The three most pressing issues affecting schools post-pandemic are learning loss, chronic absenteeism, and mental health support. While various strategies and tactics address these needs, only one can address all of them at once and has evidence of effectiveness: investing in supporting the teacher in the classroom.
The single most important in-school factor affecting student outcomes is the skills, knowledge, and abilities of teachers according to numerous studies, including influential research by John Hattie. Effective teachers nurture student curiosity, deliver clear and engaging instruction, assess student understanding accurately, adjust teaching strategies based on student needs, and build impactful connections with students.
However, only some teachers have all of those capabilities in equal measure. This means the role and importance of professional development that is sustained, engaging, and embedded is crucial to supporting teacher success.
The need to help teachers grow their capacity is why states, districts, and schools – as well as teachers themselves – spend substantial sums on teacher training. However, there is an opportunity now to increase, potentially significantly, the investment in professional development by using the remaining federal funds allotted to schools during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In response to the pandemic, the federal government provided unprecedented funding to help schools and districts reopen, recover, and reinvigorate. The federal government provided $190 billion in three rounds through the Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund.
The third installment of the ESSER funding from the American Rescue Plan provided $122 billion and must be obligated (i.e., under contract) by September 30 of this year and liquidated by January 28, 2025, with a few exceptions.
ESSER was an unprecedented infusion of funding for schools to recover and reimagine how teachers are supported, and students are educated. Using remaining ESSER funding for professional learning will help teachers enhance and adapt their methods to meet the needs of today’s students, according to experts at Discovery Education, one of the leading providers of educational technology and professional learning to educators.
“Times change and the classrooms of today demand new strategies for teaching and learning. Investments in professional learning are investments in the future, as participating educators will learn new ways to help this generation of learners prepare for success beyond graduation,” says Dr. Karen Beerer, senior vice president of strategic partnerships at Discovery Education.
During the pandemic, states, districts, and schools invested heavily in educational technology to keep students learning in a remote environment and, when in-person learning resumed, to enhance the learning experience. Taking advantage of available funding to enhance teacher training yields long-term benefits and helps school systems increase their return on pandemic resource investments, according to Dr. Beerer.
There are many types of professional development, but leaders should focus on training that supports teachers in becoming more effective across a number of critical components:
- Instructional Methods: Teachers who employ effective teaching strategies, such as differentiated instruction, formative assessments, and active learning tend to boost student engagement and understanding.
- Classroom Management: Effective classroom management creates an environment conducive to learning by minimizing disruptions and ensuring class time focuses on learning activities.
- Strong Student Relationships: Strong, positive relationships between teachers and students significantly improve student motivation and engagement, influencing student outcomes.
- Teacher Morale: Learning new skills and teaching methods can reinvigorate a teacher’s enthusiasm for their profession, decreasing burnout and improving classroom atmosphere and teacher-student relationships.
- Leveraging Technology: With the rapid integration of technology into education, professional development helps teachers become proficient with digital tools and cutting-edge instructional strategies essential for modern classrooms.
Discovery Education’s professional learning supports teachers’ ongoing development and helps them continuously improve their classroom instruction throughout their careers. Helping teachers fully take advantage of digital and online content and resources designed to nurture curiosity and improve student engagement is a foundational component of student success.
“We know that learning opportunities for each educator will enhance learning opportunities for each student,” Dr. Beerer says.
School leaders have begun to examine what specific expenditures are working and what are less effective in addressing their pressing issues. Though the ending of ESSER certainly creates constraints, there is no reason why efforts that start with ESSER funding cannot be funded with state and local money or even other federal programs moving forward.
Despite the multifaceted nature of educational outcomes, effective teaching remains the most direct and potent factor within schools that professional development programs can improve. Investing in professional development is essential for individual teacher growth, student outcomes, and enhancing the educational system as a whole.
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