Description
Several California Professional Development Institutes (CPDIs) were established in 2000 by AB 2881 (Wright), fashioned after the Reading Professional Development Institute, which was established in 1999. Administered by The University of California’s Office of the President, the CPDIs offer teacher training in reading, mathematics and English language development in the form of summer institutes and follow-up work. Some CPDIs are housed in school districts, and some use trainers from a partner such as a county office of education, but all CPDI projects must be partnered with a university. Math and reading CPDIs now are approved to provide training for the Mathematics and Reading Professional Development Program (AB 466) (that is, districts who contract for CPDI services can be reimbursed with AB 466 money).

Funding
CPDI training typically costs $2,500 per teacher, usually including a $1,000 stipend per teacher. The 2002–03 budget includes no direct allocation for CPDIs. However, the legislation that established the CPDIs is still in effect, and the CPDIs have not been dissolved. Many California Subject Matter Project sites house CPDIs, an infrastructure that will help support the CPDIs, and AB 466 money and federal Reading First money will be used by districts to purchase CPDI training and keep the CPDIs afloat. However, Mathematics and Reading Professional Development Program (AB 466) and Reading First funds can be spent only on reading and math CPDIs that use state-adopted instructional materials, leaving most English language development (and some math) CPDIs with no funding stream. In summer 2002, some residual Goals 2000 money was given to the English language development PDIs, to assist them as direct funding was phased out.

Participation
Despite funding changes, the state expects that CPDIs will continue to train teachers at a steady pace. CPDIs are legislated to prioritize teachers from schools in the 40th percentile or lower on the Academic Performance Index. In 2000–01, 68 percent of teachers participating in CPDIs were from low-performing schools at or below the 40th percentile. That same year, 55 percent of CPDI teachers were from the quartile of schools serving the most students receiving free and reduced-price lunch, and 57 percent were from the quartile of schools serving the most minority students. In 2000–01, 90 percent of CPDI teachers were fully credentialed, and 10 percent held emergency permits, waivers or intern credentials.

CPDI Funding and Participants

Evaluation
There are four external evaluations of the CPDIs. Following the first year of evaluations, several preliminary findings have been reported. Participant and observer data from the evaluations show the CPDIs to be of high quality, have a positive impact and focus on the California content standards. The evaluations show that the extent to which the CPDIs address English language development within the content areas varies across programs, as well as the structure and content of follow-up activities.

Additional Resources

• California Professional Development Institutes
• References for California Professional Development Institutes