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International High School
Long Island City, NY
School Type: Public
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School Setting: Urban
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Level: High
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School Design: Alternative
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Content Presented By:
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National Awards Program for Model Professional Development
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Design and Implementation
- Interdisciplinary Teams. Student needs drive the structure of professional development. The faculty and student body are organized into six teams. On each team, five faculty members (math, science, English, and social studies teachers and a counselor) are jointly responsible for a multi-age group of about 75 ninth through twelfth graders. The faculty works with the same group of students for an entire year, providing a full academic program that focuses on one theme. Each team has significant decision-making power over the curriculum, budget, and scheduling, and three hours of meeting time are built into each faculty team's weekly schedule (via the early release of students on that day). Team members use this time to determine student needs, to set professional development team goals, to plan and carry out activities to reach the goals (including budgeting time and allocating funds), and to monitor and evaluate their practices constantly. Teams track student learning by observing and assessing daily classroom activities, projects, and portfolios. In addition to team efforts, each staff member prepares individual professional development plans which include goals, activities, and outcomes that relate to improving student achievement. Individuals seek support from fellow team members and are accountable to them for executing the plan. In addition to the interdisciplinary teams, teachers team teach, mentor, and observe each other, and engage in peer review.
- School-Wide Cooperative Leadership. The entire school staff determines the direction of professional development through stages of recommendation and approval by different teacher groups. This process of decision-making is bottom-up; everyone's expertise contributes to the professional development of everyone else.
- Substantial Fiscal Allotment. 50% of IHS's discretionary funds, totaling about $80,000, are allocated to professional development. However, the school speaks of fiscal resources in terms of time; each team has 500 hours to divide among its members for attending and presenting at conferences, taking courses, and pursuing other interests. No request for professional time has ever been denied, and the staff shares what they learn from extra-school activities.
NOTE: For tips on how this design can be replicated, select "Replication Details" from the menu.
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