BUILDING NEW JERSEYS TEACHER QUALITY SYSTEM FOR ALL TEACHERS

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BUILDING NEW JERSEYS TEACHER QUALITY SYSTEM FOR
ALL TEACHERS

• CTQ STRATEGIES FOR CHANGE

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Key Reform Initiatives Serve As Foundation of CTQ
Work

• Student learning standards established
• Beginning of standards-based licensure reform
• Commissioner focus on teacher quality
• Federal push State Plan for Highly Qualified
  Teachers of NCLB
• Teachers union at the table new Standards Board

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Strategy One Make Performance-Based Standards
Basis of Teacher Quality System

• Teacher standards developed by PTSB
• Consultation with INTASC
• Standards aligned to INTASC Standards with
  addressing knowledge, dispositions and
  performances needed for teaching students with
  disabilities

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Strategy Two Restructure Teacher Preparation
Programs to Align with New Code

• New Professional Licensure and Standards code
  adopted aligning requirements to NCLB
• Revised requirements for instructional
  certificates
• Revised requirements for special education
  endorsements

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Strategy Two Restructure Teacher Preparation
Programs to Align with New Code

• New certificate created Teacher of Students with
  Disabilities
• Requires academic major
• Must hold certificate in grade level/content area
  for what they will teach
• Restructuring of special education preparation
  programs to align with new code requirements

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Grant Funds Supplement IHE Program Restructuring
Efforts

• NJOSEP entered into cooperative grant agreements
  with 18 IHEs offering special education teacher
  preparation programs
• Funds helped IHEs restructure their programs to
  integrate
• a content major
• standards based pedagogy aligned to the
  professional teacher standards
• subject specific special education pedagogy

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Grant Funds Supplement IHE Program Restructuring
Efforts

• Funds used to redesign/expand learning
  opportunities that prepare all teachers to
  educate students with disabilities in the general
  education curriculum and in inclusive settings
• 14 colleges/universities design new alternate
  route programs leading to Teacher of Students
  with Disabilities endorsement

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Strategy Three Improve Induction of
General/Special Education Teachers

• Toolkit designed through taskforce with NSDC
  supporting research-based strategies for key
  personnel working with new teachers
• New toolkit for special educators planned -
  based on CTQ input

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Strategy Three Improve Induction of
General/Special Education Teachers

• New Jersey examining new state teacher assessment
  possibilities for professional growth of novice
  teachers/licensure
• New Jersey examining strategies for smoother
  transition from preservice to district induction
  for novice teachers

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Supporting Novice Teachers in Special Education

• Addressing issue of special education teacher
  attrition in first 5 years in high staff mobility
  districts by providing additional training and
  support beyond district-sponsored induction and
  mentoring activities

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Supporting Novice Teachers in Special Education

• Four Learning Resource Centers, our special
  education professional development training
  network, provide novice special education
  teachers with a professional development series

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Supporting Novice Teachers in Special Education

• Topics included
• Differentiated Instruction
• Developing and Implementing Meaningful IEPs
• Strategies for Supporting Instruction across the
  Content Areas
• Another series planned for 07-08

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Strategy Four Improve Preparation, Recruitment,
and Retention of Special Education Teachers

• NJOSEP awarded grant from Personnel Center
• Taskforce of key stakeholders convened to provide
  recommendations to NJDOE on improvement of
  special education teacher continuum

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Strategy Four Improve Preparation, Recruitment,
and Retention of Special Education Teachers

• Additional internet recruitment services provided
  to high needs districts
• Personnel diversity recruitment training provided
  to high needs districts
• Data system for tracking special education
  teachers along continuum being developed

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Data System Knowing What Works in Recruitment
and Retention of Special Education Teachers

• Promote increased awareness of needs for special
  educators by location and districts
• Provide employment/retention data
• Integrate data across systems of DOE data
  collection

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Data System Knowing What Works in Recruitment
and Retention of Special Education Teachers

• Compliments existing NJHIRE, automated state DOE
  recruitment online system
• Compliments new teacher working conditions survey
  being developed by NJDOE

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Strategy Five Improve Quality and
Accountability of Teacher Preparation Programs

• Taskforce appointed for program approval
  revision examine standards- based approach
• Accreditation requirement in place since 2003

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Strategy Five Improve Quality and
Accountability of Teacher Preparation Programs

• Taskforce recommendation for content specific
  standards as foundation of program approval
• Peer review of program approval
• Use of national subject area association
  standards aligned to New Jersey Student Standards

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Strategy Six Improve Alternate Routes to
Teaching

• Major study of New Jersey alternate route
  release June 2007 examined programs based on
  criteria related to New Jersey Teacher Standards
• Taskforce on alternate route review evaluate
  findings and recommend changes and program
  approval process for alternate route Fall 2007

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Strategy Six Improve Alternate Routes to
Teaching

• Preliminary findings suggest need to strengthen
  induction experience
• New alternate routes to special education in 14
  locations across state

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Strategy Seven Statewide Restructuring of
Professional Development

• Move to school-based professional development
  with elections via union
• Partnership with key professional associations to
  promote job embedded learning

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Strategy Seven Statewide Restructuring of
Professional Development

• Promotion of PLCs through statewide training
• PLC Toolkit with NSDC
• Specialized professional development for special
  educators offered regionally

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New Jersey Education Association

• Professional development staff for past five
  years
• Assist in the dissemination of information to
  New Jersey educators
• Serve as a resource in determining state,
  district, and school professional development
  needs
• Provide and/or broker professional development
  opportunities
• Provide seed money for specific programs offered
  through local affiliates sponsoring professional
  development programs

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New Jersey Education Association

• Serve on DOE state-wide committees
• Assist the DOE with training educators in updated
  PD Standards and mentoring regulations
• Lend expertise to DOE staff and policy makers
• Partner/collaborate with DOE on addressing
  educational issues
• Professional Development
• Special Education reform

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New Jersey Education Association

• Examples of Collaboration
• Collaborative Professional Learning
• Summer Institute 2007 - Co-Sponsored by
• NJEA
• NJDOE
• NJPSA
• NJASCD
• NJNSDC

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New Jersey Education Association

• What is Collaboration?
• Developing a Supportive Culture
• Revealing the Leader Within
• Facilitation Skills
• A Day with Dennis Sparks Leading for Results

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Center for Teaching and Learning

• Believes high quality public schools are
  essential for all students
• Advances quality schools by providing
• contemporary professional learning experiences,
• resources, and
• research to educators in core content areas

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Center for Teaching and Learning

• Independent nonprofit 501(c)3 organization
• Supported by an annual 500,000 endowment from
  NJEA
• Additional funding will include foundation
  grants, corporate donations, and federal/state
  government grants
• To deliver high quality professional development
  and educational research for the improvement of
  teaching and learning.

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New Jerseys Regional PD Opportunities in Special
Education

• Differentiating Instruction in the Literacy Block
  for Elementary Teachers
• Transitioning Students with Disabilities into
  General Education Programs
• Developing Implementing Meaningful IEPs
• Developing a Behavior Skills Support Group
• Functional Assessment of Behavior and Design of
  Intervention Plans

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New Jerseys Regional PD Opportunities in Special
Education

• Defining and Teaching Behaviors School-Wide
• A Positive Approach to Managing Challenging
  Behavior
• Strategies for Teacher Aides Working with
  Students with Disabilities
• Differentiating Science Instruction
• Key Changes in NJ Special Education Regulations
  Focus on Parental Involvement

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New Jerseys Regional PD Opportunities in Special
Education

• Decision Making in the IEP Process Focus on
  Least Restrictive Environment
• Designing In-District General Education Preschool
  Programs
• Integrating Therapies within the Ongoing Routines
  of General Education Preschool Programs
• Strategies for Teaching in the Inclusive
  Preschool Classroom

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Journeying Forward

• Developing content specific standards for program
  approval and guide to program design of
  preparation programs
• Building assessment structure so standards come
  to life in system
• NCTAF Partnership The Value of Partnering and
  Focus