Rhode Island is moving decisively to provide teachers with opportunities for professional development. The most recent initiative, the Rhode Island Teaching and Learning Center in Coventry, represents a truly collaborative part of a statewide effort. This center will enable teachers to learn from and teach each other. It will provide a common core of training in areas such as the Rhode Island Beginning Teacher Standards, literacy and mathematics, standards-based instruction, the analysis of student work, data-driven decision making, family partnerships, and the technologies needed to support these efforts. It will also serve as an additional clearinghouse for professional development throughout the state.

The center’s strength is its ability to draw upon a wide array of expertise from higher education, unions, distinguished educators, the RI Department of Education, model programs and school districts, professional organizations, and teachers and administrators across the state. It will provide an opportunity for teachers to have a voice in designing professional development and implementing instructional change.

The center has proposed four goals in support of the state's agenda to increase capacity to support and communicate research-based professional development for improved student learning. They are:

• to develop a process for communicating state educational reform initiatives to educators and translating those initiatives into improved student learning

• to build a common core of professional development that is embedded within each school’s daily practice

• to support exemplary professional development programs and facilitate the implementation of promising innovative professional development

• to establish a network of resources within and outside the state that sustains long- and short-term professional development based upon Rhode Island educational reform

The Department of Education has awarded $300,569 to Coventry Public Schools to support the creation of this vital new center. The funding includes $155,000 of state funds and $145,000 of federal funds awarded to Rhode Island through the Teacher Quality Enhance-ment Program.

The Teaching and Learning Center will build upon Coventry's successful record of collaborative leadership and delivery of professional development opportunities to and with its own staff to provide high-quality services to all Rhode Island educators. Coventry will serve as the base for the center, but activities, meetings, and events will take place throughout the state. Participating sites will be integral partners of the center and receive training for coaches in staff development, offer sites for center events, and contribute expertise to others by forming statewide networks to support educators.

Members of the media will be formally notified about the new Teaching and Learning Center at the time of a fall kick-off celebration at the State House. More information about the event will be forthcoming.

For more information about the center, please contact John Deasy, Superintendent, Coventry Public Schools, 822-9400, or Kathleen Swann, Director, Professional Development and Leadership, Coventry Public Schools, 822-9400.