At one time, professional development was viewed as something primarily for teachers. We can no longer place the responsibility of professional development solely with the expert presenter. It is imperative that all members of the school community be involved in the planning, designing, implementing and evaluating of professional development. To meet the diverse needs of all learners a variety of professional development experiences is necessary. The primary purpose of professional development is school improvement as measured by the success of every student.
All educators share the responsibility for both individual and organizational growth.
Effective professional development is based on theory, research and proven practice. The Quality Standards for Professional Development are a guide to professional development to improve teaching and learning. School districts, schools, and other professional development providers use these standards to reflect upon professional development experiences in an effort to improve effectiveness. These standards address the process of planning, designing, implementing and evaluating professional development. Planning refers to what and how decisions are made in preparing Professional Development programming.