Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Professional Development School?

A Professional Development School (PDS) is a collaboratively planned and implemented partnership for the academic and clinical preparation of interns and the continuous professional development of both school system and institution of higher education (IHE) faculty. The focus of the PDS partnership is improved student performance through research-based teaching and learning. A PDS may involve a single or multiple schools, school systems and IHEs and may take many forms to reflect specific partnership activities and approaches to improving both teacher education and PreK-12 schools.

The Redesign of Teacher Education, which was formally adopted by MHEC in May 1995 and endorsed by the State Board of Education in June 1995, has guided reform efforts in teacher education throughout the state of Maryland. The Redesign emphasizes a systemic approach to improving teaching and learning in schools through a solid teacher preparation program grounded in a foundation of content knowledge and pedagogy. In the Redesign, the teacher preparation program is viewed in the broader context of school improvement and is expected to enhance the education of all children. One of the recommendations of the Redesign includes a sustained, intensive internship within a professional development school (PDS) that exemplifies diversity among students under the guidance of mentor classroom teachers and IHE faculty.

How does the experience of training to become a teacher in a Professional Development School differ from a traditional teacher education program?

A PDS intern is a student in a teacher preparation program who participates as part of a cohort (typically 5 or more) in an extensive internship in a PDS. Interns completing a PDS experience spend a minimum of 100 days over two consecutive semesters engaged in the school community learning to teach.

Compared to traditional student teachers, PDS interns are provided more exposure to the full range of teacher duties (e.g., classroom setup, committee meetings, faculty meetings, parent conferences, etc.), becoming more comfortable with full teaching responsibilities and more knowledgeable about the school, the PreK-12 students and faculty, and the instructional program.

What are the benefits to interns who receive their training in a PDS?

Literature shows that the leadership skills and instructional effectiveness of PDS interns exceeds those of student teachers trained in a traditional teacher preparation program (Reinhartz & Stetson, 1999). PDS interns feel more confident in their knowledge and skill as professionals and subsequently experience less "culture shock" when they become practicing teachers, feel better equipped to instruct ethnically and linguistically diverse students, and have lower attrition rates during the first few years of teaching (Abdal-Haqq, 1998).

What are the benefits to inservice staff members who are involved in a PDS?

Participation in the PDS affords pre-service mentors, as well as other staff members, opportunities to participate in on-site courses, workshops, inquiry/action research groups, conferences, and other professional development activities.

What criteria determine whether a school and an institute of higher education partnership is an authentic PDS?

The Standards for Maryland Professional Development Schools were designed to identify the distinguishing characteristics of PDS and to support the development of quality PDSs. The five standards represent important attributes of PDSs. Each is described within the context of four state components of the Redesign: teacher preparation, continuing professional development, research and inquiry, and student achievement. Developmental guidelines have been created to assist partnerships in determining their level of development within their partnerships: beginning, developing, and at standard. Members of the partnership must reflect on the practices of the partnership to determine where they are meeting the standards on a developmental continuum.

How can my school become a PDS?

The conversations that precede the commitment to site selection for PDS development are perhaps the most critical elements to the possibility of success at every level for the partnership. Conversations with local school system (LSS) leadership, with school administrators, with college and university faculty, and with the individual school faculties must occur to determine the appropriateness of a potential PDS partnership. Relationship building is critical to such a development. An atmosphere, which promotes this blend of missions, goals and objectives, expected outcomes, shared responsibilities and accountabilities, is needed to create a productive partnership. Individual schools need to determine who the coordinator of professional development schools is in their LSS and typically begin conversations there.

How can a small school become a PDS?

Small schools who may not accommodate a large number of interns may be paired or matched with other schools to become a multiple site PDS. Link to Guidelines for a Multiple-Site Professional Development Schools (PDS)

What is a multiple site PDS?

A multiple-site PDS involves more than one school. A multiple-site PDS might also be referred to as a cluster or a network. It reflects all of the attributes of a single site PDS, with the expectation that the characteristics of a PDS are present as undergirding for the partnership of the IHE, the local school system(s), and the participating schools. School and higher education faculty and administrators are committed to the PDS partnership.
The Maryland Professional Development School Network has developed suggested guidelines for establishment of a multiple-site PDS. Link to Guidelines for a Multiple-Site Professional Development Schools (PDS)