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Does Investing in Teacher Professional Development Make a Difference?

Adult students seated with laptops and engaged in a discussion.
June 2017 | Learning Policy Institute, Center for American Progress, and Learning Forward
Adult students seated with laptops and engaged in a discussion.

This set of resources from the Learning Policy Institute (LPI), the Center for American Progress, and Learning Forward includes a report, video of a convening, slide deck, and fact sheet. The convening program included a presentation of findings from a review of research on professional development that results in student learning gains. Looking at 35 methodologically rigorous studies, the LPI report, Effective Teacher Professional Development, identifies seven key elements these programs share, signaling how states and districts can design professional learning to make a positive difference. Following the report presentation, panelists discussed the ways federal, state, and local policy and resources can help support the implementation of high-quality professional learning opportunities for teachers.