Advocating for PD
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Contents |
Topic: Developing an Advocacy Agenda for Professional Development
Why: 2009 will see a new Congress and a new Administration. Programs are feeling the bite from federal (and in some instances, state) cuts. What about professional development do you think it is important to advocate for? How do you envision AALPD enacting this role?
When: November 3-30, 2008
Where: AALPD-Updates List: aalpd-updates@proliteracylist.org
Discussion Framework
November 3 – 14: Advocating for Professional Development
During these first two weeks, AALPD members will discuss their responses to the question, What is it about professional development you wish to advocate for?
The purpose is to identify priorities for AALPD members in advocating for professional development. Members may choose to base their responses in the AALPD Recommended Policies to Support Professional Development for Adult Education Practitioners.
November 17 – 23: Being Proactive in Advocating for Professional Development
Based on responses to the question, What is it about professional development you wish to advocate for? AALPD members will discuss, How do you envision AALPD enacting this role?
Additional areas to discuss may include (but are not limited to):
- At which levels does it make sense to pursue each advocacy priority and why?
- Who are possible collaborators in advocating for PD?
- What resources are available? What resources do we need?
- What questions do we need answered?
November 24 – 30: Developing an Advocacy Agenda for Professional Development
AALPD members will identify:
- Priority action items
- Levels at which each action item will be carried out (local, state, and/or national)
- Who will lead each action item
- Possible collaborations within and outside of AALPD
- Timelines
- Next steps
Background
AALPD has always been responsive to public policy advocacy needs for professional development. It is central to our mission. One way that AALPD responds is to contribute its voice in shaping public policy through its membership with the National Coalition for Literacy (NCL).
In 2004, AALPD drafted the AALPD Recommended Policies to Support Professional Development for Adult Education Practitioners . The field enthusiastically vetted the recommendations and the membership adopted the policies with overwhelming support.
In December 2005, AALPD:
- Presented the AALPD Recommended Policies to Support Professional Development for Adult Education Practitioners to the NCL to consider in future legislation and advocacy
- Promoted the policies and provided their research rationale to State Directors, ProLiteracy, and other Coalition members
- Disseminated the policy recommendations to the field through the NIFL-AALPD and other discussion lists, at professional development venues, and on the AALPD website
In January 2007, AALPD contributed feedback to the NCL in areas where we felt that Title II of WIA should be strengthened to better support teacher professional development. Thus, the NCL included language in its Workforce Investment Act (WIA) reauthorization proposal to Congress that would allow states to use WIA funds to provide:
- 1. Incentives for hiring full-time instructors
- 2. Paid professional development release time for practitioners and allowances for hiring substitute teachers, where applicable, to provide release time for practitioners to attend professional development
- 3. Learner leadership activities, including, but not limited to, learner involvement in developing professional development policy, delivering professional development, and participating in learner leadership activities.
As you know, WIA reauthorization has been put on hold, this time in hopes for the 111th Congress to reauthorize.
In June 2008, the Commission on Adult Literacy released its report, Reach Higher, America. In July 2008, the NCL requested its members provide feedback on two things:
- Do you, or your organization, strongly support any of the specific recommendations in the report? If so, why?
- Do you, or your organization, strongly oppose any of the specific recommendations in the report? If so, why? What alternatives would you propose?
We were asked not to comment on items where Coalition members already agreed, but to raise points not yet raised. See AALPD’s response
Because we have the AALPD Recommended Policies to Support Professional Development for Adult Education Practitioners, AALPD can respond to just in time needs. However, as an entirely volunteer organization, we have limited capacity to be proactive. We would like to know:
What about professional development do you think it is important to advocate for?
How do you envision AALPD enacting this role?
Discussion Resources
http://www.aalpd.org/advocacy.html
- Contains a vision for advocacy work for AALPD
AALPD Recommended Policies to Support Professional Development for Adult Education Practitioners http://www.aalpd.org/documents/AALPDPDPoliciesFINAL10122005.doc
- Is the foundation of AALPD’s work across the organization
AALPD Policy Matrix http://www.aalpd.org/documents/PDPolicyMatrixFINAL10122005.doc
- Contains research rationale an sample practices for the AALPD Recommended Policies
