As policymakers focus their inquiries into professional education and the training of teachers, a preliminary framework, based on five questions, can guide them. These are: (1) Do state policies on professional development recognize the complexity of improving student outcomes? (2) Are state professional development programs linked to student…

State mandates for teacher professional development and continuing education, and funding for those mandates are a high profile topic in the North Central region. Examination of specific state requirements for professional development, the relationship among professional development, teacher certification, and continued employment, and direct…