Professional development is most effective when it occurs in the context of educators’ daily work. College and university programs cannot provide the extensive range of learning experiences necessary for graduates to become effective public school educators. Once students graduate, meet their state’s certification requirements, and are employed, they learn through experience.

As in all professions, new teachers and principals take years to gain the skills they need to be effective in their roles. Th e complexity of teaching is so great that one-third of teachers leave the profession within three years and 50% leave within five years (Ingersoll, 2003). Even experienced teachers confront great challenges each year, including changes in subject content, new instructional methods, advances in technology, changed laws and procedures, and student learning needs. Educators who do not experience effective professional development do not improve their skills, and student learning suffers.