Chapter 7: Professional Development and Staffing

AESD is also committed to three instructional areas of focus:

• During instruction, teachers explicitly teach the language that students need to engage in academic discourse about content through multiple and frequent opportunities to discuss and collaborate using complete sentences and academic language to develop their understanding.
• During mathematics instruction, teachers provide frequent and ample opportunities for teachers and students to demonstrate the standards for mathematical practice.
• Throughout the school day, all staff will teach and model social emotional competencies to build and sustain relationships supportive of physically and emotionally safe and caring communities providing positive multi-tiered systems of support ensuring access, inclusion, and equity for all school community members.

Professional Development

Steps to Success

Anaheim Elementary School District believes that professional development is effective when you have a clear vision, provide professional development, ensure support, and monitor the professional development through accountability measures. Training that is delivered to teachers of English learners follows this pathway.

Vision

The first step in creating meaningful and sustainable change for optimal student achievement is developing a clear vision. The vision is created collaboratively, and it directly aligns research based practices with desired student outcomes. Communication of the vision occurs to all stakeholders using multiple means of communication on a regular basis. The vision focuses and synergizes people, resources, and efforts towards a common goal. A plan based on the vision is created that includes sharing and communicating the vision, delivering professional development, providing support, and ensuring accountability.

Professional Development

All stakeholders involved receive training on the research behind the vision and all relevant aspects of its implementation.  All trainings are followed up with job-embedded coaching support.

Support

A successful plan for implementation recognizes that change is an ongoing process. Support is provided to all stakeholders involved. Some examples of support include coaching, collaboration, dialogue, observing others implementing the vision, or further professional development.

Accountability

A plan for accountability ensures that students have equal access to a guaranteed and viable curriculum aligned with the research based vision. The accountability also ensures that further support is provided where the vision has not been fully implemented. Some examples of accountability include formal and informal classroom observations, school site visits, and data analysis. The district monitors the implementation of professional development supporting English learners and modifies the program as indicated by data.  If the professional development produces expected outcomes that result in increased student achievement, a plan is developed to ensure sustainability. 

Goals and Objectives 

The Educational Services Department will ensure that all professional development addresses one or more of the principles of the EL Roadmap: 

1. Principle One: Assets-Oriented and Needs Responsive Schools
2. Principle Two: Intellectual Quality of Instruction and Meaningful Access
3. Principle Three: System Conditions that Support Effectiveness
4. Principle Four: Alignment and Articulation Within and Across Systems

The Educational Services Department will use the seven keys to managing effective district-wide English learner professional development programs: 

5. Convey respect
6. Develop systems
7. Use consistent images
8. Conduct appropriate trainings
9. Plan, organize, and calendar
10. Monitor
11. Create a collaborative culture

This will be accomplished by: 

• Organizing adults into learning communities whose goals are to increase the achievement of English learners (Professional Learning Communities) 
• Requiring and supporting skillful school and district leaders who guide continuous instructional improvement (School Leadership) 
• Requiring resources to support adult learning and collaboration around the needs of our English learners (Resources) 
• Using disaggregated student data and multiple sources of information to determine adult learning priorities, monitor student progress, and help guide and sustain continuous improvement (Evaluation and Data-Driven Improvement) 
• Preparing educators to use effective learning strategies and apply research-based decision making to their profession (Research-Based) 
• Preparing educators to understand and value English learners (and other students with particular needs), create safe, orderly and supportive learning environments, and hold high expectations for academic achievement (Educational Equity) 
• Deepening educators’ content knowledge, providing them with research-based instructional strategies to assist students in meeting rigorous academic standards, and preparing educators to use various types of classroom assessments appropriately (Rigorous and Quality Education) 
• Providing educators with the knowledge and skills to involve families and other stakeholders in the academic achievement of English learners (Family/Community Involvement)

Professional Development of Master Plan Components 

A carefully planned professional development process will be used to introduce the Master Plan for English learners to district and site staff. This professional development will emphasize key features of the plan and procedures to be adopted by all sites. This training will be given to all district and site administrators. The district supports professional development sessions at each site for faculty and staff. Site instructional leaders will implement these in collaboration with the Department of Educational Services. 

Educational Services provides training on the Master Plan for English Learners for all site staff members who have responsibility for implementing the plan. This will ensure that there will be a widespread understanding of the contents of the Master Plan for English Learners and commitment to faithful and high quality implementation. 

Professional Development related to the Master Plan for English learners will focus on the following components: 

Administrators and Site Staff Personnel

• Review of content in Master Plan for English learners 
• Identify critical responsibilities for implementation of the Master Plan for English learners 
• Collaboratively develop a plan for implementation of the Master Plan for English learners 
• The plan will identify goals, objectives, resources needed, barriers, solutions to barriers, alignment to district/site goals, and evidence of implementation 
• Administrators to facilitate site trainings and ongoing support. 

Professional Development to Support Instruction and Student Learning 

Educational Services in partnership with site administrators and staff will develop an ongoing professional development plan that addresses the implementation of the Master Plan for English learners as well as offers trainings and collaborative opportunities that focus on instruction and student learning related to our English learners’ needs.  The professional development plan is reviewed annually at both a district and site level.  

Collaborative opportunities and training efforts related to English learners will focus on the following components: 

Instructional Skills:

• Primary language instruction 
• Primary language support 
• Primary language transference
• Frontloading language and background
• Integrated ELD
• Sentence frames 
• Student engagement 
• Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE) strategies 
• Differentiation of instruction for English learners 
• Frequent opportunities for oral language rehearsal and academic discourse
• Designated English Language Development 
• Research-Based Lesson Design 
• English Language Development (ELD) Standards 
• Content standards 
• Analysis of language production

Collaboration Leadership Skills: 

• Cycle of Inquiry: data analysis and evaluation 
• Operating as professional learning communities 
• Instructional coaching and support 
• Academic conferencing 
• Response to intervention 
• Data chats 

Cultural Proficiency 

• Relationship building 
• School climate and culture 
• Inclusive environment 
• Culturally relevant curriculum 
• Culturally responsive instruction 
• Parent engagement and outreach 

Monitoring of Professional Development and Support 

The site principal, Director of Curriculum & Instruction and Coordinator for EL Instruction will monitor teacher professional development related to English learner support to ensure that all staff members working with English learners receive relevant professional development.

Staffing and Teacher Credentials

The district ensures that teaching personnel whose assignment includes English learners hold appropriate certification to provide necessary instructional services to English learners. All newly hired or currently employed teachers must hold the CLAD (Cross-Cultural Language Academic Development), ELA (English learners Authorization), BCLAD (Bilingual Cross-Cultural Language Academic Development), BASP (Bilingual Authorization Spanish) BASP (Bilingual Authorization Spanish) The Bilingual Authorization Spanish (BASP) is another name for BCLAD (Bilingual, Cross-Cultural, Language and Academic Development).  This authorization training process prepares teachers to meet the needs of English learners in all instructional settings, including bilingual programs in the state of California.  Teachers in the Dual Language Immersion program all have either a BCLAD or a BASP. , or equivalent teaching certification.  All teachers who teach in the Dual Language Immersion program must be appropriately authorized with the BCLAD/BASP or the equivalent. Whenever open teaching positions require BCLAD/BASP certification, the District’s Human Resources staff actively recruits and hires teachers who are fully certified to fill such positions. The district will not hire any teacher that is not English learner authorized.

Teacher Credentialing

Annually, the district assesses the need, supply and shortage of qualified teachers and incorporates this information into staffing actions. Where shortages exist, the district establishes timelines to recruit, hire, and train a sufficient number of qualified teachers.

Alternative Bilingual Programs Staffing 

Primary language programs will be staffed with teachers who hold any of the following bilingual authorizations:

• BCLAD (Bilingual Cross-Cultural Language Academic Development)
• BASP (Bilingual Authorization Spanish)
• Bilingual Certificate of Competence (BCC)
• Bilingual Cross-Cultural Specialist Credential
• Multiple or Single Subject Credential with either a Bilingual Cross-Cultural emphasis or BCLAD or BASP emphasis

English Language Development (ELD) Staffing 

English Language Development (ELD) is taught by certificated teachers who have been trained in the best methodology for the teaching of English learners. Authorizations for the teaching of ELD include:

• Supplementary Authorization in English as a Second Language (ESL) or introductory ESL
• Language Development Specialist (LDS) Certificate
• Cross-cultural, Language and Academic Development (CLAD) Cross-cultural, Language and Academic Development (CLAD) A state credential or certificate which authorizes a teacher to instruct students using ELD and SDAIE. Certificate
• ELA (English learners Authorization)
• Multiple Subject Credential with a CLAD/ELA Emphasis
• Bilingual Certificate of Competence (BCC)
• Bilingual Cross-cultural, Language and Academic Development (BCLAD) Bilingual Cross-cultural, Language and Academic Development (BCLAD) A credential or certificate which authorizes a teacher to provide ELD, SDAIE and primary language instruction.   The Bilingual Authorization Spanish (BASP) is another name for BCLAD (Bilingual, Cross-Cultural, Language and Academic Development).  Teachers in the Dual Language Immersion program all have either a BCLAD or a BASP. Certificate
• BASP (Bilingual Authorization Spanish)
• Multiple Subject Credential with either a Bilingual Cross-cultural Emphasis or a BCLAD/BASP Emphasis
• Bilingual Cross-cultural Specialist Credential
• Hughes (SB 1969) Certificate of Completion, for ELD or ELD/SDAIE
• Any teacher who is currently documented as being in training for English learner certification

Hiring Priorities and Procedures

All teachers hired by AESD shall have CLAD/ELA or equivalent certification.  The Human Resources Department oversees the interview and hiring process. The District’s collective bargaining agreements are adhered to in making all staffing decisions.

Requirements for Teachers on Interim Assignment Providing English Language Development (ELD), Primary Language, and SDAIE Instruction:

Where there is a need for teachers on an interim assignment longer than 30 days (20 days for Special Ed) priority is given to those teachers who meet the same criteria as teachers seeking appropriate credential authorizations.

Recruitment and Staffing for Teachers of English Learners

When AESD determines the number of new teaching positions estimated to be available during the next school year, job announcements may be sent to:

• Ed-Join Database
• College/university educational placement centers with teacher training programs. The following departments may be contacted: Teacher Education, Chicano/Latino and Asian Studies, Bilingual Education Studies, and the offices of the California Mini-Corps and Teacher Internships
• Educational organizations including those associated with language minority students (directory from California Department of Education)
• County offices of education
• District Web site

Job announcements will indicate when AESD is particularly seeking bilingual certified teachers, if appropriate.

When the need exists, announcements of openings and recruitments may also be placed through:

• California Association of Bilingual Education (CABE), National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE), and California Association of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (CATESOL) Newsletter
• National Education Association and California Teachers Association (NEA/CTA) publications 
• Foreign language newspapers in metropolitan areas
• Bilingual media (radio, television, publications)

The district may send representatives to local colleges and universities to participate in Career Day and recruitment activities. The district will provide information concerning district needs for bilingual teachers and employment opportunities. 

Paraprofessionals

As the need arises, AESD will vigorously recruit, train and support bilingual paraprofessionals from different language groups. Recruitment may be encouraged through the following dissemination of job announcements:

• Educational placement centers of private, CSU, UC, and surrounding community college or ROP campuses with teacher training programs
• County Offices of Education
• Local school sites
• Ed-Join Database
• District Web site