Best Practices for Professional Development Planning and Enforcement

1.     Activate/establish your Local School Leadership Council (LSLC)

• Our contract states that the LSLC has determination of the “Staff development program, including approval of any school-based professional development programs.”
• If you do not have an LSLC, contact your UTLA staff representative for support in establishing one asap.
• LSLC has purview over 20 Tuesdays.
• District has purview over 19 Tuesdays.

2.     Create a Professional Development Committee to support LSLC

• PDs have to align with district goals and purposes.
• Recommendations will need to be approved by the LSLC.
• Appoint a CAT member to serve on this committee for ongoing feedback.

3.     Try to schedule professional development meetings a year in advance (39 Tuesdays)

• This will prevent principals from arbitrarily changing PDs.
• Once LSLC approves, these dates are binding and should be respected.
• Allows for easier tracking of PD Tuesdays (click here for a fillable PDF tracking form)
  

4.     Ensure that PDs start on time and end on time

• PDs that roll over the allotted time will count as a faculty meeting (use tracker included  to keep tabs on those meetings).
  

5.     The ILT (Instructional Leadership Team) is NOT an official decision-making body

• ILT is an LAUSD committee with no contractual status. 
• It is only authorized to make suggestions and recommendations.
• The LSLC continues to be the official council of the school. 

6.     Current district bulletins and correspondence (IOC) are not mandates    

• These documents are guidance for administrators to use accordingly.
• Absent words like “mandates” and “directives,” they are only for discussion purposes.
• When in doubt, ask for a written directive and the bulletin/memo they’re referencing.