Can staff development be conducted afterschool or on the weekend?

Question: I have a follow-up question and comment on the Plain Talk question, “What is the purpose of staff development days?” I have been also wondering about these staff development days… what is going on when over 10 substitutes are called into the TLC on one day, for some type of all-day meeting that the teachers are attending? This must cost an extra amount of money for a school day, plus with a substitute the kids are not most likely getting the “best” education day. Can some of these development classes and discussions be conducted after school hours or on weekend?


Answer: No, the times we can require staff to attend staff development and trainings is governed by their contracts, and they must be done during paid hours.

Students are benefitting from these trainings. For example, we recently held training for our new literacy program during the school day. All staff received training in the morning together. In the afternoon, the teachers returned to their classrooms and were observed by the consultants who lead the training.

Trainings in the TLC are typically done by grade level, so the greatest number of teachers that would be involved on a given day would be six.
-answered by Stephen Tomlinson, District Superintendent