Mission Statement for the Local Professional Development Committee

New Licensure Standards Will:

Align professional development with continuous improvement of district and buildings.

Build capacity of staff.

Empower professionals to plan for their own professional development.

Allow for greater flexibility, recognize and promote job-embedded professional development.

Include renewal of certificates/license as a by-product.

Questions? Find the answers here!

What is an Individual Professional Development Plan? (IPDP)
What is the Rationale for the Individual Professional Development Plan?
What are the new licensing procedures?
What are my IPDP Professional Options?
What are the Local Professional Development Committee's Equivalent Activity Points?
Can I download the forms I need from here?

An IPDP is a goal statement that can be met through professional development activities such as coursework, continuing education units, or equivalent activities that relate to improved classroom instruction and/or to the area of licensure. It is a plan whose activities lead to professional growth and to completion of requirements for licensures.

Each educator employed by the Willard City Schools Board of Education who is seeking licensure must have an approved IPDP on file with the LPDC. Amendments, when necessary, must be resubmitted on the IPDP form to the LPDC. It is recommended that the IPDP be completed at least two years prior to the date of licensure or renewal.

The individual professional development plan must be consistent with the needs of the educator, the students, the school, and the goals of the Willard City School District.

The LPDC will be accepting Individual Professional Development Plans (IPDP) on or after July 1, 1999. Relevant semester credit hours and CEU's earned prior to July 1, 1998, will be approved on a retroactive basis with the condition that they were earned during the educator's current certification renewal period, and they meet LPDC criteria.

Educators must submit their plan to the LPDC by the second Thursday of the month in which they are seeking approval.

Approval of the individual plan shall require a majority vote of the LPDC membership. An LPDC member whose plan is being evaluated shall not vote.

All professional development activities which will be used to satisfy the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) renewal requirements must be approved by the Willard City School District LPDC.

The LPDC shall inform the educator in writing within ten (10) calendar days after the IPDP is reviewed. If revisions are required, the plan should be resubmitted prior to the next LPDC meeting. IPDP's which are denied may be resubmitted with modifications or appealed.

The Ohio State Board of Education has enacted Senate Bill 230 which creates a system of teacher licensure that is performance-based and grounded in the skills necessary for effective practice. In addition, mandates for school reform have established specific student achievement standards.

Both sets of reforms will require more of teachers, including a deep knowledge of subject matter, a better understanding of how students learn and a commitment to working closely with colleagues to design learning activities and new assessments. Professional development shall be designed to make school reform effective.

Change is both a people and policy process. We adopt the policies and standards for reform; however, meaningful change will occur when school staff have opportunities to develop the knowledge, skills, and beliefs which transfer to specific plans for change and into day-to-day routines.

Opportunities for professional development should address the complex relationships and interdependence among all aspects of the educational process. Implementing new organizational structures that promote shared responsibility, collaboration and continual learning for both students and adults is the goal of the Willard Professional Development Committee. Professional development is a continuous process of individual and collective examination of practice. It should empower educators to connect theory, practice, and student outcomes.

The professional license is valid for five years and ma be renewed by individuals currently employed in a school district upon verification that the following requirements have been completed since the issuance of the license to be renewed:

1) Six (6) semester hours of course work related to classroom teaching and/or the area of licensure; or

2) Eighteen (18) C.E.U.'s, related to classroom teaching and/or the area of licensure as approved by the LPDC; or

3) Ninety (90) hours of other equivalent activities related to classroom teaching and/or the area of licensure as approved by the LPDC in combination with the appropriate number of semester hours and/or C.E.U.'s.

State law requires a masters degree or thirty (30) graduate hours before completion of the educator's second renewal. The requirement of a master's degree or thirty semester hours shall ONLY pertain to any individual who is admitted to a licensure program at an approved college or university after July 1, 1998, and to any individual who is admitted to a licensure program prior to July 1, 1998, and who completes said program after July 1, 2002. (3301-24-08 of the Administrative Code.)

Each educator, upon request, shall receive a packet containing all necessary forms for the license renewal process.

Proposals for equivalent activities, accredited coursework and CEU's shall be submitted on the appropriate forms found in the Willard City School District IPDP packet.

In the case of Multiple Certifications: As the initial certificate is converted to license all additional certifications upon expiration will be added to that license. Any course work can fulfill requirements for additional certificates.

College Course Work

Two (2) official university transcripts or copies shall be submitted to the superintendent's office upon completion of the course for verification of certificate/license renewal. One of the copies will be placed in the individual's LPDC file.

Any college course work related to classroom teaching and/or the area of licensure will count towards the IPDP.

Any required work within a Masters Degree program related to classroom teaching and/or the area of licensure will count towards the IPDP.

[Refer to the Master Agreement for reimbursement policies.]

Continuing Education Units (CEU's)

The Ohio Department of Education no longer approves conferences or seminars for Continuing Education Units. The power to grant CEU credit lies with the LPDC. The LPDC will require the following before granting CEU's for workshops or seminars related to classroom teaching and/or the area of licensure:

Conference Title
Proof of Attendance
Agenda (with time allotments)
Learning Outcomes
Presenters
Provider Name and Contact Information