ERS supported Boston Public Schools and the Boston Plan for Excellence-Boston Annenberg Challenge in conducting an in-depth analysis of the district’s existing professional development spending in 1998-1999. The findings in this study lead unmistakably to the conclusion that, at least for the short term, all professional development activities that are not linked to school-level plans for making teaching more effective and for improving student learning in literacy and math should be dropped.

Professional Development Spending in the Boston Public Schools (PDF)