LBUSD Gets National Attention for Teacher Training Program

A training practice in the Long Beach Unified School District in which teachers train fellow teachers has recently gained national recognition for its apparent ability to both save money and also raise academic performance among students.

The Hechinger Report and NBC recently called the school district's teacher training program "one of the nation's best-regarded professional development programs for new and veteran teachers."

According to Long Beach Unified's school bulletin, one program in particular – the "Write From the Beginning" curriculum – received special attention and was accredited with boosting student test scores by as much as 50 percent over the past six years.

One of the highlights of the program, the Hechinger Report said, is the fact that Long Beach's teachers train each other inside the classroom rather than hiring outside consulting companies for the same task. It is a practice that comes with significant savings as well as beneficial results for students.

According to the report, New York state spends around $100 million per year on professional development consultants. In comparison, Long Beach spends roughly $5.4 million per year on professional development, or, less than 1 percent of its budget.

"What this means is teachers become leaders and trainers," LBUSD chief academic officer Jill Baker told Hechinger. "We're teaching teachers within to go back to their school sites to train others."

Full Story: Read the full story on Long Beach Unified's teacher training programs at the Hechinger Report.