No Child Left Behind:

Funding Professional Development 

                                                            Pennsylvania Writing Project Network

www.pawritingprojectnetwork.org

 

Studies showing the writing project’s impact on student performance and behavior are numerous. Often using a controlled comparative method, studies have demonstrated that the writing project leads to increases in student achievement …. The writing project provides efficient and effective staff development to teachers who wish to improve their students’ performance in writing. As a long-standing program with rigorous, on-going evaluation, the writing project is a model of focused staff development that can be altered to accommodate the specific needs of schools and districts.

                                                                        National Staff Development Council, 1999

 

The eight sites of the Pennsylvania Writing Project Network are affiliates of the National Writing Project. Each is authorized to provide standards-aligned professional development for teachers and administrators as indicated in Title II, Part C of the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act.

 

Additional NCLB funding authorizations can be found in

Title I, Part A

▫         Professional development and mentoring programs for Title I schools and teachers

 

Title II, Part A

Professional development for helping teachers meet NCLB teacher requirements

▫         Professional development in subject-matter knowledge, improving teaching skills, assisting teachers to use Pennsylvania’s academic content standards and student achievement standards, and state assessments to improve student achievement

 

Title II, Part D

▫         Professional development focused on enhancing education through technology

 

Title III, Part A

▫         Professional development focused on improving instruction for English learners

 

Title VII, Part A

▫         Professional development focused on improving the instruction of Native American students

 

Note: Title II, Part A specifically authorizes use of funds for the following activities related to improving teacher quality:

  • Partnerships with non-profit entities through grants of contracts to provide professional development activities, coursework, test preparation and testing.
  • High quality professional development and training in core content knowledge and effective instructional strategies, methods, and skills.
  • Teacher mentoring, induction, and support programs for new teachers.
  • Training in the use of technology for instruction and analyzing achievement data.
  • Bonuses and reimbursement for coursework for advanced degrees or certification (National Board Certification)
  • Bonuses and reimbursement for coursework for teacher certification in areas of high need.

 

For 30 years the National Writing Project has provided research-based, high quality professional development programs for teachers.

 

Pennsylvania Writing Project Network programs emphasize standard based promising literacy practices

  • Invitational Summer Institute
  • Professional development workshops
  • Classroom coaching and mentoring
  • Partnership and leadership development with schools and districts
  • Teacher research programs
  • Youth writing programs
  • Programs for teachers of English Language Learners (ELL)  
  • Writing assessment preparation
  • Workshops on PA Standards and the PLF
  • Writing Across Content Areas workshops
  • Programs connecting writing and reading
  • Curriculum development programs
  • Preservice and beginning teacher programs
  • Family literacy programs

 

The 8 Sites of the Pennsylvania Writing Project Network

  • Western Pennsylvania WP at the University of Pittsburgh
  • Southcentral Pennsylvania WP at Indiana University of Pennsylvania
  • Endless Mountains WP at Mansfield University
  • Capital Area WP at Penn State Capital College
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley WP at Penn State Corporate Center
  • Northeastern Pennsylvania WP at East Stroudsburg University
  • Pennsylvania Writing and Literature Project at West Chester University
  • Philadelphia WP at the University of Pennsylvania

For further information about how federal grants can be used for PWPN professional development programs, contact the site nearest you.

 

 

www.pawritingprojectnetwork.org

 

Pennsylvania Writing Project Network sites help teachers link theory to practice and practice to standards and assessment. PWPN supports the National Writing Project’s belief that teachers are the best teachers of other teachers and recognizes the primary importance of teacher knowledge, expertise, and leadership in and across schools.