More on teacher professional development

Recent research (and comments from educators themselves) underscore the importance of teacher planning time and collaboration to improving student achievement. Wisconsin legislation enacted in 2009, A.B. 95, takes an interesting approach to embedding teacher prep time and collaboration in the school day. The bill creates a new mandatory subject of collective bargaining in the state--time spent during the school day, separate from pupil contact time, to prepare lessons, labs, or educational materials, to confer or collaborate with other staff, or to complete administrative duties.