Education Minnesota’s TALL Project: Teachers as Learners and Leaders (Second Annual Evaluation Report)

Using money appropriated by the Minnesota Legislature through the Department of Children, Families, and Learning, Education Minnesota created TALL as a way to help teachers strengthen the quality of professional development in schools.
During the first year of TALL (2000-01), approximately 600 Professional Development Activists (PDAs) representing 250 school districts systematically analyzed the condition of professional development in their school districts (Phase I) and wrote action plans to address weak areas (Phase II). Most action plans focused on the compliance with professional development statutes and state requirements. Many districts needed to work on issues such as the structure of their Staff Development Committees and the use of money that was to be set aside for professional development.
In the second year (2001-02), with the support of Education Minnesota, the PDAs began the work of improving the quality of their professional development programs. During Phases III, IV, and V, TALL trainers offered sessions that focused on the themes of leadership, change, and the use of data. TALL trainers introduced the PDAs to the Action Research Project, a tool designed to get their district colleagues more actively involved in the improvement of professional development. After each TALL session the PDAs reflected on their training experience.
The evaluation in year two focused on the progress of TALL participants in Phases III-V, the content and congruence of the TALL documents completed by PDAs, and changes in TALL participation.