Dive Brief:

• The New Hampshire Department of Education’s Office of Educational Technology has run the OPEN NH program since 2005, offering teachers all over the state access to high-quality online professional development.
• Stan Freeda, the state educational technology director, writes for EdSurge that the program has always offered asynchronous, discussion-based PD opportunities that are aligned with state and local standards as well as educator needs.
• Keys to the program’s success has been charging teachers to create “skin in the game,” providing flexibility, adding self-paced tutorials and getting New Hampshire teachers to be course facilitators and developers, empowering them and fostering respect from participants who trust the local knowledge.

Dive Insight:

Teachers routinely complain about the quality of professional development in their schools. Part of the problem is that remote districts do not have access to nearby resources or the money to fly people in or out to conduct trainings. In New Hampshire, the large number of rural districts was a key reason why the state created the OPEN NH program. Other states might follow their lead or take advantage of existing online resources.

In Oregon, school reform organization Chalkboard Project has encouraged schools to tie compensation models to local professional development priorities. While taking classes at the master’s level may move a teacher into the next salary lane, it may not provide the extra skills he or she needs in the classroom. Incentivizing targeted professional development opportunities that might award badges rather than a traditional credential could help schools improve student outcomes.