Study Finds Limited Impact of Teacher Professional Development on Student Learning

A recent federally-funded study conducted by the American Institutes of Research and MDRC found little impact on student learning from a two-year sustained professional development math series.  Despite well-planned and executed summer institutes, one-day workshops, and follow-up coaching sessions with teachers over two years, the professional development "failed to discern a measurable impact on either teacher knowledge or student achievement."  Researchers cautioned that not all teachers were able to participate in all sessions (114 hours), but there was still not the expected beneficial result.  Similar results have been found in other studies.  http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/2011/05/new_study_shows_little_benefit.html