Question
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Answer
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1) When planning for professional development, under what circumstances can
Master Plan Points be awarded?
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To
insure that professional development changes practice, the essential elements
for high quality PD must be included in every offering. In particular, high
quality PD 1) deepens teachers' content knowledge; 2) provides opportunities
for practice, research and reflection; 3) facilitates transfer of learning
through job-embedded practices; and 4) demonstrates a lasting impact in
teaching practices and student learning. Professional development designers
must also document transfer of learning through a follow-up requirement. The
process to implement effective PD includes: planning, delivery, follow-up and
evaluation. Appendix A provides a helpful framework to assist PD Liaisons in
preparing high quality PD activities that will impact teaching and learning.
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2) What is sustained training, and why
do we have to have at least 4 credits for a half day and 8 credits for a full
day professional learning experience?
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In
light of research confirming that "one shot workshops" of limited duration
are not effective nor do they yield lasting impact, any professional
development for which Master Plan Points will be assigned must be at worth at
least 4 learning credits (MPPs) for a half day session and 8 learning credits
(MPPs) for a full day session. Therefore, any course proposed for less than 4 MPPs will not be
approved.* Professional development planners must insure that enough time is
reserved for learning and implementation to guarantee mastery of the
specified objective(s) for the course.
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3) ' What is a component number?
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Component
numbers are organized codes approved by the Florida Department of Education
to catalogue and guide professional development activities and determine the
number of Master Plan Points that will be awarded (4-120 MPPs) for
professional development. Components include a title, general objective,
specific objective, procedures, follow-up activities and evaluation.
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4) How is the appropriate component selected
from the Master In-service Plan?
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Components
are posted on the Professional Development Menu & Registration
System Select possible components that align with the
intended purpose of your professional development activity. Review the
specified objectives for each component to ascertain component learning goals
that are most closely related to the intended purpose of the professional
development. Individuals may also
contact the Center for Professional Learning to inquire about appropriate
components for the proposed professional learning.
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5) If a component is assigned a set amount of MPPs, does the full value of
the component need to be assigned when a course is proposed?
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No. In designing a course, professional development planners can designate
fewer MPPs than the total number of MPPs assigned to the component. They must identify the specific objectives
targeted by the course if they are not targeting all learning objectives
under the component.
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6) How is the number of MPPs that should be awarded for a course determined?
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The number of MPPs to be awarded for
a course should be based on the number of hours of instruction, including
face-to-face contact and time reserved for follow-up activities. As an
example, a course offered over three sessions, with three hours reserved for
each session, would include a total of nine hours of face-to-face
instruction. If three additional hours are allocated for follow up
assignments, the appropriate number of MPP to be assigned to the course is 12
MPPs.
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7) What do you mean by "research-based" practices?
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All professional development should be based
on research. When planning professional development, the source of
the research can vary (professional books/journals, internet resources,
published authorities, etc.). The author, title of the research source
or theoretical foundation and date of publication should be identified.
Professional development planners should cite research that is applicable to
the specific content area addressed by the professional development. If the content is related to reading, the
research basis should reflect reading sources. Similarly, if the content is related to behavior management,
the research basis should reflect behavioral sources. School Improvement Plans must cite
research bases for strategies listed in the plan. These plans are helpful if
you are looking for a research source.
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8)
What is meant by "job embedded PD"?
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Job
embedded PD emphasizes site-based professional learning that addresses
student and teacher data and school specific needs. By allowing instructional
personnel to acquire relevant practices and techniques that may be readily
applied in their classrooms, job embedded PD facilitates effective
professional learning that will impact student achievement. Examples of job
embedded PD include school-based learning communities, action research,
coaching and study teams.
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9) What is the difference between a course and a course session?
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A
course is the basic outline for a
specific professional development activity. Courses reflect indicators in a
component that has been pre-approved by the district in order to enable
participants to receive MPPs. Courses are based on standards for the specific
PD activity and they include goals and objectives, as well as activities and
evaluation criteria. Courses are assigned a component number, but no specific
time/date/location is designated. Course
sessions are specific scheduled sessions that are part of a district
approved course. Specific
times/dates/locations/instructors/etc., are designated for each session. In
order to obtain MPPs, a course must first be proposed and approved through
the Professional Development Menu & Registration
System Following course proposal and approval, a
session must be proposed and approved. Sessions cannot be proposed in the
absence of a related course. (Note: In light of the fact that the award of
MPPs is recorded on the Staff Development Education System (SDES) through
session completion, all PD events are configured into sessions for the
purpose of awarding MPPs. Sessions are created from courses and courses are
created from components.)
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10) How do I get learning credit (MPPs) for conference
attendance?
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MPPs
are NOT assigned for "conference attendance." Rather, following conference
attendance, upon application and impact assessment of the knowledge acquired
during the conference, MPPs may be awarded. Individuals interested in obtaining MPPs through conference attendance
must contact the corresponding content area district office not less than 45
days prior to attending a conference. (As an example, teachers planning to attend a Reading Conference
should contact the Department of Language Arts.) In order to secure MPPs, the conference learning objectives
must be identified and approved and a course must be proposed by the content
area district office administrator on the Professional Development Menu & Registration
System. Conference information, including
agendas, logistical arrangements, etc., must be provided to the content area
district office and prospective attendees must register on the Professional Development Menu & Registration
System
prior to the event. The content area district office will supply mandatory
criteria that must be completed within 30 days after the conference.
Following the conference, completed assignments must be submitted to
designate content area district office personnel and an online course
evaluation must be submitted in order to receive MPPs.
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11) What should I do if I want to apply for
MPPs for PD activities sponsored by outside entities claiming that their
courses are appropriate for PD credit?
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In
light of the fact that the Florida Department of Education authorizes school
districts to assign MPPs for professional development activities, districts
are held accountable for adherence to the Florida Protocol Standards for
Professional Development. As such, corresponding district departments must
design, deliver and monitor all professional development activities eligible
for the award of MPPs. This process
prevents outside entities from issuing MPPs. To receive MPPs for coursework delivered by an outside entity, the
entity must contact the corresponding M-DCPS office in order to request that
the department review the proposed activities, propose a course on the Professional Development Menu & Registration
System prior to the event taking place, monitor
and close out a course session accordingly.
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12) What do I do with certificates
obtained from agencies?
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The
authority to assign MPPs for professional development experiences is granted
to school districts under the direction of the Florida Department of
Education. Since FDOE holds districts
accountable for and monitors adherence to the Florida Protocol Standards for
Professional Development, the activities that are "sanctioned" as
professional development are limited to those designed, delivered and
monitored by M-DCPS departments. As a
result, there is no system to allow other agencies to access this process
except in very specific instances, and therefore these certificates cannot be
applied to earn MPPs. This procedure
is also applicable with respect to Continuing Education Units (CEUs) that are
required to maintain various professional licenses, such as for nursing and
technical professions. Coursework applicable to licensure renewal cannot be
considered for MPPs unless the corresponding district content area office
sponsors the PD activities though the Professional Development Menu & Registration
System as described in question 11 above.
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13) How long after I have taken a course does
it take for credit to be awarded? (recency of credit)
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Once
a session and follow-up work have been completed, instructors must assign
grades and submit documentation to the PD Data Center for review. Following
confirmation that all requirements have been met, MPPs are awarded.
Processing time varies depending on individual course requirements. If MPPs
have not been awarded for a completed session within 45 days following
completion of all course work, employees must contact the PD Data Center at
305.883.1084 to inquire why credit has not been awarded.
Please
note, each school district is required to report all earned learning credit
to the Florida Department of Education at the end of each school year. Any credit that was earned prior to the
current school year, which has not been assigned and reported to FDOE, cannot
be "added" to an in-service record. For that reason, employees are urged to carefully monitor their own
work and to review their in-service histories on a frequent basis to insure
that all appropriate credits are assigned prior to the end of each school
year.
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14) Explain how it's possible to exceed the
maximum number of points allowed under a particular component?
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All components listed on the Master In-Service
Plan are assigned a finite number of MPPs. During an individual's five-year validity period, personnel may not
earn more MPP for a particular component than the number of MPPs assigned to
that component. In certain cases,
individuals may complete two or more professional development sessions that
have different titles but are categorized under the same component
number. If the total number of MPPs
accrued for completion of sessions with an identical component number exceeds
the total number of MPPs that may be awarded under that component, the
individual will only receive the maximum number of MPPs assigned to the
component. To avoid maxing out a
component, individuals should maintain accurate records reflecting the number
of MPPs they have earned during a validity period for professional
development activities categorized under specific component numbers.
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15) If I completed some professional
development last year, can I get credit for it this year?
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No. FDOE requires that professional
development records be submitted to the Department at the end of each school
year for the fiscal year in which the credits were earned. If the professional development credit was
not processed and assigned prior to June 30, of the year in which the
in-service took place, then credit cannot be awarded.
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16) What does it mean to "bank" MPPs?
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"Banking"
refers to saving MPPs earned for specific professional development activities
completed during one validity period and applying those MPPs in a subsequent
validity period. In accordance with
Florida Department of Education guidelines, only ESOL Endorsement and Reading
Endorsement courses may be "banked." SDES records available from the school site secretary or the PD Data
Center designate courses that have been banked by including the letter "B" in
the column labeled "Banked." When these MPPs are used for recertification,
the letter "B" is changed to "U" to designate that the courses have been
"used" for recertification.
*Please note, banked
courses are not currently reflected on the PD History section of the Professional Development Menu & Registration
System or on the Employee Portal. The school registrar must
print an individual PD record from the SDES system for individuals to view
their banked courses.
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17) Which courses am I able to bank?
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Only
ESOL Endorsement and Reading Endorsement courses may be "banked".
Completed
ESOL Endorsement and Reading Endorsement courses are automatically
banked. If MPPs for banked courses
are not needed for recertification, the MPPs will remain in SDES following
recertification. If MPPs are needed
in order to recertify, MPPs from banked course(s) will be applied. Please note, all MPPs earned for a banked
course are applied if needed for recertification. Individuals may not apply
only a portion of the MPPs earned from a banked course to recertify in light
of the fact that only courses may be banked in lieu of MPPs. As an example, if an individual requires
10 MPPs to meet the requirements for recertification and he/she has accrued
60 MPPs for a banked course, all 60 MPPs will be applied for his/her
recertification.
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18) For a three-credit college course, what is
the equivalent number of MPPs?
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Three
college credits are equivalent to 60 MPPs. Two college credits are equivalent
to 40 MPPs. One college credit is equivalent to 20 MPPs. However equivalency does not indicate that
the college credit will be converted into MPPs. The district does not
convert college credits into MPPs. For questions regarding the applicability of specific
college/university courses to certificate renewal, please contact the Office
of Instructional Certification.
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Certification/Endorsements:
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19) How many MPPs do I need to earn to be
recertified?
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You
must earn 120 MPPs during a five year validity period to be recertified for
an additional five year period. If you are certified in three or
more subject areas, you may complete recertification requirements
in all subject areas over the
course of two consecutive validity periods (i.e., ten years). Please note, you must complete
recertification requirements for at least two or more subject areas during
the first five year validity period. Recertification for remaining subject
areas may be completed during the next five year validity period. Teachers certified in three or
more subject areas that have completed recertification requirements as outlined above
will be eligible to teach all subjects listed on their certificate for the
full ten year validity period. In the event that recertification requirements
are not met for all subject areas within two consecutive validity
periods, certification will be withdrawn for those subject areas in which
recertification requirements were not completed. Teachers that elect to
renew more than two subject areas during one validity period must earn an
additional 60 MPPs for each additional subject renewed during the validity
period. As an example, if you are certified in
five subject areas you may choose to complete recertification requirements
for two subject areas during one validity period by earning 120 MPPs. During the second validity period, you
will be required to complete recertification requirements for the three
remaining subject areas. In particular, during the second validity period you
must earn 60 additional MPPs per subject area for a total of 180 MPPs. As
another example, if you are certified in six subject areas and decide to
renew 3 subject areas during each validity period, you must accrue 180 MPPs
during each validity period.
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20)
In order to earn an endorsement; do I have to complete all endorsement
coursework during one validity period?
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No.
Partial completion of endorsement requirements during a preceding validity
period is applicable to meet endorsement requirements upon the teacher's
completion of remaining endorsement requirements during the following
validity period.
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21) Where can I find out which courses I must
take to earn an endorsement?
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All
questions regarding the required courses for each endorsement program should
be addressed to the Teacher/Director at the Center for Professional Learning
(CPL) at chasental@dadeschools.net.
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22)
How do I know if I need to add an endorsement to my certificate?
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Teachers
currently teaching in a specific area that lack corresponding
certification/endorsement and are thus considered out-of-field will be given
priority placement in endorsement offerings. Teachers interested in teaching
Reading, ESOL, Gifted, Driver's Education, or Autism in the future,
who do not have the necessary credentials, must take additional courses to
become endorsed/certificated. To determine whether you must add an
endorsement to you certificate, contact the Office of Certification at
305-995-7200.
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23)
How do I add an endorsement to my certificate after I have completed required
coursework?
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Go
to www.certification.dadeschools.net
and download form 6743. Complete the form and attach a money order in the
amount of $75 made payable to Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Mail the form
and payment to the Office of Instructional Certification.
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Records/Procedures:
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24) Where can I obtain a record of all MPPs
that I have earned to date?
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For
all courses that you have completed to date, your principal's secretary can
generate the record from SDES. For courses that you have completed during
your current validity period, you may access this information through
the PD Menu & Registration System under the link to your PD History. Please note, the PD History link shows only those
sessions completed during each employee's current validity period. It does not list banked courses nor does
it list all courses that an employee has completed throughout his/her
employment in M-DCPS.
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25) I have completed all course work for a
session I was registered for and I completed the online evaluation. However,
my status for the session is identified as "Pending Approval." What does this
mean?
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"Pending
Approval" means that the PD Data Center has not yet reviewed the records for
the session attended, including sign-in sheets, verification of follow-up and
final grades from the instructor(s). Once all records are received and the PD
Data Center enters the attendance and completion information in the system,
your status will be revised. In particular, if the records verify completion
of all course requirements, the status will reflect "Satisfactory" which
allows the PD Data Center to officially award MPPs. In the event that course
requirements were not completed (e.g., the teacher failed to attend the course
he/she had registered for) the status will reflect "Unsatisfactory," and MPPs
will not be awarded.
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26) After locating and registering for a
course on the Professional Development Menu & Registration
System, my status is listed as "Restricted Enrollment Pending" and not "Registered." What does this
mean?
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A
"Restricted Enrollment Pending" status indicates that you are not currently
"Registered." This status is assigned pending a review to determine whether
you have met criteria for course participation. Following the review, your
status will be revised to reflect that you are "Registered" and thus enrolled
in the course, or "Cancelled" indicating that you did not meet the criteria
for course participation. For example, a reading teacher's registration might
be cancelled if he/she attempted to register for a geometry course limited to
mathematics teachers.
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27) Am I required to cancel my registration if
I cannot attend a session?
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Yes.
Click on the My Course link course in the PD Menu and Registration System. Select the course you would like
to cancel and click Cancel in the upper left corner.
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28)
If a session is full and I am not able to register, can I nevertheless attend
and receive MPPs, particularly if a registrant fails to attend?
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No. The required course documentation for audit purposes is the official
roster which is printed by the instructor prior to the class
beginning and contains participants' signature. For this reason walk-ins are not permitted.
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29) What does "wait list" status mean?
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You
may choose to report to the first course session even though you are not
listed as a "registered participant." If a registered participant does not
attend, your name may be added to the course roster and you will receive MPPs
upon completion.
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30) Am I required to complete an online
evaluation? What are the consequences if I fail to do so?
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Yes.
Participants must complete online evaluations in order to receive MPPs. If the evaluation is not completed, you
will not receive MPPs because you have not met all of the requirements for
awarding master plan points.
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