Act 48

- Resources

Act 48

Act 48 - Handbook and Guideline /documents/2024/6/act_48_guidelines__handbook_2019-2022___2.pdf

Website to register for Archdiocesan ACT 48 workshops: https://www.solutionwhere.com/ww/aop/
Principal's Form Request
- Form to Request Act 48

Pre-Act 48 Program | Day of 48 Program | After Act 48 Program | PDE Act 48 Credit Check

Introduction

As professionals in an ever-changing society, the state’s educators are required to continually update their knowledge and skill set—just as we expect for lawyers and doctors.
Pennsylvania’s professional development law—known as Act 48 of 2013, describes the requirements that apply to all certified educational professionals:
- All Act 48 continuing education shall be designed to meet the education needs of school entities and their professional employees so that they may meet the specific needs of the students they are serving.
- Act 48 continuing education should bridge educational gaps in the educator’s professional development.
- Professional development must be based on sound research and promising practices.
- Professional development must be part of an approved plan for educators’ skills over the long term.
- Professional development activities must be consistent with district goals set for Act 48 P.D.
All certified educators must complete 180 hours of professional development that complies with their school provider’s planevery five years.
- The 180–hour requirement can be met:
  - Six college credits in area of certification/teaching assignment. These credits are reported directly by the college to the PDE.
  - Six credits of continuing professional education courses in area of certification/teaching assignment
  - 180 clock hours of continuing professional development in increments of a minimum of 3 hours per topic.
  - Any combination of the above.

Professional Development Provider

The Office of Catholic Education of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia applied for and received re-approval as a Professional Development provider limited to activities provided/sponsored by and approved by the OCE.
The PA Department of Education reserves the right to revoke a provider’s approval if the provider fails to comply with the requirements contained in the guidelines for Act 48.
The current approval applies for the period from September 1, 2019 until August 31, 2022.

Continuing Professional Education Credit Courses

(College Credits)

Continuing education courses may count towards an educator’s Act 48 requirements only if

The course meets the Pennsylvania Professional Education Criteria.
Includes 14 hours of instruction and 16 hours out of class work for each credit.

Application for college credits received through colleges in Pennsylvania must be processed through the college.

We are not able to submit credit for colleges or other outside agencies.

Subcontracting by Approved Providers

Approved providers have the authority to employ other educators, consultants, agencies, trainers or others qualified to provide continuing professional education activities for educators in local school entities or other settings; such as: Catapult, Title I, conferences planned by curriculum committees
Standards of high quality and adherence to the provisions of the provider’s plan must be upheld.

ACT 45

When any administrators who hold PA administrative certificates begin their next five year period toward keeping their certificates active, they must all be Act 45 hours. This means they must be in line with our Act 45 plans and respond to the criteria in the PA Inspired Leadership. All of their workshops need to be geared toward the administrator’s role and not the teaching role. If they have a teaching certificate as well, complying with Act 45 will keep both certificates active.

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION CRITERIA – Based on Needs, Content and Process

NEEDS

Professional development decisions are based on Student Data: Terra Nova, Beacon, Scantron, PSAT, or SAT results. Dis-aggregated student data is used to determine educators’ learning priorities. This data is evaluated to show its impact on teaching practice and student learning. Follow-up activities are essential.

CONTENT

Professional Development Activities should have content that will focus on increased student learning for each group as follows:

Teachers, Guidance Counselors and Educational Specialists

Content knowledge in the area of certification/assignment;
Teaching skills based on research on effective practice and applicable to a teacher’s area of assignment/certification;
Classroom-based assessment skills and the skills needed to analyze and use data in instructional decision making;
Skills to work effectively with parent and community partners.

School and District Administrators

Knowledge and skills to think and plan strategically, ensuring that assessments, curriculum, instruction, staff professional education, teaching materials and interventions for struggling students are aligned to each other as well as to Pennsylvania’s academic standards;
Skill to access and use appropriate data to inform decision-making;
Focus on creating a culture of teaching and learning with an emphasis on learning;
Instruction in managing resources for effective results.

PROCESS

Prior year is evaluated annually by reviewing:

Student data
Professional education activities
Feedback/evaluation of these activities
Is based on knowledge of adult learning styles
Is tailored to each stage of an educator’s career, differentiating between the needs of novice and experienced professionals.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CRITERIA

The OCE professional development criteria has clear objectives focused on student-based outcomes and is based on principles of adult learning theory.

Our activities:

Are autonomous and self-directed, assuming responsibility for presentations and group leadership and realize how learning will help to reach goals.
Have foundation of life experiences and knowledge, measuring the new knowledge and skill against current tools for instructional design and presentation.
Are goal-oriented, transfering skills into their daily repertoire in the classroom.
Are relevancy-orientated, applying learning to work and other responsibilities.
Are practical, not interested in knowledge for its own sake, but for how it is useful to them in their work.
Provides professional education in an approved area of the PA Professional Education Criteria and is aligned to the PA Educational Standards.
Uses a curriculum that is based on research or best practices and a delivery model that emphasizes sustained, job-embedded professional development activity.
Assesses participant proficiency.
Assesses impact on professional practice.
Is evaluated to determine impact on student learning and school success.

Goals
As Identified in Approved Plan for the
Archdiocese of Philadelphia as a Provider

Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment

Goals

By the year 2022:

Elementary students will obtain an 80% growth rate, as indicated by the Normal Curve Equivalent on Terra Nova.
At least 80% of elementary students’ obtained scores will be greater than, or equivalent to, their anticipated scores as measured by the alignment of their CSI scores in the In View ability testing with the achievement scores obtained in the Terra Nova testing.
Achievement scores, as measured by the Objectives Performance Index, will increase by 10% above the current scores in the Terra Nova testing.
By the year 2022, at least 80% of all secondary students will demonstrate proficiency in ELA and Algebra as measured by standardized testing. Proficiency will be identified as achievement at or above the 70th percentile on a national norm.
All Archdiocesan teachers will use as a foundation for instruction, in all content areas, rigorous and relevant standards which are research-based and which focus on college- and career-readiness for students

Acceptable Activities:

Designated teachers and administrators will learn to use a variety of research-based assessment strategies.
Teachers and administrators will be provided with strategies for preparing students to successfully participate in Next Generation Assessments.
Using the Understanding by Design Framework as a planning tool, teachers will focus on the appropriateness of an assessment to specific instruction and content.
Teachers will learn how to analyze test data from DIBELS, Terra Nova, Beacon, PSAT, SAT, benchmark assessments and End-of-level performance assessments.
Teachers will be guided to develop ideas for meeting the needs of learners based on the data examined.
Administrators will learn how to examine data to assist them in thoughtful leadership to achieve academic goals.
Standards identification, unpacking for the essential elements, seeking activities that align to the standard(s) and teach the student how to apply the knowledge to real world, rigorous, relevant situations.
Participants will be able to identify the core standards for each of the disciplines identified in STREAM education and will be able to identify appropriate instructional strategies to plan for effective interdisciplinary learning
Teachers and administrators will learn how to interpret data and share that data with parents and community so parents and community members become active partners in the education of the students in Archdiocesan schools.
Teachers will apply good assessment practices while constructing quality assessments in all content areas.
Teachers will be guided in developing strategies for meeting the assessment needs of learners in all content areas.
Administrators will learn how to examine assessments to assist teachers in the use of appropriate assessments across the curriculum.
Teachers and administrators will learn how to construct and use interdisciplinary assessments.
Teachers will learn about and apply strategies for implementing the Rigor and Relevance, Understanding by Design and/or Learning Sciences International frameworks in the context of a Standards-based curriculum
Administrators will learn how to facilitate change in their buildings using the Danielson Framework and monitor and support quality teaching strategies in the classrooms.
The strategies and research of the International Center for Leadership in Education. Learning Sciences International, will be utilized, as well as those of noted education specialists, such as Marzano, Wiggins, Danielson, et al in the training we do.

Unacceptable Activities:

Demonstration of a product for the purpose of school adoption of the product.
Repeated content, such as learning Google Tools or the unpacking of standards when it is not connected with new instructional components to enhance student learning.
Planning sessions and sharing sessions.

Book clubs Technology Integration

Goal

By the year 2022, various forms of technology will be used as instructional tools in 100% of our classrooms.

Acceptable Activities:

Teachers and administrators will be able to effectively use instructional technology tools in classroom practice.
Becoming fully engaged in the learning by taking the knowledge or skill and presenting its application in a real life educational setting through demonstration.
Demonstrating actual classroom activities that underscore both the learning and research gained from the professional development opportunity.

Unacceptable Activities:

Product demonstrations by a vendor or implementation of technology tools Practice or implementation of a Student Information Management System (SIS) Sharing sessions or repeated sessions using the same technology content.
Learning non-instructional technology or technology for personal use.

Special Education

Goal

By the year 2022, the instructional needs of special education students as well as those of struggling and gifted learners in the regular education classroom will be better met through a clearer understanding by teachers of the appropriate pedagogical strategies best suited for this population of students.

Acceptable Activities

Teachers, administrators and other educators will learn to identify the characteristics of special needs students. Teachers, administrators and other educators will learn to interpret the data used to identify special needs students. Teachers, administrators and other educators will learn to develop appropriate accommodation plans for special needs students Teachers and administrators, at all levels, will be able to identify students in need of either remedial or gifted educational services and will learn instructional and assessment strategies to use with these students. They will be better able to use data and checklists based on research to identify students in need of further testing for remedial or gifted services.

Unacceptable Activities

Educational Psychological Evaluation interpretation and writing of Individual Education Plans outside of a professional development workshop on use of the data to drive instruction. Middle States visits to a school for special needs.

Safe Schools Environment:

Goal

All school personnel will recognize the qualities of a safe environment for students, will apply safe school practices in all situations and be prepared to handle a crisis

Acceptable Activities

Educators will obtain the skills related to safe school initiatives with students, staff, and the community. Included in this goal will be peaceful classroom training as well as training on Safe and Drug-free schools. Teachers and administrators with be provided the tools and strategies which will enable them to deal with issues related to a Safe School Environment. In order to conduct a classroom in keeping with Safe Environment Standards, participants will learn how to plan for a variety of scenarios that will require them to strategize for the most effective learning environment under adverse circumstances. In addition, participants will learn strategies for daily best practice of an orderly, well organized learning environment to maximize learning The participants will be able to asset a situation for its nature and risk of harm to the school community, they will then learn appropriate techniques to respond to the crisis, including after care for the members of the community Participants will be able to identify when an intervention is necessary and to learn and practice various health interventions on practice materials, such as AED, Resuscitation dummies, practice Epi-pens, etc. Participants will be able to assess and create crisis intervention plans. in the event of a perceived threat, participants will be able to identify the threat and response with a suitable plan of action, such as run, hide, fight. School personnel will become more aware of the four foci of crisis management: Mitigation/Prevention addresses what schools and districts can do to reduce or eliminate risk to life and property. Preparedness focuses on the process of planning for the worst-case scenario. Response is devoted to the steps to take during a crisis. Recovery deals with how to restore the learning and teaching environment after a crisis.

Unacceptable Activities

Participants will read a book on school safety and share the concepts. Participants will take a trip to the local police department

Strategic Leadership:

Goal:

By the year 2022, 85% of educators in Archdiocesan schools will have had the opportunity to serve in a leadership capacity as verified by the annual school report.

Acceptable Activities:

Participants will identify and apply leadership styles to their current role. Participants will learn how to assess a classroom learning environment and then work with the classroom teacher to identify areas for growth in the delivery of instruction. The participants will learn coaching techniques, reflective practice strategies, and appropriate methods of delivering interventions when necessary. Participants will learn the roles and responsibilities of leadership as related to their area of assignment. Participants will be able, depending on their role in the school community, employ the laws that affect the delivery of instruction and assessment. Participants will be able to apply the Educational Acts affecting the delivery of instruction, including laws surrounding hiring, clearances and also the rights of the student, including but not limited to those with identified learning needs. Participants will become increasingly aware of the state and local laws affecting education and day-to-day operations of the school. Participants will learn of the effect of the change process in the learning environment.

Unacceptable Activities:

Actual instructional coaching time Implication of goals: The Office of Catholic Education is an Act 48 provider only for professional development activities which adhere to the above goals Writing a reflection paper on the benefits of instructional coaching

Writing a reflection paper on the benefits of instructional coaching

Ineligible Professional Education Activities:

We are not able to provide Act 48 credit for any of the following:

Activities/workshops taken outside an area of certification or work assignment except for school administration participating for the purpose of keeping updated on skills they may need to use in their role or to keep their teaching certificate active.
Any program for personal growth or an alternative career
Teacher/parent conferences, grade book analysis, preparation of report cards
Repeating a course or program unless it has significantly changed its focus or approach.
Instruction time, serving as mentor or cooperating teacher
Attending administrative faculty meetings with superintendent or principal
Supervision of school field trips
Tutoring
Tours of a school building
Preparing and presenting college course lessons; giving presentations
Extra-curricular assignments (coaching, drama, debate, clubs or student government)
IU Superintendent meetings
Equipment expositions; demonstrations of commercial programs
Undefined off-site retreats
Independent studies (teachers and administrators)
Studies/workshops/courses of a religious nature
Reading and sharing of books/articles
Faculty meetings/business meetings
Middle States Preparation
Scoring assessments
Activities provided by outside agencies that are not sponsored by the Office of Catholic Education.

School/Group Request Act 48 Professional Education Hours

At least one month prior to the Act 48 Program

Complete the Act 48 School/Group Request Form and submit the completed form along with the program agenda and presenter’s vitae to the Act 48 Coordinator.
This form must include responses related to the goals indicated above and needs of teachers as indicated on the back of the forms.
The presenter’s vitae must give evidence of his/her qualifications to present on the specified topic. Important: A presenter must be certified or have had received extensive training in the area to be presented.
If the program has been approved, it will be posted to the Professional Development Online Reporting System and the contact person will be notified by e-mail indicating that the session has been approved.
If the program does not fulfill Act 48 requirements, it will be returned to the contact person with an explanation of reasons for non-approval.

At least two business days prior to the Act 48 program, all participants must be registered on Professional Development Online Reporting System in order to receive Act 48 credit.

Each participant must be an employee in a Catholic School in the Archdiocese. We are unable to provide Act 48 credits for participants outside the Archdiocesan schools.
Because of the record keeping involved, sign-ins and late registrations will not be included in the spreadsheets submitted for Act 48 credit.
Participants are responsible for registering themselves. We cannot be responsible for any registrations submitted by another person or for registrations incorrectly placed.

Official attendance sheets will be e-mailed to the contact person one day prior to the program. Do not alter or add to these sheets. Altering or adding to these sheets will render them invalid.

On the day of the Act 48 Program

Participants should bring to the program a printed confirmation of registration confirming that they have registered for the correct session in adequate time.
Attendees must sign the official attendance forms. Names added to the forms will be disregarded.

After the Act 48 Program

Participants must complete the online survey on Professional Development Online Reporting System within ten days of the workshop/conference. By checking your transcript you are able to verify that your survey has been completed. If it is marked “Incomplete,” it has not been received and you will not receive Act 48 credit.
While a reminder is sent to the e-mail address provided in Professional Development Online Reporting System, participants do not need to receive a “reminder” in order to complete the survey as it is easily accessible on your WisdomWhere log-in page by clicking the word “evaluation.” We cannot be responsible for incorrect e-mail addresses or undeliverable e-mail.
An evaluation indicating the participant’s intended use of the skills learned during the professional development session is to be completed and submitted to the school administrator for placement with the teacher’s professional development records. This evaluation can be found on the teachers’ portal.
Original attendance forms for programs completed at the local school should be mailed to the Office of Catholic Education within a week to the attention of the Act 48 program director.
Participants are required to
- thoroughly complete the online survey related to the course
- complete the evaluation and do any follow-up activities as designated by the local administrator;
- Implement workshop skills into your teaching practices.
An official transcript of professional development activities conducted through the Office of Catholic Education is maintained on Professional Development Online Reporting System. Hours earned through activities approved on individual requests or participated in with outside providers are not transferred to the Professional Development Online Reporting System These are verified on the Department of Education web site.

IMPORTANT

Each teacher is responsible for making sure their profile on Professional Development Online Reporting System is complete, accurate and up to date. Inaccurate information can result in the loss of Act 48 hours. Each teacher is entitled to only one profile on WisdomWhere. Duplicate profiles are periodically removed and can result in the loss of recorded hours.
Profiles that remain inactive for a period of eighteen months will be purged from the system. Educators should periodically print a copy of their transcript from the system for their records.
Any discrepancy must be reported within sixty days of the completion of a professional development activity.
A listing in the Professional Development Online Reporting System transcript is only a verification of registration. It does not confirm completion.

Checking your Act 48 Credit on PDE

Enter PDE address: pde.state.pa.us.
On homepage, under Teachers & Administrators use the drop-down menu to access Act 48 and PERMS
Click on Online Act 48 Professional Education Record Management System
On Act 48 Reporting System page, click on View Continuing Education Progress for Professional Personnel ID
Enter your Professional Personnel ID Number. SS#’s are no longer accepted.
Click on Submit. Your current record will appear with hours totaled at the bottom of the page.

Act 48

GoalsAs Identified in Approved Plan for theArchdiocese of Philadelphia as a Provider

Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment

Goals

Acceptable Activities:

Unacceptable Activities:

Book clubs Technology Integration

Goal

Acceptable Activities:

Unacceptable Activities:

Special Education

Goal

Acceptable Activities

Unacceptable Activities

Safe Schools Environment:

Goal

Acceptable Activities

Unacceptable Activities

Strategic Leadership:

Acceptable Activities:

Unacceptable Activities:

At least one month prior to the Act 48 Program

Goals
As Identified in Approved Plan for the
Archdiocese of Philadelphia as a Provider