2014-­‐2017
American  University  and  Montgomery  County  Public  Schools
American  University
Professional  Development  School  (PDS)  Partnership
The Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) and American University (AU) Professional
Development Schools (PDS) partnership is designed in accordance with the following goals of the Redesign of Teacher Education in Maryland:
•
Enhance professional development of pre-service teachers through a clinically based teacher education program
• Continuous professional development for teachers and college faculty
• Inquiry into refinement of effective practices
•
Maximization of student achievement
1.
Purpose:
This partnership will provide a laboratory at Walt Whitman HS, Wood Acres ES, and
Bethesda ES, located in Montgomery County, MD, for AU School of Education students to participate in field experiences and internships. AU student-interns will learn best practices in teaching within real-world settings under the direction of MCPS supervising-teachers, as the student-interns prepare to become K-12 classroom teachers. MCPS will benefit from the student-interns’ work with students in the PDS and from the collaborative professional development opportunities offered to PDS stakeholders. The partnership will support constituent groups in improving K-12 student achievement and provide opportunities for teacher-interns, in-service teachers, school administrators, MCPS personnel, and university faculty to observe, teach, collaborate, analyze and reflect.
2.
Term of Agreement:
This MOU is in effect from July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2017. The MOU may be renewed by mutual written agreement for a specified period of time.
3.
PDS Principals:
• The PDS is governed by PDS standards established by the Maryland State Department of
Education (MSDE).
• According to MSDE, a minimum of five student-interns must be placed at a MCPS school for it to be considered a PDS. The PDS and AU will share in decisions determining number of student-interns placed.
•
The PDS will work with AU teacher-interns throughout their internship in a cohort during Fall/Spring or Spring/Fall rotations.
4.
Culturally Diverse Settings:
MCPS recognizes the value of cultural and ethnic diversity. Each party to the agreement will endeavor to assure that all internship placements are made with this objective in mind.
5.
Benefits of PDS partnership to stakeholders:
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American  University  and  Montgomery  County  Public  Schools
K-12 students will:
• Receive additional academic and emotional support
• Have added opportunities for remediation and enrichment through one-on-one and/or small group instruction specifically focused on students’ needs
•
Participate in flexible groups, reduced group size and differentiated instruction as the teacher candidates and mentor teachers implement co-teaching strategies in the classroom
•
Be supported in improved academic achievement, as measured by a variety of formal and informal assessments, through teacher-interns and supervising-teachers making informed instructional decisions based on analysis of student data
PDS Staff will:
•
Benefit from flexible student groups, reduced student group size, and differentiated instruction as student-interns and supervising-teachers implement co-teaching strategies in the classroom
• Work collaboratively with AU on professional development opportunities for teacherinterns, in-service teachers, school administrators, MCPS personnel and AU faculty
MCPS will:
• Develop a pool of highly qualified teacher candidates
• Have opportunities to provide input and share ideas to enhance the AU Teacher
Education program
•
Benefit from professional development opportunities offered to PDS staff by AU faculty
•
Work with AU to meet the NCATE/CAEP and Maryland State PDS Standards
AU will:
•
Meet the NCATE and Maryland State PDS Standards
•
Benefit from sharing the results of research conducted by PDS staff and/or teacherinterns within the PDS to keep abreast of best practices in teaching
•
Benefit from the collaboratively planned professional development opportunities offered to PDS staff
Student–interns will:
•
Have the opportunity to learn and practice instructional best practices in the classroom environment and therefore gain a comprehensive understanding of the social context of the school environment
• Gain a comprehensive understanding of the responsibilities that a teacher has to the students, school and community
•
Be supported throughout their 70-day (minimum) internship by highly qualified MCPS teachers and AU PDS supervisors and coordinators
•
Have opportunities to observe and reflect on their teaching with their supervisingteachers and university supervisors and coordinators
• Gain an understanding of data driven instruction as they work and plan with their supervising-teachers
6.
Roles and Responsibilities of the Parties:
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2014-­‐2017
American  University  and  Montgomery  County  Public  Schools
AU will:
• Work with MCPS to offer PDS staff professional development opportunities during internship rotations
•
Collaborate with MCPS and PDS coordinator in orienting school administrators to the understandings of being a PDS and to the PDS standards
•
Participate in PDS leadership meetings to share expertise about teacher development and student achievement
MCPS will:
•
Provide AU education students with field placements for their internships
•
Provide classroom field experiences and individual supervising-teachers for AU studentinterns
•
Send HEP representatives to PDS Leadership meetings among the university partners that have PDS collaborative relationships, to share expertise about teacher development and student achievement
• Compensate supervising-teachers at the rate of $50.00 per week pending budget approval and per MCEA contract agreement.
7.
Indemnification:
This MOU shall be governed by, subject to, and construed according to the laws of the State of Maryland. Both Parties shall comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws. No waiver, alteration, or modification of any provisions of this MOU shall be binding unless evidenced by written agreement signed by duly authorized representatives of the Parties. The
MOU represents the entire and integrated agreement between the Parties and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous negotiations, representations, or agreements, whether written, electronic, oral, or by course of conduct.
8.
Dispute Resolution:
In the event of any dispute, controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this memorandum of understanding, the parties shall consult and negotiate with each other and, recognizing their mutual interests, attempt to reach a solution satisfactory to all parties.
9.
Termination Clause:
This agreement may be terminated prior to its expiration date upon the occurrence of any of the following events:
• By mutual agreement of the parties;
• By either party no less than 30 days after providing the other party with written notice of the intent to terminate.
Agreement to Initiate:
This MOU constitutes the entire agreement between the Parties and supersedes all previous agreements and understandings relating to the subject matter hereof. This MOU may not be
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2014-­‐2017
American  University  and  Montgomery  County  Public  Schools
altered, amended or modified except by a written instrument signed by the duly authorized representatives of both Parties.
Montgomery County Public Schools
Larry Bowers Signature: __________________________ Date _______
Chief Operating Officer
Nicola Diamond Signature: _________________________ Date ________
Acting Associate Superintendent
Office of Human Resources and Development
American University
Signature: __________________________ Date _______
Signature: __________________________ Date _______
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