RESPONSIBILITIES OF DISTRICT PDC
Approved: November 14, 2000
Revised: June 4, 2014
The PDC, working in partnership with building leaders and the local school board, utilizes standards for professional learning to guide the efforts of individuals, teams, schools and districts in setting policy, as well as organizing, providing, facilitating, managing, participating in, monitoring, and measuring professional learning to increase educator effectiveness and results for all students.
With the passage of the Outstanding Schools Act of 1993 (SB380), PDC responsibilities changed from an emphasis on meeting individual teacher needs to meeting district needs as identified in the district’s Comprehensive School Improvement Plan. Also, rather than presenting suggestions, ideas, and recommendations to the proper authority, this bill specifically directs the PDC to consult with the administrator(s) and then obtain board approval to provide professional development opportunities.
District PDC Goals:
Potential goals and strategies for the next calendar year will be examined by the committee and presented for discussion, review, and adoption. These goals and objectives will be published within the PDC handbook.
Needs Assessment:
Missouri law requires that the PDC conduct a Professional Learning Needs Assessment to determine the professional learning needs of practicing teachers. The responsibility for meeting this requirement is entrusted to PDC and the Office of Curriculum and Instruction. A Professional Learning Needs Assessment should be considered a continuous, data-driven, and ever-changing means of keeping a district responsive to student and educator needs. Needs Assessment data results are reported in the Professional Development Program Evaluation. Student data from the Curriculum and Instruction Program Evaluation are also used in the needs assessment process.
Budget:
The PDC has significant financial responsibility in Missouri schools as mandated by law. According to the Outstanding Schools Act of 1993 some of the responsibilities of PDCs regarding the expenditure of 1 percent of designated state aide received by the district include the following:
- Consulting with administrators
- Determining purposes for expending professional development monies
- Securing school board approval for expenditures that meet district’s Comprehensive School Improvement Plan objectives
- Expending at least 75 percent of the annually allotted money for professional development no later than June 30 of the current fiscal year
The budget will support the goals and objectives of the district PDC in alignment with the Comprehensive School Improvement Plan. It will be established by the committee and approved by a simple majority of a quorum of the committee. Eight voting members must be in attendance for a quorum.
Budget categories may include state and national conferences/conventions, staff development opportunities, grants for special projects, and expendables.
Distribution of PDC Funds and Expenditure Approval
- Conferences/Conventions
- National: The PDC will allocate funds to send a minimum of three delegates each year to a National PDC conference or convention. Preference will be given to committee members in Cycle B who have not previously attended a convention. Delegates will provide a brief presentation of the convention at the meeting that most closely follows the convention.
- State/Local: The PDC will allocate funds to send a minimum of three delegates each year to a state or local PDC conference or convention. Preference will be given to committee members in their first year, and who have not previously attended a convention. Delegates will provide a brief presentation of the convention at the meeting that most closely follows the convention.
- All expenditures will be approved by vote of the committee.
- The minutes of the PDC are generally used as documentation for distribution of PDC funds.
Miscellaneous Accounting Information
- For reimbursement of expenses, PDC will follow Pattonville accounting policies:
- The professional development leave policies will be followed by the PDC.
- Compensation for workshops approved by the district PDC will be aligned with the policies set forth by the Pattonville Curriculum Coordinating Council.
- The district PDC will approve compensation for outside presenters. Negotiations are expected when engaging outside presenters.
