Training and skill development of project team members are critical to maintaining a unified focus on improving student achievement. A structure to support the team and staff development effort in the school district is important to keeping staff current on important educational issues. Project team members budget time and money to develop agendas and activities for team and staff development days. There is a requirement to have all team and staff development efforts aligned with the team's project goal and the district's focus on student achievement. Choosing team and staff development facilitators is the next step toward assisting the project teams achieve their training goals.
Facilitators can be members of the project team or district staff.
On occasion, outside facilitators are retained to lead the team and staff development experience. Team and staff development efforts should be continual, approximately seven to ten days throughout the school year, and provide the mechanism for planning future improvement projects. Each school improvement team comes together annually to meet and recommit to a plan for improving teaching, learning, and student achievement. Participants include a representative cross section of students, staff, parents, and community members. Teachers, classified employees, and administrators represent the staff.