Examining Implementation Fidelity in America’s Choice Schools: A Longitudinal Analysis of Changes in Professional Development Associated With Changes in Teacher Practice

• In Event: Poster Session 7
  In Poster Session: Voices and Choices Influencing the Professional Development of Teachers and Teacher Education

Abstract

Most of the research on professional development has focused on particular aspects of PD that likely influence teacher behavior. Few studies have examined longitudinal effects of PD on teacher practice. This study examined 31 schools implementing America’s Choice (AC) program over four years. We found that AC schools varied in their implementation of the content and the process of PD prescribed by the AC design. Teachers in schools with higher growth in content and process of PD also had higher status and growth in reform-aligned practices. Future studies should explore whether the concomitant growth in PD and teaching practice is observed for other interventions and reflect on the potential for such analyses to unearth causal mechanisms when conducting PD research.

Authors

• Zahid Kisa, University of Pittsburgh

• Richard James Correnti, University of Pittsburgh