities.
Therefore, the Secretary announces a National Awards Program that,
by January 1, 1997, will recognize up to ten schools and school
districts throughout the Nation whose professional development
activities are aligned with the Statement of Mission and Principles of
Professional Development, and have led to improved student learning. As
explained in the application material contained in Appendix B,
successful applicants will be schools and school districts that: (1)
Demonstrate that their professional development activities are fully
aligned with the Mission and Principles of Professional Development and
(2) demonstrate how, consistent with the Mission and Principles, their
professional development activities benefit all affected students, and
have led to improved student learning and improved teacher
effectiveness. The application itself is very simple.
After an initial screening, the Department will use outside panels
of experts to evaluate the quality of the application against the basic
elements noted above, and conduct site visits of the highest-ranked
applicants. The Secretary intends to recognize those schools and school
districts with the very best professional development practices at a
national ceremony in Washington, DC. Successful applicants also will
receive other forms of recognition including a privately-funded
monetary award that the Department anticipates will be no less than
$5,000 per recipient. Recipients will be able to use these funds to
support their professional development activities and make them known
to others.
In announcing this program, the Department is helping to implement
a decision made by these national organizations that a first national
awards program for professional development extend only to schools and
LEAs throughout the Nation that offer pre-K through twelfth grade
education. While the Department will help to coordinate the program,
non-Departmental experts will select the schools or districts to be
recognized. Moreover, the monetary recognition awards that recipients
will receive will be provided from private funds specifically made
available for a recognition program focusing on professional
development activities in the pre-K through twelfth grade spectrum.
However, if the awards program continues in future years, the Secretary
intends to work with the national education organizations and others in
an attempt to include in the awards program professional development
activities conducted in other areas such as adult or postsecondary
education.
Finally, the National Awards Program depends upon the availability
of sufficient funds to support a peer review and site visit process.
The Department expects to have adequate funds to support this process,
as needed, for applicants from schools and LEAs in States (including
schools located on Indian reservations), the District of Columbia, and
Puerto Rico. However, in the case of applicants from schools or LEAs in
the insular areas, it is not known whether sufficient funds will be
available to pay the costs of the peer review and on-site visits that
are preconditions to national recognition.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 15, 1996.
Estimated Range of Awards: No less than $5,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 10.
For Applications or Information Contact: To obtain a copy of the
application, call or write Margaret O'Keefe, Office of the Secretary,
U.S. Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington,
DC 20202-0100. (Telephone: (202) 401 1078; For information on the
program, contact Terry Dozier, Special Advisor on Teaching, Office of
the Secretary, U.S. Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue,
SW., Washington, DC 20202-0100. The FAX number for obtaining further
information or requesting the application packages is (202) 401-0596.
Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may
call the Federal Information
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Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.,
Eastern time, Monday through Friday.
Information about the Department's funding opportunities, including
copies of application notices for discretionary grant competitions, can
be viewed on the Department's electronic bulletin board (ED Board),
telephone (202) 260-9950; on the Internet Gopher Service at
GOPHER.ED.GOV (under Announcements, Bulletins,, and Press Releases) or
on the World Wide Web (at http://www.ed.gov/money.html). However, the
official application notice for a discretionary grant competition is
the notice published in the Federal Register.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e-3.
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: Not applicable)
Dated: June 10, 1996.
Richard W. Riley,
Secretary of Education.
Appendix A--Mission and Principles of Professional Development; U.S.
Department of Education--Professional Development Team
July 5, 1995.
Professional development plays an essential role in successful
education reform. Professional development serves as the bridge
between where prospective and experienced educators are now and
where they will need to be to meet the new challenges of guiding all
students in achieving to higher standards of learning and
development.
High-quality professional development as envisioned here refers
to rigorous and relevant content, strategies, and organizational
supports that ensure the preparation and career-long development of
teachers and others whose competence, expectations and actions
influence the teaching and learning environment. Both pre- and in-
service professional development require partnerships among schools,
higher education institutions and other appropriate entities to
promote inclusive learning communities of everyone who impacts
students and their learning. Those within and outside schools need
to work together to bring to bear the ideas, commitment and other
resources that will be necessary to address important and complex
educational issues in a variety of settings and for a diverse
student body.
Equitable access for all educators to such professional
development opportunities is imperative. Moreover, professional
development works best when it is part of a systemwide effort to
improve and integrate the recruitment, selection, preparation,
initial licensing, induction, ongoing development and support, and
advanced certification of educators.
High-quality professional development should incorporate all of
the principles stated below. Adequately addressing each of these
principles is necessary for a full realization of the potential of
individuals, school communities and institutions to improve and
excel.
The mission of professional development is to prepare and
support educators to help all students achieve to high standards of
learning and development.
Professional Development--
* Focuses on teachers as central to student learning, yet
includes all other members of the school community;
* Focuses on individual, collegial, and organizational
improvement;
* Respects and nurtures the intellectual and leadership
capacity of teachers, principals, and others in the school
community;
* Reflects best available research and practice in
teaching, learning, and leadership;
* Enables teachers to develop further expertise in
subject content, teaching strategies, uses of technologies, and
other essential elements in teaching to high standards;
* Promotes continuous inquiry and improvement embedded in
the daily life of schools;
* Is planned collaboratively by those who will
participate in and facilitate that development;
* Requires substantial time and other resources;
* Is driven by a coherent long-term plan;
* Is evaluated ultimately on the basis of its impact on
teacher effectiveness and student learning; and this assessment
guides subsequent professional development efforts.
Appendix B--Application Instructions
Overview
As part of the continuing effort to honor excellence in
education, the National Awards Program for Model Professional
Development will identify and disseminate information about high-
quality professional development efforts which provide evidence of
improved student learning and increased teacher effectiveness. Since
the focus of this competition is on development programs for
teachers and other educators in pre-K-12 settings, only individual
schools (public or private) or school districts may apply. However,
partnerships with other entities, especially higher education
institutions, are encouraged. Recognition in this awards program is
based on how well applicants address criteria in three areas: (1)
Evidence of success; (2) program quality; and (3) usefulness to
others. Subsequent recognition may focus on higher education and
other education personnel.
Questions
Our goal is to identify a wide variety of pre-K-12 professional
development efforts that are aligned with the attached U.S.
Department of Education Mission and Principles of Professional
Development. Because the purpose of the Mission and Principles is to
promote excellence in teaching and learning, the most important
criterion for eligibility is evidence of improved student learning
and increased teacher effectiveness. Consistent with the Mission and
Principles, those schools and districts have professional growth as
an integral part of school culture, address the needs of ALL
students, and have professional development practices that ensure
equity by being accessible to all educators and free of bias.
Responses to all of the following four questions should be
limited to a total of 2500 words, as opposed to 2500 words per
question.
While we are not accepting attachments to this first round of
the evaluation process, we do ask that, where appropriate, you
describe the type of evidence you have on your program's
effectiveness. If your school or district makes the semifinals you
will be asked to provide documentation of this evidence. This may
include such things as schedules, student and teacher portfolios,
assessment data, videos, and audio tapes, internal and external
communications, and other documents. This evidence will be necessary
information to help evaluators understand the depth and scope of
your program.
Completed applications must be received no later than July 15,
1996.
Note: The criteria section that follows these questions may help
you structure and focus your responses.
(1) Describe the extent to which the Mission and Principles are
reflected in your approach to professional development. Although it
is not necessary to address each Principle separately, you must
explain how you are working to fulfill all of the Principles.
(2) Portray the direct and ongoing connection between your
professional development practice and improved student learning.
(3) Discuss evidence of how professional development efforts
have improved teaching effectiveness and student learning.
(4) Describe any plans to strengthen and/or expand your
professional development efforts and why you believe others might
want to consider adopting/adapting them.
Criteria
Your response will be reviewed for how well your professional
development activities are aligned with the Mission and Principles
of Professional Development. While reviewers will use their best
professional judgment, we anticipate that they also will use the
following kinds of criteria and emphases as a guide to help them
assess the quality of responses. You do not have to address each
criterion separately, but you should be sure to include sufficient
information throughout your responses for reviewers to make
judgments about such basic factors as evidence of success, quality
of the professional development activities, and usefulness to
others.
Evidence of Success--50 Points
--Indicators are provided that the school or district's students are
progressing toward or achieving at high standards of learning.
--Based on a range of assessments, the professional development
program is shown to be connected directly to enhanced teaching
effectiveness and student learning.
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Related Questions
Portray the direct and ongoing connection between your
professional development practice and improved student learning.
Submit evidence of how teaching practice has become more
effective and student learning has improved.
Quality of the Program--30 Points
--The extent to which the school or district's professional
development is aligned with the Mission and Principles of
Professional Development.
Related Question
Describe the extent to which the Mission and Principles are
reflected in your approach to professional development. Although it
is not necessary to address each Principle separately, you must
explain how you are working to fulfill all of the Principles.
Usefulness to Others--20 Points
--The program's content, strategies and supports can be adopted or
adapted by other schools and districts working to improve their
professional development practices.
--Resources are reasonable in light of expected benefits and in
comparison with other professional development alternatives.
Related Question*
Describe any plans to strengthen and/or expand your professional
development efforts and why you believe others might want to
consider adopting/adapting them.
* Please note that your overall application and program
description also will be used for evaluating this criterion.
Review Process
An initial reading of applications will be done by the
Professional Development Team and other knowledgeable staff of the
U.S. Department of Education representing diverse expertise and
perspectives related to professional development and education
reform. This first reading will eliminate applications which do not
respond to or minimally meet the criteria. The next stage of review
will include broad outside representation of expert practitioners
and policymakers. Each application will have multiple readers and
will be ranked according to how well it does when judged against an
evaluation framework based on the criteria and Principles. Up to
twenty semifinalists will be chosen through this process, which may
include telephone interviews with project contacts to discuss and
clarify information. Site visits will be conducted to collect
additional data on the semifinalist. This data will be used in
selecting up to ten schools or districts for recognition.
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are
required to respond to a collection of information unless it
displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number
for this information collection is 1880-0534. It expires in June of
1999. The time required to complete this information collection is
estimated to average 20 hours per response, including the time to
review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data
needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you
have comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimates or
suggestions for improving the form, please write to: U.S. Department
of Education, Washington, DC 20202-4651. If you have any comments or
concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this
form, write directly to: Terry Dozier, Special Advisor on Teaching,
Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department, 600 Independence Avenue,
SW., Washington, DC 20202-0100.
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
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Submit your application to Terry Dozier, Special Advisor on
Teaching, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Education, 600
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202. The completed
application must be received no later than July 15, 1996.
[FR Doc. 96-15129 Filed 6-13-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-C