284.6 Teacher professional development.

1. The department shall coordinate a statewide network of professional development for Iowa teachers. A school district or professional development provider that offers a professional development program in accordance with section 256.9, subsection 42, shall demonstrate that the program contains the following:

a. Support that meets the professional development needs of individual teachers and is aligned with the Iowa teaching standards.

b. Research-based instructional strategies aligned with the school district’s student achievement needs and the long-range improvement goals established by the district.

c. Instructional improvement components including student achievement data, analysis, theory, classroom demonstration and practice, technology integration, observation, reflection, and peer coaching.

d. An evaluation component that documents the improvement in instructional practice and the effect on student learning.

2. The department shall identify models of professional development practices that produce evidence of the link between teacher training and improved student learning.

3. A school district shall incorporate a district professional development plan into the district’s comprehensive school improvement plan submitted to the department in accordance with section 256.7, subsection 21. The district professional development plan shall include a description of the means by which the school district will provide access to all teachers in the district to professional development programs or offerings that meet the requirements of subsection 1. The plan shall align all professional development with the school district’s long-range student learning goals and the Iowa teaching standards. The plan shall indicate the school district’s approved professional development provider or providers.

4. In cooperation with the teacher’s evaluator, the career teacher employed by a school district shall develop an individual teacher professional development plan. The evaluator shall consult with the teacher’s supervisor on the development of the individual teacher professional development plan. The purpose of the plan is to promote individual and group professional development. The individual plan shall be based, at minimum, on the needs of the teacher, the Iowa teaching standards, and the student achievement goals of the attendance center and the school district as outlined in the comprehensive school improvement plan. The individual plan shall include goals for the individual which are beyond those required under the attendance center professional development plan developed pursuant to subsection 7.

5. The teacher’s evaluator shall annually meet with the teacher to review progress in meeting the goals in the teacher’s individual plan. The teacher shall present to the evaluator evidence of progress. The purpose of the meeting shall be to review the teacher’s progress in meeting professional development goals in the plan and to review collaborative work with other staff on student achievement goals and to modify as necessary the teacher’s individual plan to reflect the individual teacher’s and the school district’s needs and the individual’s progress in meeting the goals in the plan. The teacher’s supervisor and the evaluator shall review, modify, or accept modifications made to the teacher’s individual plan.

6. School districts, a consortium of school districts, area education agencies, higher education institutions, and other public or private entities including professional associations may be approved by the state board to provide teacher professional development. The professional development program or offering shall, at minimum, meet the requirements of subsection 1. The state board shall adopt rules for the approval of professional development providers and standards for the district development plan.

7. Each attendance center shall develop an attendance center professional development plan. The purpose of the plan is to promote group professional development. The attendance center plan shall be based, at a minimum, on the needs of the teachers, the Iowa teaching standards, district professional development plans, and the student achievement goals of the attendance center and the school district as set forth in the comprehensive school improvement plan.

8. For each year in which a school district receives funds calculated and paid to school districts for professional development pursuant to section 257.10, subsection 10, or section 257.37A, subsection 2, the school district shall create quality professional development opportunities. Not less than thirty-six hours in the school calendar, held outside of the minimum school day, shall be set aside during nonpreparation time or designated professional development time to allow practitioners to collaborate with each other to deliver educational programs and assess student learning, or to engage in peer review pursuant to section 284.8, subsection 1. The funds may be used to implement the professional development provisions of the teacher career paths and leadership roles specified in section 284.15, including but not limited to providing professional development to teachers, including additional salaries for time beyond the normal negotiated agreement; activities and pay to support a beginning teacher mentoring and induction program that meets the requirements of section 284.5; pay for substitute teachers, professional development materials, speakers, and professional development content; textbooks and curriculum materials used for classroom purposes if such textbooks and curriculum materials include professional development; administering assessments pursuant to section 256.7, subsection 21, paragraph “b”, subparagraphs (1) and (2), if such assessments include professional development; and costs associated with implementing the individual professional development plans. The use of the funds shall be balanced between school district, attendance center, and individual professional development plans, making every reasonable effort to provide equal access to all teachers.

9. Moneys received pursuant to section 257.10, subsection 10, or section 257.37A, subsection 2, shall be maintained as a separate listing within a school district’s or area education agency’s budget for funds received and expenditures made pursuant to this subsection. The department shall not require a school district or area education agency to allocate a specific amount or percentage of moneys received pursuant to section 257.10, subsection 10, or section 257.37A, subsection 2, for professional development related to implementation of the core curriculum under section 256.7, subsection 26. A school district shall certify to the department how the school district allocated the funds and that moneys received under this subsection were used to supplement, not supplant, the professional development opportunities the school district would otherwise make available. For budget years beginning on or after July 1, 2017, all or a portion of the moneys received pursuant to section 257.10, subsection 10, that remain unexpended and unobligated at the end of a fiscal year may, pursuant to section 257.10, subsection 10, paragraph “d”, be transferred for deposit in the school district’s flexibility account established under section 298A.2, subsection 2.

10. If funds are allocated for purposes of professional development pursuant to section 284.13, subsection 1, paragraph “c”, the department shall, in collaboration with the area education agencies, establish teacher development academies for school-based teams of teachers and instructional leaders. Each academy shall include an institute and shall provide follow-up training and coaching.

2001 Acts, ch 161, §7; 2002 Acts, ch 1152, §14; 2003 Acts, ch 180, §42; 2006 Acts, ch 1182, §13, 14; 2007 Acts, ch 108, §20 – 23; 2009 Acts, ch 177, §36; 2011 Acts, ch 34, §74; 2012 Acts, ch 1119, §5; 2013 Acts, ch 121, §63, 74; 2017 Acts, ch 153, §1 - 3; 2017 Acts, ch 154, §5; 2017 Acts, ch 172, §35; 2018 Acts, ch 1026, §102

Referred to in §256.7, 256C.3, 284.13

2017 amendment to subsections 8 and 9 by 2017 Acts, ch 153, §1, takes effect May 11, 2017, and applies to school budget years beginning on or after July 1, 2017; 2017 Acts, ch 153, §2, 3

Subsection 9 amended