A Penn State College of Education associate professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction who has been involved in a two-year endeavor that will include a series of publications redefining and describing what it means to be a professional development school (PDS) says that project is about to launch.

Bernard Badiali says the nine essentials that were developed in 2007 determined whether a school-university partnership really was a professional development school. “The rewriting of the essentials is an update that reflects their evolution; they have evolved from being definitional in nature to aspirational in nature. The new edition includes moral imperatives missing in the original,” he said.

Sponsored by the National Association for Professional Development Schools (NAPDS), the principles expand upon concepts such as anti-racist pedagogy; equity and reciprocity between partners; foundational pillars of partnership; clinical preparation of new teachers; shared governance; leadership; boundary spanning roles; and resource allocation.

Badiali added that this is a more elaborate rolling out of what it means to be a PDS. “The nine essentials, as a sort of a trademark, are still in place. But the way they’re defined and explained now act as guides for any university-school partnership that really wants to become a professional development school,” he said.

“This is new because it attends to the most critical social issues of our time. The first essential defines a PDS that is a learning community guided by a comprehensive articulated mission that’s broader than the goals of any single partner that aims to advance equity, antiracism, social justice within schools, colleges and universities in their respective communities and professional partners,” Badiali said.

“This is much more of an aspirational document that advises school partnerships that if they want to be a professional development school, this is a principle they must stand on. So, this idea of being an advocate for equity, anti-racism and social justice certainly was not in the first set of essentials. But because of the way our profession has evolved, we think it’s necessary if you’re going to have this kind of a partnership to make that one foundational idea.”

Badiali said today’s leading-edge teacher preparation schools are re-emphasizing the importance of clinical experiences. He has been involved with Penn State’s program since 2004. The Penn State/State College Area School District PDS currently is on hiatus, he said.

The 9 essentials of a PDS

1. A Comprehensive Mission: A PDS is a learning community guided by a comprehensive, articulated mission that is broader than the goals of any single partner, and that aims to advance equity, antiracism and social justice within and among schools, colleges/universities and their respective community and professional partners.
2. Clinical Preparation: A PDS embraces the preparation of educators through clinical practice.
3. Professional Learning and Leading: A PDS is a context for continuous professional learning and leading for all participants, guided by need and a spirit and practice of inquiry.
4. Reflection and Innovation: A PDS makes a shared commitment to reflective practice, responsive innovation and generative knowledge.
5. Research and Results: A PDS is a community that engages in collaborative research and participates in the public sharing of results in a variety of outlets.
6. Articulated Agreements: A PDS requires intentionally evolving written articulated agreement(s) that delineate the commitments, expectations, roles and responsibilities of all involved.
7. Shared Governance Structures: A PDS is built upon shared, sustainable governance structures that promote collaboration, foster reflection and honor and value all participants’ voices.
8. Boundary-Spanning Roles: A PDS creates space for, advocates for, and supports college/university and P-12 faculty to operate in well-defined, boundary-spanning roles that transcend institutional settings.
9. Resources and Recognition: A PDS provides dedicated and shared resources and establishes traditions to recognize, enhance, celebrate and sustain the work of partners and the partnership.