What
is the SDLC?
SDLC
National Initiative:
The SDLCs are a
project of the National Staff Development Council (NSDC), an 11,000+
member national organization committed to high levels of learning
and performance for all students and staff members. The SDLCs
advocate for state and local policies and practices that support
outstanding staff development. They guide the work of small,
action-oriented groups in communities throughout their states,
helping to create schools in which "all students learn at high
levels." The first group of SDLCs was in
California,
Maryland,
Missouri,
New
York, and
Texas. There was a second tier
of SDLCs in Colorado,
Illinois,
Indiana,
Kansas, and
Louisiana. The initial effort was
partially funded by the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation. Since the
original 10 states began their work in 1998, other states have
joined in utilizing their own resources. Further funding continues
to be sought to fund this important work.
MSDLC
State
Initiative:
MSDLC
Overview
In 1998,
Missouri received a grant through
NSDC from the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation to create a Missouri
Staff Development Leadership Council (MSDLC). This one-year grant
provided startup funding for the formation of a statewide planning
team that designed and implemented an advocacy plan for state and
local policies and practices to support outstanding staff
development.
Rationale
Research
continues to emerge that builds the link between high quality staff
development and student achievement. Teachers and school leaders
have begun to rely on the rich, continuous growth opportunities that
quality staff development can provide. However, in the best sense of
collaboration, it is impossible to be the best we can be in
isolation. When we bump up against the restrictions of external
support and understanding through limits of time, financial
resources, human capital and high quality processes, we begin to
realize the necessity of creating new ways of supporting our
work.
Belief
Statement
We believe that
the challenge and opportunity of the MSDLC is to collectively
advocate for high quality staff development for professional
learning. Further, we believe that the message coming from the MSDLC
must be framed around the following:
- What high quality
professional learning looks like;
- What high quality
professional learning can do for student achievement;
- Deep understanding and
use of the NSDC Standards;
- A clear definition of a
"quality teacher;"
- The issues that are
urgently in need of action;
- Evidence of the impact
quality staff development can make.
MSDLC
Vision
To bring staff
development to the forefront and put student growth at the center of
all we plan and do. In this context, partnerships will join together
with a shared understanding that the need for ongoing professional
growth opportunities for all educators must become a local, state
and national issue. They will be united partnerships of
individuals and organizations that will work collectively to educate
policy makers, school boards and educators about what constitutes
high quality, effective staff development and, conversely, what does
not. The partnerships will work and advocate for local and state
involvement in staff development and student learning. The intent of
these action-oriented groups will be to influence policies,
resources and practices that support outstanding staff development
for educators.
MSDLC
Mission
To support
schools in which all students and adults learn and perform at high
levels.
Goals
1.
To create partnerships
that will join together with a shared understanding that the need
for ongoing professional growth opportunities for all educators must
become a local, state and national issue.
2.
These partnerships will
work collectively to educate policy makers, school boards and
educators about what constitutes high quality, effective staff
development, and, conversely, what does not.
3.
These partnerships will
work and advocate for local and state involvement in staff
development and student learning.
The
intent of these action-oriented groups will be to influence
policies, resources and practices that support outstanding staff
development for educators.
