As you are well aware, over $14 million was cut from Georgia's professional development budget for the upcoming school year. In the face of this reduction, Georgia educators will find it difficult to meet their professional development requirements while maintaining a balanced budget across the board. As you plan your budget for the next fiscal year, keep in mind that PeachStar is a viable and cost-free option for professional development for K-12 educators.
Research indicates that onsite school-focused staff development has a greater impact on systemic change in schools with regards to teaching and learning. What's more, last year's Georgia legislation indicated that staff development should focus on school improvement at the local level. Participation in professional development on-location via satellite allows Georgia educators to meet this directive easily without the inhibitive cost of some offsite seminars.
PeachStar Education Services has been approved by the Georgia Department of Education to offer staff development credit for certification renewal. Staff development credit is available through participating local agencies and RESAs to educators who complete workshop and time requirements. One series PeachStar offers for professional development for K-12 educators is Annenberg, educational videos with coordinated web and print materials. Through this series, you will increase your expertise in your field and learn tips for improving teaching methods.
Using the quality professional development programming that PeachStar offers free of charge will enable your school to extend your budget to other areas of need. Professional development offerings may be found every day on channel 430.
