10.16.3135    COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM OF PERSONNEL DEVELOPMENT

(1) The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall establish procedures for the development and conduct of a comprehensive system of personnel development. The procedures shall include:

(a) Analysis of state and local needs for professional development for personnel to serve students with disabilities that includes at a minimum:

(i) identification of preservice and professional development training needs to address personnel shortages and requirements for provision of qualified personnel;

(ii) review of the Annual Performance Report results in collaboration with the state Special Education Advisory Panel to identify statewide training needs to improve outcomes for students with disabilities consistent with the State Performance Plan;

(iii) implementation of a statewide needs assessment to identify specific professional development needs of special education and related services personnel conducted at least every third year.

(b) Implementation of a regionalized structure for the implementation of professional development which helps to ensure personnel have the skills and knowledge to improve academic achievement and functional performance of students, and enables personnel to deliver scientifically based academic and behavioral interventions, including scientifically based literacy instruction, and where appropriate instruction on the use of adaptive and instructional software.

(c) A detailed structure for personnel planning that focuses on preservice and in-service education needs and that describes procedures for:

(i) acquiring, reviewing, and disseminating to general and special education teachers, paraprofessional personnel (e.g., teacher aides and instructional assistants), administrators, and related service providers significant information about evidence based research practices proven effective through research or demonstration;

(ii) providing technical assistance to local educational agencies, educational cooperatives, state operated programs, and private programs serving state agency placed students with disabilities; and

(iii) identifying state, local, and regional resources which will assist in meeting the state's personnel preparation needs.

(2) The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall appoint a comprehensive system of personnel development council to ensure that public and private institutions of higher education and other agencies and organizations having an interest in the preparation of personnel for the education of students with disabilities have an opportunity to participate fully in the development, review, and annual updating of the state comprehensive system of personnel development. The council shall:

(a) develop a long-range personnel development plan and evaluate effectiveness of state personnel training activities in meeting the plan and make recommendations for in-service, preservice and technical assistance programs on an annual basis;

(b) establish procedures to ensure collaboration and coordination of Office of Public Instruction and local educational agency efforts in the utilization of current technology and training techniques in meeting the personnel development needs and use of appropriate networks, linkages, and databases; and

(c) report on recommendations regarding personnel preparation to the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the State Special Education Advisory Panel.

History: 20-7-402, MCA; IMP, 20-7-403, MCA; NEW, 1993 MAR p. 1913, Eff. 8/13/93; AMD & TRANS, 2000 MAR p. 1048, Eff. 7/1/00; AMD, 2007 MAR p. 678, Eff. 5/25/07.