Overview

PD Analytics (PDA) is an online school improvement tool that enables schools and districts to tie professional development spending to measures of teacher improvement and student outcomes. PDA’s automated dashboards for consultants, teachers, school administrators, and district level personnel provide data and transparency around the quantity and quality of professional development.

Teachers

• Identify individual needs for professional learning
• Collaborate in professional learning conversations
• Monitor improvements using teacher professional growth rubrics
• Evaluate the quality of internal and external coaching and professional development
• Access professional development contact points for CEU’s

Administrators

• Reflect on teacher support needs using teacher professional growth rubrics
• Manage internal and external coaching and professional development
• Aggregate timely feedback on the quantity and quality of professional development
• Determine the cost benefit of professional development spending
• Aggregate information needed to apply for teacher CEU’s

Consultants

• Determine teacher support needs using teacher and administrative input
• Analyze student outcomes for teachers in one easy to read format
• Align work to professional growth standards for teachers
• Receive timely feedback on the quantity and quality of coaching and professional development services provided
• Monitor and adjust coaching focus based on teacher needs and student outcomes

Evidence Based

Under ESSA, schools have been given the flexibility to choose school improvement interventions that: 1) provide a compelling and sufficient evidence-base for their impact on student outcomes; 2) meet the needs of the school, based on a thoughtful and thorough needs assessment; and 3) define a method for follow-up to track and monitor successful implementation. PDA surveys, dashboards and reporting provide the information needed to meet this directive. Professional Development as a school intervention is validated by the work of Timperley, Wilson, Barrar, and Fung (2007) who found 72 studies that assessed the effects of professional development on student outcomes. Based on their meta-analysis of these studies, the overall effect on student outcomes was d = .66, validating that professional development has a significantly significant effect on student outcomes which is significantly higher than the minimal standards of the WWC’s (d = .25). A statically significant effect means that the change was not due to chance. Effect sizes expressed in standard deviations are used to measure the effect, with Cohen’s d (1988) being the most widely used. When using Cohen’s d for considering effects, d = .2 is small, d = .5 is medium, and d = .8 is considered large. Although ESSA has not set minimal standards for this measure, the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) recognizes .25 and higher as statistically significant. Timperley and his colleagues further used effect sizes to identify what works best in professional development in terms of positively impacting student outcomes. PD Analytics allows schools to monitor the six themes identified in their work.

Theme 1: Learning opportunities occurred over an extended period.
Professional development and coaching sessions are recorded in PD Analytics and can be viewed throughout the school year and longitudinally over time. Session details include the alignment of professional learning to teacher and professional learning standards.

Theme 2: Involvement of experts was more related to success than in-school initiatives.
The involvement, focus, quantity and quality of the professional development provided by expert trainers is captured in PD Analytics (PDA). The effects of professional development on student outcomes is measured and is easily assessable in the PDA reporting section.

Theme 3: Teacher engagement during the learning process.
Teacher engagement is easily monitored via session surveys and professional development work report details associated with each professional development session.

Theme 4: Effects of student outcomes were a function of professional learning.
Student outcome data is imported into PD Analytics during the Fall, Winter and Spring test terms for linking professional development to student outcomes. Student outcome data linked to professional development can be generated at the district, school and teacher level.

Theme 5: Professional learning communities and teachers communicating with teachers.
PD Analytic (PDA) dashboard and reporting information is a catalyst for rich and meaningful discussions around professional development and student outcomes. PDA is anchored to the seven key focus areas recognized in Learning Forward’s Professional Learning Standards, one of which is Professional Learning Communities (PLC). Professional Learning Community indicators are used to inform community development and teacher communication and involvement.

Theme 6: School leadership supports professional learning.
Leadership is one of the seven key focus areas recognized by Learning Forward, and as such is critical to professional learning through professional development. PD Analytics empowers school administrators to: 1) develop a plan customized to school and teacher needs; 2) engage in the learning process with teachers; and 3) follow-up, track and monitor the effectiveness of professional development and its impact on student outcomes.