E. Professional Learning

Grantees are expected to engage in the establishment and/or operation of high-quality professional learning programs focused on the improvement of local instructional practices and services. Based on information and resources compiled by LINCS, high-quality professional learning activities:

• utilize data-driven planning and evaluation processes that support continuous improvement;
• provide clear feedback on educator performance and progress in serving students;
• ensure all adult educators have access to the content;
• differentiate content to address the varied needs of practitioners;
• build knowledge and peer relationships through collaborative learning;
• focus on specific academic and programmatic content; and
• provide learning in an intensive, ongoing, and connected to practice (job-embedded) context.

High-quality professional learning activities should also center around research and evidence-based practices, and may take the form of regularly scheduled data team meetings, communities of practice (CoPs), focused classroom observations, workshops/trainings, online courses, webinars etc.

Content

Effective professional learning activities support the implementation and improvement of research and evidence-based practices at the local and classroom level. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• the specific needs of adult learners;
• effective practices in reading, writing, speaking, and mathematics instruction;
• English language acquisition instruction;
• strategies to support learners with disabilities as well as English language learners;
• effective distance education practices;
• how to leverage technology to increase the effectiveness of instruction and other program processes;
• facilitating transitions to college and career;
• integration of literacy and English language instruction with occupational skills training;
• the College and Career Readiness Standards;
• the current adult skills and literacy assessments used in the state; and
• various other topics that support the implementation and improvement of research-based practices.

Expectations

In engaging in professional learning activities, grantees are expected to have a documented plan for how they organize and implement local professional learning activities. Plans should include details on how program-wide professional learning needs and opportunities will be identified; how professional learning activities will be integrated into program-wide practices; how the activities support local implementation of research- and evidence-based practices; how the program will facilitate instructor engagement with professional learning; and how the activities will be evaluated for improvement and sustainability.

Additionally, programs should track specific information regarding any professional learning offerings staff attend, whether internal or external. This includes the offering’s name, date, description, rationale for offering/selection, attendance information, format, and length (hours).

This summary information serves two purposes. First, it helps to scaffold and assist instructors in meeting the requirements for renewing their Adult Basic Education Authorization. Guidance on acceptable license/authorization renewal activities in this context can be found on Educator Licensing’s Professional Development and Continuing Education Units (CEUs) page. Tracking this information will also benefit programs when assessing professional learning needs and reporting on their professional learning activities.

Each program is responsible for documenting/tracking this information as it pertains to their staff. As a result, specifics on how these different requirements are documented is up to individual programs and what works best for them.

Note: There is no longer a professional learning hour structure for different trainings, nor is there a minimum hour requirement each individual must meet. For ABEA renewal purposes, professional learning hours are equal to the real time hours the participant spent engaged in the professional learning activity

Professional Learning Plans

There are two types of plans required for every grantee:

• Program-wide professional learning plan: a short narrative explaining how professional learning is selected/planned and outlining focus areas for program-wide professional learning.
• Individual professional learning plans for each staff member: a working document for each staff member that is kept at the program to be reviewed later during monitoring visits. The document should be shared between the staff member, the professional learning coordinator, and other leadership staff such as directors.

Program-Wide Professional Learning Plan

The program-wide professional learning plan is intended to help grantees better plan professional learning through understanding the needs in their programs. While there is not a form to fill out for this plan, the information here will guide the grantee in creating this plan.

The professional learning strategy should be based on research and evidence-based practices that demonstrate effectiveness in meeting the objective of the plan. The following should be taken into consideration while planning the program-wide professional learning plan:

• Local performance and demographic data;
• Instructor and learner needs;
• Classroom observations and staff evaluations;
• ABEA initial authorization and renewal needs; and
• Staff and learner surveys

Using these resources for planning, the grantee can determine appropriate funds, staff time, and other needs for programmatic professional learning.

Program-wide professional learning plans should include:

• how program-wide professional learning needs will be identified;
• how professional learning activities will be integrated into program-wide practices;
• how the activities support local implementation of research- and evidence-based practices;
• how the grantee will facilitate instructor engagement with professional learning;
• and how the activities will be evaluated for improvement and sustainability

In creating the program-wide professional learning plan, a grantee may respond to the following with a short narrative, or simply respond to these questions:

• Objectives
  • How will the grantee determine the needs for professional learning?
  • What is the grantee’s programmatic objective for the year?
• Activities and Resources
  • What activities have been identified to support the objective?
  • How will the activities support research- and evidence-based practices?
  • When will these activities take place?
  • How will the professional learning activities meet this objective?
  • How will the grantee facilitate instructor engagement with professional learning?
• Application
  • How will professional learning activities be integrated into program-wide practices?
• Evaluation
  • How will the activities be evaluated for improvement and sustainability?

The program-wide professional learning plan must be submitted to AEI with the annual continuation application.

Individual Learning Plans

Individual Learning Plans are working documents that can be altered for individual staff member needs and continually adapted depending on the success of the professional learning in meeting the individual’s learning objectives. This information helps to assist instructors in meeting the requirements for obtaining and renewing their Adult Basic Education Authorization (ABEA) and helps grantees when assessing professional learning needs and reporting on their professional learning activities in the end of year report.

There is currently a draft individual professional learning plan. Please contact AEI to access this document.

Individual learning plans should consider the following, as applicable to the staff member:

• Individual performance data;
• Instructor needs and interests;
• Classroom observations and staff evaluations;
• AEFLA Program and Assurance Contact requirements; and
• ABEA initial authorization and renewal needs.

At this time, the state has not released any AEFLA Program and Assurance Contacts training for 2021-22, so the professional learning for these roles should focus on the requirement that a staff member will attend required trainings from the Adult Education Initiatives Office. Existing AEI training opportunities include:

• Accessible Design Club
• AEI Office Hours
• Director’s Talk
• LACES training
• NRS Tables training
• Professional Learning to Chew On
• Quarterly Data Talks

Additional training for each role will continue to be released throughout the grant cycle.

The revised ABEA state board of education rules are being reviewed by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) Licensing Office and further guidance has not be released. However, the current ABEA Handbook may be referred to in the interim.

Individual Professional learning plans must contain the following:

• offering’s name;
• date;
• description;
• rationale for offering/attending;
• attendance information;
• format;
• length (hours); and
• any associated certificates and expiration information in the staff professional learning plans

In creating the individual professional learning plans, grantees may wish to consider the following:

• Objectives
  • How will the individual determine the needs for professional learning?
  • What is the individual’s objective for the year?
• Activities and Resources
  • What activities have been identified to support the objective?
  • How will the activities support research- and evidence-based practices?
  • When will these activities take place?
  • How will the professional learning activities meet this objective?
• Application
  • How will professional learning activities be integrated into practice?
• Evaluation
  • How will the activities be evaluated?

The individual professional learning plans do not need to be submitted to AEI. Rather, these documents should be retained by the grantee and available to AEI upon request for monitoring and reporting.