Education

PD Time Not Easy to Come By

November 19, 2008 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

The decision by the Newton, Mass., school district to add two additional early release days to the school calendar—beyond the existing four—has some parents upset and worried, reports The Boston Globe. The school says it needs the time for teacher professional development. The parents say their children are being robbed of valuable lesson time.

Sharon DeCarlo, executive director of instructional programs in Newton, explained that teachers need planning time in order to provide quality teaching. “This is not time when teachers are off doing their own thing,” said DeCarlo. “The purpose [of the professional development] is for teachers to be planning high-quality learning environments.”

Many parents complained that the extra early release days conflict with work schedules and leave children without supervision in addition to the reduced learning time.

Newton schools still meet the state required 180 days of class and 990 hours of instruction time, even with their students leaving 45 minutes early every Tuesday.

Financial constraints play a role in the early release days. Keeping full instructional time while adding professional development time would require longer hours and increased pay in contracts. The current economic climate keeps that from being possible.

A version of this news article first appeared in the Web Watch blog.

Events

Jobs Virtual Career Fair for Teachers and K-12 Staff
Find teaching jobs and K-12 education jubs at the EdWeek Top School Jobs virtual career fair.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar
How District Leaders Align Curriculum, Assessment, and Instruction for Student Success
Join K-12 leaders as they share strategies for aligning curriculum, assessment, and instruction to support all learners.
Content provided by Otus
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Reading & Literacy Webinar
Achieve Early Literacy Success at Scale
Researchers have uncovered an intervention helping schools achieve early literacy success at scale. Learn how to bring it to your district.
Content provided by Ignite Reading

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: January 15, 2025
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Quiz Education Week News Quiz: Jan. 10, 2025
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
President Jimmy Carter waves to the crowd while walking with his wife, Rosalynn, and their daughter, Amy, along Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House following his inauguration in Washington, Jan. 20, 1977.
President Jimmy Carter waves to the crowd while walking with his wife, Rosalynn, and their daughter, Amy, along Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House following his inauguration in Washington, Jan. 20, 1977.
Suzanne Vlamis/AP
Education Quiz Education Week News Quiz: Dec. 19, 2024
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
TIghtly cropped photograph showing a cafeteria worker helping elementary students select food in lunch line. Food shown include pizza, apples, and broccoli.
iStock/Getty
Education The Education Word of 2024 Is ...
Educators, policymakers, and parents all zeroed in on students' tech use in 2024, which prompted this year's winner.
5 min read
Image of a cellphone ban, disruption, and symbol of AI.
Laura Baker/Education Week via Canva