PDS Site Selection: Implications for Educational Reform and Restructuring.

This paper defines and describes nontraditional Professional Development School (PDS) sites, atypical collaborations, and the responsibility of schools, colleges, and departments of education in selecting and developing those sites. The paper suggests that the influence of PDSs on both school reform and the preparation of educators is likely to be attenuated by the way in which they are typically defined and implemented. While traditional PDSs are based at one school site, nontraditional PDSs can be located outside of a school, at multiple sites, or within entire school systems. At nontraditional sites, there is not just concern for the preparation of preservice teachers but also for the preparation of educational professionals such as principals and other educational administrators, school counselors, school psychologists, and related professionals (e.g., school social workers). Nontraditional PDSs focus on retraining practicing teachers or on other forms of staff development rather than just on training preservice teachers. Nontraditional sites may be located in inner city schools and poor rural schools rather than high-performing schools. Finally, nontraditional PDSs may include parents and community partners as well as school and university partners. (Contains 13 references.) (SM)