It is important that all members of a school's faculty and staff have opportunities to receive consistent messages and information regarding school-wide initiatives and requirements such as student exhibitions and graduation portfolios. Providing on-site professional development allows the entire staff to come together to consider and discuss all of the elements of these processes and ensures faculty and staff "buy-in" and that understanding is maximized.

Things to Consider

Once professional development requirements are determined, professional development sessions need to be planned and implemented. Professional development providers can be teachers or administrators from schools or districts that have implemented the type of assessment that your school has chosen. Whether professional development is provided by a professional organization or by school practitioners with experience in the initiative your school is implementing, it is important that the provider have experience and plans the session(s) with staff from your school. The planned revision of the state web site will include some appropriate sources of professional development. You should consider contacting districts/schools that are further along in implementation of a graduation portfolio system about their professional development programs.