Professional Growth Plans (PGPs) allow for cohesion across the educator career continuum. Educators first create a PGP in their educator preparation program, then they continue to create PGPs for certificate renewal throughout their career. PGP Template for educator preparation program completion (download to access) and PGP template for certificate renewal are similar, allowing for career continuity.
PGPs focus on developing goals and creating an action plan. As pre-service educators may or may not be in a position to implement their action plans, the evidence of implementation piece of the PGP is not required. PGPs for program completion are aligned to pre-service standards related to the candidate’s role (see below).
Programs may support their candidates in their PGPs for program completion by introducing the PGP process early in the pre-service educator’s internship, student teaching, or other field placement. The program may facilitate the collaboration of pre-service educators on their PGPs, as long as each educator’s work is distinctly their own. The program should make sure candidates are aware that the PGP for program completion is similar to the process candidates will be completing for certificate renewal throughout their career. This might be an opportunity to provide candidates with information on certificate maintenance after they obtain their first educator certificate.
Standards are integrated deeply into the PGP process as well as into the rest of the program. A program may use this as an additional opportunity to support candidates in engaging with these standards.
Pre-service role standards
The following standards are used by pre-service educators to align their professional growth plans (PGPs) for program completion.
- Teacher candidates: the Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) standards
- CTE teacher candidates: Standards under 181-77a-165 and as published by PESB
- Principal candidates: the National Policy Board for Educational Administration (NPBEA) National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP) Standards – building level
- Superintendent candidates: the National Policy Board for Educational Administration (NPBEA) National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP) Standards – district level
- Program administrator: the National Policy Board for Educational Administration (NPBEA) National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP) Standards – district or building level
- CTE director candidates: Standards published by PESB
- School counselor candidates: American School Counseling Association (ASCA) professional standards and competencies
- School psychologists: National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) professional practices
Resources
- PGP for program completion slide presentation
- Pre-service teacher self-assessment (InTASC)
