DESE Professional Development & Educator Growth Flashcards

What is the main purpose of the Massachusetts Educator Evaluation Framework's Self-Assessment step?

Answer: To allow educators to reflect on their own practice, identify strengths and areas for growth, and set professional development goals

The Self-Assessment is an educator-driven reflective process that launches the evaluation cycle by identifying professional growth priorities tied to their practice and student outcomes.

Which Massachusetts DESE tool or resource is designed to help educators identify high-quality professional development aligned with state standards?

Answer: The DESE Professional Development Catalog and approved provider registry

DESE maintains a catalog of approved professional development providers and resources to help educators find activities that count toward their PDPs and are aligned to state standards.

In the Massachusetts evaluation framework, what is a 'Student and Educator Support Plan' (formerly a Directed Growth Plan) used for?

Answer: To set specific, measurable improvement goals for an educator rated 'Needs Improvement' with timelines and support structures

A Directed Growth Plan (Student and Educator Support Plan) is assigned to educators rated 'Needs Improvement,' outlining targeted goals, strategies, and a support timeline for improvement.

Which of the following best describes 'job-embedded professional development' as endorsed by Massachusetts DESE?

Answer: Learning that occurs within the context of daily teaching work, such as lesson study, co-teaching, or instructional coaching

Job-embedded PD integrates learning directly into an educator's daily practice through collaborative, classroom-based activities, making it immediately applicable to instruction.

Under DESE's educator evaluation framework, which component specifically addresses an educator's contributions to a positive school culture and professional responsibilities outside the classroom?

Answer: Professional Culture standard

The Professional Culture standard evaluates how educators contribute to a collaborative, growth-oriented school environment beyond their individual classroom practice.

Massachusetts DESE requires that professional development activities for educators include which key design element to maximize impact on student learning?

Answer: A connection to data on student performance and explicit measurement of impact on educator practice or student outcomes

DESE emphasizes data-driven, outcome-oriented professional development where activities are chosen based on student performance data and evaluated for their impact on practice and student learning.