Professional Development

Below is the number of hours needed for the 2023-2024 school year.  The dates correspond with district Professional Development days on the 2023-2024 calendar

If your hire date is between:

June 3, 2023 - August 22, 2023 -- You will need 24 PD hours

August 23, 2023 - October 9, 2023 -- You will need 18 PD hours

October 10, 2023 - December 18, 2023 -- You will need 12 PD hours

December 19, 2023 - March 18, 2024 -- You will need 6 PD hours

March 19, 2024 - May 31, 2024 -- You will NOT be required to earn PD hours

An Individualized PD plan is a plan designed for each staff member who is required to earn PD hours. You and your building principal or immediate supervisor creates the plan using a google form. After your plan is completed and approved, your responses to this form will be used to complete registration for in-district courses through Vector PD Tracking. If you are attending out-of-district courses, check with your principal or supervisor for approval and steps that may need to be completed. A copy of each person's plan is on file at Central Office as a reference for approved PD and stipend hours.

Individual PD Plan: https://sites.google.com/covington.kyschools.us/staff-resources/professional-development

The district is transitioning to a new program to track professional development hours. Your responses to the individual PD plan will allow for the presenters to plan for materials and for accommodations.

If you don't have a Vector PD Tracking account, you will receive an invitation to create an account.

If a course is not listed on Vector PD Tracking this may mean that the course is not a district course. After you complete the approved course, complete a PD form (link attached). This form will be submitted to Davana Herron at Central Office for processing.

PD/Stipend Form

PD day #1 -- August 22, 2023

PD day #2 --  October 9, 2023

PD day #3 -- December 18, 2023

PD day #4 – March 18, 2024

In relation to the district and school's professional development, we adhere to the state-mandated professional development law, KRS 158.070 that states, "each local board of education shall use four days (24) hours of the minimum school term for professional development."

For more information click this link to be directed to the Kentucky Department of Education Professional Learning website. https://education.ky.gov/teachers/PD/Pages/default.aspx

ALL certified teachers are required to complete 4 days (24 hours if your local board has approved a flexible PD calendar) of professional development in order to complete the required minimum school term. If the teacher is employed for less than the minimum school term, then the amount of professional development required is pro-rated.

Professional Development calendar year -July 1 to June 30. If your school does not have a flexible PD calendar, then PD should be completed prior to the closing day of school. In addition, district policy may dictate a cut off date for PD activities to be completed. Professional development activities may begin for the next school year after all closing activities are completed for the current school year provided the district is on a flexible calendar.

High-quality professional development activities are those that are clearly connected to the school/district improvement plan, and/or the Professional Growth Plan (PGP) of the teacher, which were identified through a needs assessment process. Isolated events that are not connected to school/individual improvement plans or the PGP and do not include follow-up do not meet the criteria for high-quality professional development.

Determining the quality of professional development and subsequently approving professional development for credit is the responsibility of the school district. According to KRS 158.070(4)(b)(2) the principal or if school council policy dictates it, the school council itself, is responsible for approving professional development. The professional development coordinator is responsible for determining whether district level professional development meets the standards and is approved. The Kentucky Department of Education does not determine the quality of professional development, nor does it endorse or approve professional development opportunities.

The planning guidelines require a needs-assessment process that includes analyzing school and district data as well as individual professional growth plans and other sources to determine needs for professional development. These needs also grow out of the identified academic content goals for students. Any time there is a need to change practice, there is a need for professional development.

Yes, professional development money may be used to pay stipends to staff attending training sessions outside the 4-day professional development requirements. Stipends cannot be paid for attending training that occurs on a day in the school calendar, unless it is after school hours. That would be double compensation.

No, this would be double compensation for the same day and it is not allowed.

Districts have the responsibility of approving professional development hours accumulated by their staffs. Should the district choose to approve the hours a teacher serves, as a trainer for a professional development program, said teacher should not receive a stipend for program delivery. While professional development might be awarded for the hours spent preparing the training session, guidelines for acceptable professional development activities would have to be followed.

No. However, parent-teacher conferencing skill development is permissible as professional development 704 KAR 3:035 Section (4)(9).

Yes, if the activity is designed to be a collaborative analysis of students' assessments with the goal to determine what changes to make in instructional practices. The scoring of writing portfolios in isolation is an assessment administration responsibility for faculty and as an activity is not acceptable as high-quality professional development.

No, the 4-day (24 hour) professional development requirements and state funds allocated for professional development are for experiences that shall, "Be related to teachers' instructional assignments and administrators' professional responsibilities. Experiences shall support the local school's instructional improvement goals;" and "Be aligned with the school or district improvement plan or individual professional growth plans of teachers." 704 KAR 3:035 Section (4)(2). Coaching is not a responsibility that requires professional development as described above. In addition, Athletic Director is not a position recognized as "administrative" under KRS 156.011.

Not as an isolated activity. If the content of the videos clearly supports the individual /school/ district improvement plan goals and is part of an ongoing professional development program, then it could be considered high quality. Simply watching videos to meet the 4-day (24-hour) requirement is not high-quality professional development.

• Professional development must align with the Comprehensive School Improvement Plan
• Professional development must occur outside the workday (not paid stipend)
• Professional development must be approved, in advance, by your principal/supervisor
• Verification of attendance in approved sessions is due to the district’s professional development coordinator (PDC) no later than Closing Day of each year
• Certified and classified employees must submit an approved Professional Development plan annually
• Up to six (6) hours of professional development can be given for attending a national conference or out-of-district conference IF the conference is outside the school day
• Any activity that will lead to remuneration beyond food and travel is not awarded PD credit. For example, the National Board Certified Teacher, once the certification is obtained, certified employees will likely obtain their Rank 1 and also request the annual $2000.00 stipend.  Thus remuneration for obtaining the certification prevents PD credit from being awarded.