§ 6-17-707 - Arkansas Online Professional Development Initiative.
6-17-707. Arkansas Online Professional Development Initiative.
(a) There is created the Arkansas Online Professional Development Initiative.
(b) Under the initiative, the Commissioner of Education shall identify teacher professional development needs in the state and prioritize the needs based on the areas of professional development most needed to improve academic and teaching knowledge and skills of certified personnel.
(c) Based on the needs and priorities identified in the assessment under subsection (b) of this section, the commissioner shall work with the Director of the Educational Television Division of the Department of Education and local school districts to develop a statewide online professional development program that includes quality professional development courses that:
(1) Are aligned to the required focus areas identified in the State Board of Education rules governing professional development and the Arkansas Comprehensive Testing, Assessment, and Accountability Program;
(2) Are aligned with the clear, specific, and challenging academic content areas as established by the Department of Education as required under 6-15-404;
(3) Are aligned with the state curriculum frameworks established by the department for each class level or subject area included in the respective professional development programs;
(4) Are research-based and available from sources with expertise in technology-delivered professional development courses;
(5) Are consistent with the Southern Regional Education Board Multi-State Online Professional Development Standards in existence on January 1, 2005;
(6) Focus on improving student academic achievement by improving a teacher's academic and teaching knowledge and skills; and
(7) Include an assessment at the end of the program designed to measure each certified person's level of understanding and ability to implement or apply the information presented in the program.
(d) (1) (A) The Arkansas Educational Television Network shall support the delivery of the online professional development courses developed as part of the initiative to teachers and administrators in each school in each school district in the state via the Internet.
(B) In addition to the online courses developed as part of the initiative, the network may continue to deliver professional development by broadcast, compressed, satellite, and face-to-face methods.
(2) The online professional development courses supported by the network or other providers shall include online registration, course evaluation, and attendance and completion documents.
(3) Any provider of technology-delivered professional development under the initiative shall demonstrate an ability to successfully deliver technology-delivered products and services.
(4) If a technology-delivered professional development course or service that has been identified as needed under the assessment in subsection (b) of this section is not available, the network or other providers shall work with the department to develop a course or service to meet the identified need.
(e) The department shall determine the content of and preapprove all professional development courses or programs delivered by the network that qualify for professional development credit as required by the Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts or teacher licensure requirements.
(f) The department shall provide the staff and resources needed to provide the quality leadership necessary to coordinate the initiative.
(g) The initiative shall include a method for the department, the network, school districts, schools, and certified personnel to annually evaluate the effectiveness of the initiative and its online professional development course and programs.
(h) (1) Beginning with the 2006-2007 school year, the department may include as part of a school improvement plan guidelines for the professional development programs to be delivered to the certified personnel employed by a school in school improvement status or a school district in school improvement status or academic distress.
(2) (A) As part of the school improvement plan, the department may require the participation and completion of professional development courses or programs by certified personnel in the school or school district as appropriate for the certified personnel's job assignments and duties.
(B) Certified personnel employed by any school in school improvement or school district in school improvement or academic distress shall participate in, complete, and pass the assessment for the professional development requirements included in the school's or school district's school improvement plan.
(i) The department shall further enhance its leadership role in professional development for certified personnel by:
(1) Developing technology-based professional development programs and other enhanced professional development options for school districts and certified personnel; and
(2) Employing two (2) persons who have a high level of expertise in professional development for the purpose of enhancing professional development opportunities as set forth in this section.