Butler County Educational Service Center

Local Professional Development Committee

PHILOSOPHY AND PURPOSE

PHILOSOPHY:  Ohio’s vision for transforming professional development is driven by one core belief:  Teacher quality is central to Ohio’s mission to ensure all students reach high levels of academic achievement.  To this end, the Butler County Educational Service Center Local Professional Development Committee will

            a)  Promote alignment of professional growth with district continuous improvement plans

            b)  Emphasize increased student learning and achievement as a professional

                 development priority

            c)  Guide the development of Individual Professional Development Plans and High

                 Quality Teacher Professional Development Plans.

            d)  Support the inquiry into and study of teaching and learning

            e)  Encourage application of learning gained through professional development rather

                 than merely attendance, time spent, and completion of required work.

PURPOSE:  The purpose of the Butler County Educational Service Center Local Professional Development Committee is to oversee, review and assess coursework and other professional development activities for

            a)  certificate and licensure renewal.

            b)  Individual Professional Development Plans.

            c)  High Quality Teacher Professional Development Plans.

Introduction

      In 1996, the Ohio General Assembly passed Senate Bill 230, requiring every Ohio school district to establish a Local Professional Development Committee (LPDC), and have that committee in place by September 1, 1998. The information contained in this document will help guide you through the steps and procedures for changing from certification to licensure, writing and maintaining your Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP), and renewing your subsequent license(s) as established by the BCESC Local Professional Developmental Committee (LPDC).

      This program has been designed to allow individuals greater flexibility in selecting the type of professional development activities that are meaningful to them. Where the old system recognized only formal course work or workshops by Continuing Education Units (CEUs), the new structure will allow a range of professional development activities, many of which more closely relate to the daily work and professional needs or goals of the educator.

       Through this Licensure process each educator will develop an Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP).  A time-line has been established for an educator to complete his/her IPDP and receive LPDC approval for Licensure.  Each professional development plan is characterized by its individual relevance, authenticity, and potential to enhance professional growth and effectiveness.  IPDPs must be approved in advance by the LPDC and must relate to Butler County Educational Service Center or associated agency/district goals, and the professional growth of the individual.

       In summary, the LPDC will provide an opportunity for increased flexibility, more meaningful professional development, and local decision-making. Through the LPDC, professional development can become a strategic and powerful tool for continuous improvement.

CERTIFICATE/LICENSURE PROCESSING POLICY

CERTIFICATE UPGRADE:      Educators were permitted to upgrade a 4-year provisional certificate until September 2, 2002.  A professional certificate could be upgraded to a permanent certificate until September 1, 2003.  The LPDC had no jurisdiction over certificate upgrades.  Upgrades should be handled through the office of the Superintendent and the State Department of Education.  (A Resource Guide for Establishing Local Professional Development Committees)

CERTIFICATE RENEWAL:      Based on the new law, staff members who held provisional (4-year) certificates were eligible to renew one time prior to September 2, 2002, by meeting the 1987 standards.  Likewise, educators holding a professional (8-year) certificate may renew that certificate one time prior to September 6, 2006, by meeting the 1987 Standards. 

            The establishment of LPDCs change the process for this renewal, but it does not change the requirements specified in the 1987 Standards for this one time renewal.  When reviewing educators’ request for renewal under the 1987 Standards, the LPDC must evaluate according to the requirements in the 1987 Teacher Education and Certification Standards.  It is the responsibility of the LPDC to determine that:

             - Course work has been completed at a college or university approved by

             the Ohio Board of Regents to grant the baccalaureate degree or the

             equivalent if completed out of state.

            - CEUs completed prior to July 1, 1998, are Ohio Department of Education

             approved.

            - Professional development activities participated in after July 1, 1998,

             meet the requirements established by the LPDC.

            - All course work, CEUs, and other professional development activities are

             completed after the latest issue date of the certificate to be renewed.

The requirement for renewal of an 8-year professional certificate are:  Completion of twelve (12) semester hours of college course work which shall be at the graduate level of individuals with certification requiring a master’s degree, or completion of thirty-six (36) Continuing Education Units (CEUs) since the issuance of the latest renewal.  The requirements may be reduced by one semester hour or three CEUs for each year of successful experience under the certificate to be renewed.  (A Resource Guide for establishing Local Professional Development Committees)

TRANSITION FROM CERTIFICATION TO LICENSURE:      After an educator has exercised their grace renewal under the 1987 Standards, they must begin to work with the LPDC to develop an approved Individual Professional Development Plan.  Persons with 8 year professional certificates will have eight years to submit a plan, gain LPDC approval, and complete the requirements to transition to a five-year professional license: (A Resource Guide for Establishing Local Professional Development Committees, page 23)

             ¬  Six semester hours of college course work, or 18 CEUs

            ¬  Course work and CEUs, with one semester hour equaling three CEUs

            ¬  Course work and professional development requirements may not be reduced by the

               number of years of work experience.

            ¬  Other professional development activities may be counted toward the renewal

               requirements if approved by the LPDC and converted to CEUs.

Certified staff members may elect to pursue Licensure immediately and forego any renewal and/or upgrade options.

            If a staff member holds more than one certificate, the first certificate renewed begins the Licensure process.   All certificates held by the individual may be transitioned at this time OR may be transitioned and added to the new license as that certificate expires.

NEW LICENSURE AREA:      Addition of any licensure area(s) should be handled through the office of the Superintendent and the State Department of Education.   Once a new licensure is obtained, the individual must amend their IPDP to reflect this change.

LICENSE RENEWAL:      Once a 5-year license has been issued, the educator will formally develop an IPDP.   The educator has five years to earn the eighteen (18) BCEUs required for the renewal of that license.  BCEUs earned must be consistent with the IPDP (Individualized Professional Development Plan) written by the individual.  The LPDC verifies the information, which becomes part of the individual’s renewal application. The Human Resource Department and LPDC committee assist employees in the renewal process.

HIGH QUALITY TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN

            Educators choosing to attain High Quality Teacher requirements by developing a 90 hour professional development plan will do so in writing to the LPDC.   The LPDC will determine if the individual professional development plan includes appropriate professional development activities, consistent with the highly qualified teacher definition and the definition of high quality professional development.

            The individual will have an individual professional development plan approved by the local professional development committee that includes a plan to complete, by 2006, at least ninety (90) clock hours of high quality professional development (as defined by No Child Left Behind, Section 9101) well distributed over the following areas:  grade appropriate academic subject matter knowledge, teaching skills, and state academic content standards.

            AND, upon completion of the 90 clock hours submit documentation to the Local Professional Development Committee that includes a description of the content of the activities, the contact hours, and documentation of attainment of learning by the teacher.

            AND, the individual will convert to a five year professional license by 2006.

(3/4/2004, “NCLB Requirements for Highly Qualified Teachers”, ODE memo)

DEFINITION OF HIGH QUALITY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

            There are seven guiding principles the describe quality professional development.  Each principle highlights an important component or characteristic of quality professional development.  However, all seven principles are interdependent.

            Each principle can be viewed through two different perspectives – that of individual educators who are seeking professional development that is meaningful and productive and that of the people and organizations whose role it is to support the professional growth of educators.

 The seven guiding principles are:

1.  Results-Oriented:  Quality professional development increases the capacity of educators to improve student achievement.

2.  Individualized:  Quality professional development addresses educators’ varied experiences and learning needs.

3.  Job-Embedded:  Quality professional development is relevant to and embedded in each educator’s principal work.

4.  Collaborative:  Quality professional development creates communities of educators that support continuous inquiry, collaboration, and growth.

5.  Research-Based:  Quality professional development applies knowledge from learning theory and research, as well as lessons from sound educational practice.

6.  Data-Driven:  Quality professional development is based on student data, aligned with district and building goals, and focused on a specific set of targeted improvements in student learning.

7.  Systemic:  Quality professional development is a process that occurs over time with system support for acquiring new skills and incorporating them into practice.

Thinking carefully about each of these principles is likely to lead to some important conclusions:

­  First, the primary responsibility for an educator’s professional development lies with the educator. 

­  Second, quality professional development will change the work, the roles, and the relationships that exist in schools.

­  Third, quality professional development will require new levels and types of support from the educational system.

Butler County Educational Service Center

BOARD RESOLUTION

February 16, 2002

WHEREAS, Ohio Revised Code 3319.22 mandates that each board of education shall establish a local professional development committee; and

WHEREAS, each local professional development committee will determine whether course work that a district teacher proposes to complete meets the educator license standards promulgated by the State Board of Education; and

WHEREAS, the Educational Service Center and the Butler County Board of Mental Retardation & Developmental Disabilities have engaged in a collaborative local professional development committee previously; and

WHEREAS, the Governing Board of the Educational Service Center has a new bargaining unit representing the Head Start staff, including certified teachers; and

WHEREAS, the Educational Service Center employ certificated personnel unique in nature to the employees of the Board of MR/DD; and

WHEREAS, the ESC staff will benefit professionally by having an LPDC exclusive of partner agencies;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Governing Board of the Butler County Educational Service Center that the local professional development committee shall be reorganized and established pursuant to O.R.C. 3319.22.

Butler County Educational Service Center

Local Professional Development Committee

BY LAWS

Section I 

The LPDC shall have an agency level scope.

Section II

The LPDC shall consist of five (5) members with two (2) administrative employees designated by the Superintendent; and three (3) teacher employees, selected by a majority vote of Bachelor Degree certified teachers, or in accordance with any relevant collective bargaining agreement provisions.

Section III 

LPDC members will serve for a two-year term provided the member remains employed by the Governing Board.  Initial membership will be staggered with one (1) teacher member and one (1) administrative member serving a one (1) year term.

Section IV 

The Superintendent shall appoint replacements to fill any vacancies that occur in the LPDC, except in the case of a vacancy among the teaching members, which shall be filled by a vote of remaining members of the LPDC.

Section V 

Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration date of the predecessor’s term shall hold office on the LPDC for the remainder of that term.

Section VI

The initial meeting of the LPDC, upon election and appointment of all committee members, shall be called by the Superintendent.  At this initial meeting, the committee shall select a chairperson and such other officers that the committee deems necessary, and shall adopt rules for the conduct of its meetings.  Thereafter, the committee shall meet at the call of the chairperson or upon the filing of a petition with the Superintendent, signed by the majority of the committee members calling for the committee to meet.  All meetings shall take place at the convenience of committee members and release time may be granted.

Section VII

The committee will promulgate bylaws, procedures and policies to be recommended for adoption by the Governing Board.

Section VIII 

Minutes shall be kept at each meeting.

Also see LPDC Committee Responsibilities and Processes

BCESC MISSION, GOALS, AND STATEMENT OF VALUES

These goals are in effect for IPDPs written since April 2003.

MISSION

 The Butler County Educational Service Center provides exemplary services to improve learning so that children can lead successful lives.

BUTLER COUNTY ESC STRATEGIC GOALS

            1.  Define, refine, develop, and market key products and service niches.

            2.  Build organizational capacity.

            3.  Assure financial stability.

STATEMENT OF VALUES

The Butler County Educational Service Center is a child-centered, responsive, empathetic organization that is dedicated to collaborative, mission-driven problem solving that adds excellent value with integrity.

 Our Values are Defined:

Child-centered – Being child-centered includes valuing children, promoting healthy development of children, reducing barriers to serving children, and assuring that children have a strong foundation that is healthful, protected, and safe.

Collaborative – Being collaborative includes cooperation, synergy and a heightened involvement.

Dedicated/Mission Driven – Being dedicated and mission-driven includes commitment, fortitude, consistency, focus, resilience, intensity, drive, and a proactive, positive attitude.

Efficient – Being efficient includes financial stability, competitiveness with other agencies, and good stewardship of tax dollars through cost effectiveness.

Empathetic – Being empathetic includes showing compassion, being attentive and nurturing to others, and supporting educators.

Excellent – Being excellent includes competence, credibility, quality, leadership, comprehensiveness, and a dedication to proven practices.

Integrity – Having integrity includes maintaining honesty, loyalty, respect, and trustworthiness.

Problem-solving – Being problem-solving includes continuous learning, continuous improvement, objectivity, creativity, innovation, and resourcefulness.

Responsive – Being responsive includes adaptability, flexibility, accountability, timeliness, customer orientation, and entrepreneurship.

Value-adding – Being value-adding includes providing perspective and people that impact the community in a valuable way.

BCESC MISSION AND GOALS STATEMENT

These goals are in effect for IPDPs written prior to April 2003

Possible Use for 8 year renewals to 2011

Mission

To provide leadership and support services for the benefit of children in our county school districts and comprehensive child development programs for young children and their families.

BUTLER COUNTY ESC GOALS

 As a result of the significant transition from a historical county school board to an Educational Service Center, we will:

             1.  Be providers of service, support, and special programs to both local districts

                  and other “client” schools;

             2.  Act as a fiscal agency for many agencies, activities, and special grants, so that they

                 have a platform from which to work;

             3.  Bring together individuals from diverse backgrounds to accomplish broad projects.

             4.  Target educational support for the youngest and most disadvantaged children

                  of the county.

             5.  Be a major resource in the effort to break down isolation and increase collaboration

                 in Butler County and

             6.  Be a catalyst and/or a focal point for local and county-wide initiatives consistent

                 with our educational mission.

HEAD START PROGRAM GOALS

1.  To continue the development of language and literacy experiences for Head Start children and

     families.

2.  To address early identification of children with learning difficulties and/or mental health

     concerns.

3.  To work collaboratively with the education team to measure child progress in the classroom.

4.  To improve the quality of early childhood education.

5.  To promote professional development of staff and their achievement of an associate,    

     baccalaureate or advanced degree in the field of early childhood education.

6.  To increase access to affordable dental health care for Head Start families.

7.  To assist Head Start families in obtaining health insurance.

8.  To assist Head Start families in obtaining quality health care.

9.  To assist families with the facilitation of the ESC preschool special education units in

     partnership with Middletown City Schools. MR/DD, the Butler County Educational Service

     Center and the Head Start Program.

10. To continue the development and expansion of university partnerships to support the

      achievement of higher education standards for Head Start staff.

11. To increase community awareness of the Butler County Educational Service Center Head

      Start Program.

12. To document services provided to transitional children and families.

13. To improve delivery of services by enhancing the availability of technology.

14. To create a system of reporting and accountability of child/family status.

15. To update the employee database.

16. To effectively monitor recruitment and enrollment and eligibility of social services provided

      for families that meet TANF guidelines.

17. To establish mutually respectful partnerships with families to enhance the quality of their

      lives and their communities.

18. To respect and respond competently to the culture, traditions, lifestyle, language, and values

      of each family and community.

19. To promote parents’ roles in the education of their child.

20. To increase involvement of Head Start parents in the Head Start program.

21. To develop expanded childcare options which are responsive to the needs of Head Start

      eligible families.

22. To develop marketing materials/strategies to reach all eligible families, including

      non-English speaking families.

23. To create awareness of transportation services available to Head Start families.

24. To improve transportation services to Head Start children.