Changing Roles

New methods and new laws mean new roles for educators.

School systems that want to significantly change existing practices and cultures must develop comprehensive professional development programs to introduce and support their efforts. A considerable amount of professional development in the early stages lays the foundation for building capacity within the organization to sustain changes. Continued opportunities--three or more throughout the year, offered by state or local education agencies--promote consistency across programs and foster shared accountability for the success of change efforts, including shared responsibility for positive outcomes for all students.

Parents, too, should be offered opportunities to learn about changes to help maximize the achievement of all students, including students with disabilities.

Further, continuing job-embedded professional development opportunities may address specific components or practices that are essential to the success of the effort. In supporting efforts to implement a responsiveness to intervention model, for example, specific practices might include the following:

  • Collaborative decision making (for example, professional learning communities)
  • Effective use of data, including data gathered through progress monitoring, in making instructional decisions
  • Collaborative delivery of instruction/interventions
  • Research-based instructional practices, including supporting materials and tools
  • What constitutes "interventions" versus "accommodations and modifications"
  • Prescriptive and varied assessment techniques
  • Progress monitoring techniques
  • Parent engagement strategies

To meet the needs of all participants, including parents, continuing learning opportunities may take a variety of forms, including workshops, guided practice, seminars, statewide conferences, distance learning, videoconferences, or online courses.