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How do high-stakes accountability systems affect teacher professional development? This ASCD "Research Brief" (June 22, 2004) summarizes a study conducted by the Southeast Center for Teaching Quality in six Southern states. The states were chosen to highlight different stages in the implementation of high-stakes accountability systems. Districts within each state were chosen based on differing levels of student achievement, so that high-performing and low-performing systems could be contrasted. Generally, the researchers found that although professional development experiences were improving, they were not often aligned with best practices as identified in previous research. Additionally, the researchers found that teachers felt that voluntary and self-directed opportunities were of much more value than mandated experiences. Although some support for greater teacher collaboration existed, such support tended to be incomplete or sporadic. Where the researchers identified effective practice, they also often found gaps in the capacity to sustain such programs, including an insufficient provision of time for teachers to use in professional development and a lack of follow-up activities.

Citation: ASCD. (2004). Research brief: Teacher professional development in high-stakes accountability systems. Retrieved from ASCD on March 19, 2008. Website: http://www.ascd.org/portal/site/ascd/template.MAXIMIZE/menuitem.03e1753c019b7a9f989ad324d3108a0c/?javax.portlet.tpst=d5b9c0fa1a493266805516f762108a0c_ws_MX&javax.portlet.prp_d5b9c0fa1a493266805516f762108a0c_viewID=issue_view&javax.portlet.prp_d5b9c0fa1a493266805516f762108a0c_journalmoid=048d1470b9eaff00VgnVCM1000003d01a8c0RCRD&javax.portlet.begCacheTok=token&javax.portlet.endCacheTok=token

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