Need to know what counts and what does not count towards PD? Here is all the info you will need.
For activities/events/workshops/trainings to qualify for PD they must pass the following criteria outlined in Title 5 and guidelines established from the Chancellors office:
- Does the activity contribute to student, staff, and/or instructional improvement?
- Student improvement– teaches you to assist students with larger, non-instructional issues; e.g. making better-informed life choices, becoming more meaningful contributors to society, becoming better informed citizens, etc.
- Staff improvement – develops your non-instructional workplace skills
- Instructional improvement –develops your instructional skills, methods, etc.
- Does the activity align with Title 5?
“The activities which college personnel will be engaged in during their designated staff, student and instructional improvement days. Activities for college personnel may also include, but need not be limited to, the following:
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- course instruction and evaluation;
- staff development, in-service training and instructional improvement.
- program and course curriculum or learning resource development and evaluation;
- student personnel services;
- learning resource services;
- related activities, such as student advising, guidance, orientation, matriculation services, and student, faculty, and staff diversity;
- departmental or division meetings, conferences and workshops, and institutional research;
- other duties as assigned by the district;
- the necessary supporting activities for the above;”
- Is the activity voluntary and without compensation?
Are you being paid for the activity? Effective with the 2011-2012 academic year, the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office has stated that there can be no “double-dipping” for professional development. Any paid work is not eligible for PD hours. You cannot accept additional compensation of any kind for something you are already paid to do (stipends, honoraria, gifts, advancement on salary scale, etc.)
PD eligible activities does not include any part of your classroom/teaching preparation since that is compensated as part of your teaching load. For example, routine preparation and/or updating of classroom structures, schedules, readings, handouts, PowerPoint slides, presentations, lectures (including video) and syllabi does not count as professional development. Likewise, mentoring students during office hours is a routine activity and does not qualify as professional development. Making travel arrangements for a field trip that is part of course requirements is not a professional development activity. Note there are some Curricula or Review Articulation of Courses and Mentor and/or Advise Students and other categories that do count as PD, read more on what does qualify in the google doc below.
- Will the taxpayers approve?
- We’re public employees – If the taxpayers find out their tax dollars paid you for this activity instead of classroom instruction, will they approve?
- Subject to review / audit –As public records, PD transcripts are subject to review and/or audit by anyone at any time until the third July 1st beyond the activity’s completion date (Class 3 Disposable Records per Title 5).
- Cover your bases –Try to make sure your activities and supporting documentation leave no room for questions. In the event of a review or audit you may be asked to provide reasonable justification.
Using the guidelines above all workshops and events in the P3D portal are already preapproved and vetted to fit into one of the aforementioned categories. Are you looking for some more flexibility for your Professional Development?
There is also a plethora of Self-Designed External Training!
If you would rather learn on your own time, you can choose from numerous self-designed PD opportunities. In our P3D portal, self-designed training is termed External Training. To add External Training to your Learning Transcript you have to go to the P3D Portal and go to My Transcript, then choose click on Options and select Add External Training. You will then be able to add the details of the self-designed external training and select the appropriate self-designed workshop category.
Important Note: You cannot mark an External Training complete until the end date you entered has past! Faculty- Be sure the end date for your External Training is at least a couple days before the PD deadline so you have time to mark it as complete.
VIDEO TUTORIAL: Click here for a video to walk you through the steps