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CABE-SUGGESTED POLICY UPDATES
4131P
PERSONNEL - CERTIFIED
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
“Staff development” is viewed by the Board of Education (Board) as a continuous systematic
effort to improve educational programs in this school district through (1) staff involvement in
organized program planning, implementation and evaluation efforts, and (2) activities to
upgrade the skills, knowledge and ability of educators to improve student learning.
Each certified employee, shall annually participate in a program of professional development,
of not fewer than eighteen hours in length, of which a preponderance is in a small group or
individual group settings. The professional development program shall:
1. be a comprehensive, sustained and intensive approach to improving teacher and
administrator effectiveness in increasing student knowledge achievement;
2. focus on refining and improving various effective teaching methods that are
shared between and among educators;
3. foster collective responsibility for improved student performance;
4. be comprised of professional learning that is aligned with rigorous state student
academic achievement standards, conducted at the school among educators and
facilitated by principals, coaches, mentors and distinguished educators or other
appropriate teachers, occurs frequently on an individual basis or among groups
of teachers in a job-embedded process of continuous improvement, and includes
a repository or best practices for teaching methods developed by educators
within each school that is continuously available to such educators for comment
and updating; and
5. include training in culturally responsive pedagogy and practice.
Staff development experiences, made available by the Board directly, or through a RESC, with
another Board of Education or through a provider approved by the Commissioner, and shall be
consistent with any goals identified by the certified employees and the Board.
The Board believes that staff development experience should be comprehensive, sustained,
and intensive enough to improve teacher and administrator effectiveness in raising student
performance, and foster collective responsibility for improved student performance.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Page 1 of 7
Teachers must constantly review curricular content, teaching methods and materials,
educational philosophy and goals, social change and other topics related to education to
enhance the capabilities of educators to improve student learning. The Board of Education
recognizes that it shares with its certified staff responsibility for the upgrading and updating of
teacher performance and attitudes. The Board of Education and teachers’ organizations
support the principle of continuing training of teachers and the improvement of instruction.
All employees shall be provided opportunities for the development of increased competence
beyond that which they may attain through the performance of their assigned duties.
The Board, in order to determine its professional development program seeking the advice and
assistance of teachers, shall establish a professional development and evaluation committee,
consisting of certified employees, including representatives of the exclusive bargaining
representative for such employees. Committee membership shall consist of at least one
representative from each of the teachers’ and administrators’ unions and other school
personnel the Board deems appropriate. The duties of the committee shall include, but not be
limited to, participation in the development of a teacher evaluation and support program for
the District, the development, evaluation and annual updating of a comprehensive local
professional development plan, in fulfillment of the statutes, for certified employees of the
District. Such plan shall (1) be directly related to the educational goals proposed by the Board
pursuant to C.G.S. 10-220(b), (2) be developed in full consideration of the priorities and needs
related to student outcomes as determined by the State Board of Education, and (3) provide for
the ongoing and systematic assessment and improvement of both teacher evaluation and
professional development of the Board’s professional staff members, including personnel
management and evaluation training or experiences for administrators, shall be related to
regular and special student needs and may include provisions concerning career incentives and
parent involvement.
The members chosen by the Board to be on the professional development and evaluation
committee shall serve at the pleasure of the Board.
Special effort shall be made to prepare teachers and other school personnel to meet the needs
of students of diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Planning and implementation of such
programs shall be done cooperatively by administration, teachers and parent advisory groups.
Special effort shall also be given to administrators and/or supervisors in training pursuant to
their obligations in the evaluation of the teacher.
Staff development activities should respond directly to the educational needs of the student
body. The in-service program shall fulfill all applicable statutory requirements, especially those
delineated in CGS 10-220a, as amended.
Such in-service training program for certified staff shall provide information on (1) the nature
and the relationship of drugs and alcohol to health and personality development and
procedures for discouraging their abuse, (2) health and mental health risk reduction education
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Page 2 of 7
that includes, but need not be limited to, the prevention of risk-taking behavior by children and
the relationship of such behavior to substance abuse, pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases,
including HIV-infection and AIDS, violence, teen dating violence, domestic violence and child
abuse, (3) school violence prevention, conflict resolution, the prevention of an response to
youth suicide and the identification, prevention of and response to bullying, (4)
cardiopulmonary resuscitation and other emergency life-saving procedures, (5) the
requirements and obligations of a mandated reporter, and (6) the detection and recognition of,
and evidence-based structured literacy interventions for, students with dyslexia, as define in
CGS 10-3d.
The Board will allow any paraprofessional or non-certified employee of the District to
participate, on a voluntary basis, in any in-service training program provided to certified staff on
those topics mandated per C.G.S. 10-220a, subsection (a).
The Superintendent is to report annually to the Board of Education on the professional
development program and its effect with recommendations for changes as needed.
Professional Development Pertaining to Human Trafficking
The Board, in compliance with PA 17-32, shall provide training pertaining to human trafficking
to those staff members who have contact with students. These individuals must complete the
initial educational training by July 1, 2018 and refresher training annually thereafter. New hires
must complete the initial training within six months after their start date, or by July 1, 2018,
whichever is later. This training shall use the training program, which includes a video
presentation developed by the Department of Children and Families (DCF) pertaining to the
awareness of human trafficking issues and how to accurately and promptly identify and report
suspected human trafficking.
(cf. 4115 - Evaluation)
Legal Reference: Connecticut General Statutes
10-27 Exchange of professional personnel and students.
10-220a In-service training. (amended by PA 04-227, PA 08-160, June 19
Special Session, Public Act No. 09-1, PA 10-91, PA 12-116, PA 13-145, PA
15-215, PA 17-37 and PA 19-100)
10-153b Selection of teachers’ representatives
10-226f Coordinator of intergroup relations.
10-226g Intergroup relations training for teachers.
10-145b Teaching certificates (as amended by PA 01-173)
10-148a Professional development (as amended by PA 17-37 and PA
19-100)
10-151(b) Employment of teachers. Definitions. Tenure
PA 17-32 An Act Concerning Human Trafficking
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Page 3 of 7
PA 17-37 An Act Implementing the Recommendations of the Task Force
on Professional Development and In-service Training Requirements for
Educators
Appendix
Connecticut General Statutes 10-220a - In-service Training
A. Required In-service Topics for Certified Personnel
1. Nature and the relationships of drugs and alcohol to health and
personality development and procedures for discouraging their abuse.
2. Health and mental health risk reduction education including, but not
limited to the prevention of risk-taking behavior by children and the
relationship of such behavior to substance abuse, pregnancy, sexually
transmitted diseases, including HIV-infection and AIDS, violence, teen
dating, domestic violence and child abuse.
3. School violence prevention and conflict resolution and the prevention of
and response to youth suicide and the identification and prevention of
bullying and response to bullying, as defined in 10-222d, subsection (a) as
amended. (Boards that implement an evidence-based model approach
approved by the SDE are not required to provide in-service training on
the identification and prevention of and response to prevention of
bullying.)
4. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation and other emergency life-saving
procedures.
5. Requirements and obligations of a mandated reporter regarding
reporting of child abuse and neglect.
6. Training in the detection and recognition of, and evidence-based
structured literacy interventions for, students with dyslexia.
7. Training in the awareness of human trafficking issues.
8. Culturally responsive pedagogy and practice.
B. Optional In-Service Topics for Certified Personnel
The State Department of Education, within available appropriates and utilizing available
materials, shall make the following subject matter available to boards of education:
• Holocaust and genocide education and awareness
• African-American and black studies (required commencing July 1, 2021)
• Puerto-Rican and Latino studies (required commencing July 1, 2021)
• Native American History
• Personal Financial Management
• The historical events surrounding the Great Famine in Ireland
• Domestic violence and teen dating violence
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Page 4 of 7
• Mental health first aid training
• Trauma-informed practices for the school setting to enable teachers,
administrators and pupil personnel to more adequately respond to
students with mental, emotional or behavioral health needs
• Second language acquisition, including, but not limited to, language
development and cultural responsive pedagogy
Topics approved by the State Board of Education upon the request of local or regional boards of
education as part of in-service training programs pursuant to CGS 10-220a, section 3.
NOTE: The Board may include any of the items listed above (Section B) in its in-service training
program, pursuant to CGS 10-220a.
The purpose of professional development shall be to provide for continuous, systematic
improvement of subject matter competence and instruction as well as to create an awareness
of up-to-date educational research and strategies with the goal of improving student learning.
The Board recognizes that professional development is the joint responsibility of individual staff
members, administrators, and the school district. The Board will provide professional
development opportunities which support Board goals and objectives and are developed with
full consideration of priorities and needs related to student outcomes. The Board recognizes its
obligation to support professional development efforts through means such as the granting of
release time, payment for workshops and provision of in-service training programs. In turn, the
Board expects the teaching staff and administrators to demonstrate a commitment to their
own professional learning by participating in and seeking out professional programs and
activities focusing on improving student learning. The Board further expects the professional
learning to result in higher student achievement. Visiting other classrooms and other schools
for the purpose of problem-solving, experimenting, and interacting professionally with
colleagues, working on curriculum development, sharing new learning with colleagues, and
joining professional organizations promote such professional learning.
The Professional Development Committee
In order to promote an ongoing systematic program of professional development, the Board
upon recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools, shall establish a professional
development committee consisting of certified employees and administrators, including
representatives of the bargaining unit. The duties of the committee shall include, but not be
limited to, the development, evaluation, and annual updating of a comprehensive professional
development plan for certified employees of the District.
The Professional Development Committee shall delegate to the Director of Curriculum and
Professional Development responsibility for day-to-day initiating, overseeing, and evaluating
professional development programs and activities in compliance with applicable laws and
regulations. Proposals for projects and activities will be reviewed on a regular basis.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Page 5 of 7
Responsibilities of the Professional Development Committee
Responsibilities of the Professional Development Committee shall include the following:
1. To annually assess the needs for professional development emphasizing student
learning in full consideration of priorities and needs related to student outcomes as
determined by the State Board of Education.
2. To serve as a liaison for the public, the Board, the administration and the staff on
matters related to professional development.
3. To regularly report to the Superintendent and/or Board about the district’s ongoing,
systematic program of professional development as related to the Strategic Plan and an
evaluation of the opportunities offered.
These responsibilities shall be performed in accordance with the following:
1. State mandates and full consideration of priorities relating to student outcomes as
determined by the State Board of Education.
2. Colchester Public Schools Strategic Plan and current initiatives.
3. Projected program changes related to the ongoing curriculum development and
review.
4. Present level of expertise in teaching skills and subject matter.
5. Individual staff members’ goals related to improving student learning as arrived at
by mutual consensus of the staff member and his/her evaluator as part of the
yearly evaluation process.
The Board will allow any paraprofessional or noncertified employee of the District to
participate, on a voluntary basis, in any in-service training program provided to certified staff.
Legal Reference: Connecticut General Statutes
10-27 Exchange of professional personnel and students
10-220a In-service training (amended by PA 04-227, PA 08-160 and June
19 Special Session, Public Act No. 09-1)
10-153b Selection of teachers’ representatives
10-226f Coordinator of intergroup relations
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Page 6 of 7
10-226g Intergroup relations training for teachers
10-145b Teaching certificates (as amended by PA 01-173)
Policy adopted: May 22, 2012
Policy revised: May 11, 2021
COLCHESTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Colchester, Connecticut
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