Appendix: Selected Major State Funding Programs for Teacher Professional Development
North Central Region
Illinois
Block Grant for Professional Development. This state program provides $20.9 million annually, which is distributed to local school districts on a formula basis and may be used for teacher professional development.
Reading Improvement Block Grant. The funds for this program are used to support reading programs in local school districts and may be used to train and retrain teachers in grades K-3. Annual appropriation is $83.4 million.
Tech Prep and Connections Project. Historically 20 to 25 percent of Tech Prep funds ($5 million in state funds) have been used for teacher professional development. The Connections Project ($175,000) funds two statewide conferences for the professional development of Tech Prep staff.
The Regional Offices of Education (intermediate units) provide teacher professional development for local school districts.
Indiana
Early Intervention/Reading Recovery. A large portion of the $3.9 million in this program was used to foster teacher professional development. At least 30 percent of the $4.5 million for computer learning and training grants was used for professional development.
Iowa
Success 4. About 65 percent of the $2.5 million allocated to this program may be used for professional development.
Phase III. About $23 million is provided annually to support teachers' professional development in conjunction with local school districts' comprehensive school improvement planning efforts and area education agencies' comprehensive accreditation plans.
School Improvement Grant (SIG) Endorsement Initiative. This program provides funds for professional development to reduce the number of conditionally certified special education teachers. It is a collaborative effort between the Iowa Department of Education and three state universities. Total federal and state funding is $1.2 million.
School Improvement Technology Act. A total of $210 million is provided over seven years to each Iowa school district for acquisition of computer technology and for professional development related to instructional technology. Each district receives a minimum guarantee of funds, with the remaining funds distributed on a per-pupil basis. Each district sets its own priorities. Funds are also provided to the 15 Area Education Agencies, which, in the state, provide a large amount of teacher professional development. Total annual funding was not provided.
Michigan
Mathematics and Science Centers. About 45 percent of the $7.6 million allocation is distributed on a formula basis for professional development in these areas.
State Discretionary Grants. A total of $14 million is available for professional development and training in the areas of comprehensive parent services, dispute resolution, technology, performance standards for teachers, and others.
Michigan School Readiness Program. Michigan reports that about 5 percent of the $72 million in this program is spent on professional development.
Minnesota
School Staff Development. The state requires that 1 percent of Basic Revenue (general state aid) be used for local school district staff development. The current funding level is not available.
Graduation Standards Implementation. An amount of $34 per pupil unit is allocated to school sites to prepare teachers to teach state graduation standards. An additional amount of approximately $1 million is allocated for regional workshops for this purpose. Priorities include scoring student work, ongoing implementation, and performance assessment.
Best Practices Network. A regional program provides funding to train selected teachers to assist other teachers in discipline areas.
Science and Mathematics Minnesota. This program provides $936,000 for teacher training in curriculum development and instructional strategies in mathematics and science.
Minnesota Learning Academy. This program provides certificates to local districts to enable teachers to attend certified courses to increase their skills in using technology. The funding level is $50 per teacher.
Ohio
Local Professional Development Block Grants. This program provides $9.7 million annually for locally generated professional development.
Regional Professional Development Centers. These centers provide professional development to educators on a regional basis with annual expenditures of $6 million.
National Certification Board. This program, funded by the state at $1.65 million annually, pays fees for the National Certification Board and stipends for successful teachers.
Peer Review. These monies may be used for training of peer reviewers and program operations. Annual funding is $2.875 million.
School Improvement Models. About $8.9 million of this $16.5 million program is spent for professional development.
Reading Improvement. On an annual basis, $1.7 million is spent on professional development and teacher training for Reading Recovery and other reading projects.
Head Start. About $1.5 million in state funds is expended for professional development.
Other Selected States
California
California reports a number of state-funded programs solely for professional development. These include:
Senate Bill 1882 - School Site Professional Development. Funds are spent on staff development for improving school-site planning and development. Funding level: $14.5 million.
Senate Bill 1882 - Regional Agencies. Funds provide regional coordination for improving professional development programs. Funding level: $3.5 million.
California Mentor Teacher Program. Mentor teachers receive a stipend of not less than $4,000. Funding level: $73 million.
Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment. This program provides support for first- and second-year teachers through a regionalized program. Funding level: $66 million.
Bilingual Teacher Training Program. Teachers who serve bilingual students receive specialized staff development. Funding level: $1.5 million.
Instructional Time and Staff Development Support. Funds are used to support staff development activities that are outside of the normal school day. Funding level: $195 million.
Comprehensive Teacher Educational Institute. Funds are provided for a bridging program assisting teachers in making the transition from college to the classroom. Funding level: $750 million.
Florida
Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP). FEFP, the Florida basic state aid program for local districts, by statute earmarks funds for staff development. In 1997-98, the requirement was $6.98 per FTE student. Funding level: $16 million.
Staff Development Incentive Program. These funds are used to support a competitive grant development program for districts. The districts use the funds to develop innovative staff development programs that occur outside the instructional day and that incorporate the criteria of effective staff development practices. Funding level: $5 million.
Sunshine State Standards and FCAT Area Training Centers. This program establishes six regional centers to assist districts in improving student performance through implementation of state standards and assessment. Funding level: $3.5 million.
Literacy and Learning Models. This program provides for the development and dissemination of research-based training programs. Funding level: $2 million.
Educator Training-Performance Appraisal and Students Gains. Resources are provided to train teachers in the use of student data. Funding level: $8 million.
Florida supports a number of programs that provide professional development for teachers in the area of educational technology. These include the On-Line Telementoring Project ($3 million), Florida On-Line Teacher Training ($8 million), Laptops for Teachers ($4 million), Technological Research Development Authority ($2.1 million), and the Technology Training Center of the Miami Museum of Science ($1.5 million).
Florida reports a total of $36.5 million in state funds for professional development.
Georgia
Professional Development Opportunities. These funds provide for programs of professional development to address the assessed competency needs of public school personnel. Funding level: $35.3 million.
Idaho
No formal programs of professional development are funded by the state.
Louisiana
8G Funding for Teacher Tuition Exemption. Teachers receive tuition for classes in the area of their teaching field. Funding level: $2 million.
8G Funding for Innovative Programs. Local districts submit proposals for funding of innovative programs. Funding level: $1.4 million.
8G Funding for Distance Learning. This program provides for satellite delivery of teacher professional development. Funding level: $1 million, of which only $22,000 is reportedly used directly for professional development.
Missouri
Missouri reports 76 state programs for professional development with a total funding level of $13.5 million. The largest of these programs are described below.
Regional Professional Development Centers. Regional centers develop multisector partnerships for curriculum reform and local district training needs. Funding level: $2 million.
School Improvement Initiatives. This program establishes Accelerated Schools Centers to provide training and technical assistance for schools beginning or using the Accelerated Schools Model. Funding level: $1.2 million.
Missouri Assessment. These funds are used for the professional development requirements of new state educational standards. Funding level: $1.2 million.
Starr Project. This project supports placing outstanding teachers at institutions of higher education to work with school districts and providing teacher training in new student assessment techniques. Funding level: $1.1 million.
Nebraska
The state provides funds for Educational Service Units to offer programs in staff development, technology, and instructional materials. Funding level: $9.7 million.
New Hampshire
Reading Recovery. State funds of $50,000 are dedicated to professional development for Reading Recovery.
New York
Teacher Resource and Computer Training Centers. The state provides $20 million annually for professional development based on local needs. Policy boards govern the centers.
Targeted Assistance Grants. Six grants provide instructional staff development in targeted areas. Funding level: $1.5 million.
Rhode Island
Student Investment Initiative. State funds target school-level professional development in local districts. Funding level: $2.8 million.
South Dakota
South Dakota reports a variety of very small programs for teacher staff development for which the funding level is well under $100,000 for each. Most are in the areas of vocational and technical education and agricultural education.
Tennessee
Tennessee reports a number of small programs for professional development: Tennessee Executive Development Program for Superintendents ($150,000), Tennessee Academy for School Leaders ($420,000), School Board Academy ($275,000), and Teacher Leadership Development ($150,000).
Texas
Centers for Professional Development. These centers, operated by institutions of higher education, provide a variety of services for local school districts involving the integration of technology and innovative teaching practices into preservice and staff development programs. Funding level: $3.4 million, of which 35 percent is estimated to be used for professional development.
