Find out how Decatur County Schools, located in the southwest corner of Georgia, found that PD 360 allowed them to provide differentiated learning for their teachers and build Professional Learning communities (PLCs) in their schools.

1. School Improvement Network
Case Study
Small, Rural Georgia District
Increases Teacher Effectiveness with
Online Differentiated Development
Decatur County Schools, Georgia
“Increasing teacher effectiveness is not characteristically focused energy, Dr. Bonifay searched for
about sending everyone to a conference or the right tool, knowing she wanted the following features:
workshop. It’s about each individual getting
what they need, whether it’s classroom • Cost efficiency
management or instructional content/ • Large variety of subject matter
strategies, when they need it and getting it • Current topics
at their own levels.” • Convenient accessibility/unlimited viewing capacity
• Differentiated teacher learning
Suzanne Bonifay, EdD • Resources to build PLCs
Assistant Superintendent for
Curriculum & Instruction 6-12
Decatur County Schools, Georgia SOLUTIONS
While attending a state education conference, Dr. Bonifay
PROFILE was introduced to PD 360 and realized that it had the
features she wanted in an improvement plan.
Well known for its charming countryside and “southern
hospitality,” Decatur County is located in the southwest “PD 360 is a great means for individual and global
corner of Georgia and is home to Decatur County progress within a district. It is accessible and immediate,
Schools (DCS), a district recognized for its strong featuring diverse tools that integrate well for those
commitment to progressive and positive education. teaching academic content and electives, as well as for
those in a leadership support role.”
This is a small, rural system that serves 5,687 students
in eight schools. It offers many opportunities for Suzanne Bonifay, EdD
academically skilled students in addition to state and Assistant Superintendent for
nationally recognized plans for those at risk. Curriculum & Instruction 6-12
Decatur County Schools, Georgia
FOCUSES An integral component of School Improvement Network’s
Teacher Effectiveness System, PD 360 provides concrete
DCS is determined to consistently give students an solutions for DCS concerns.
outstanding education by making teacher growth a
strong focal point. Its specific professional development Cost Efficiency
(PD) concerns include the following: Dr. Bonifay finds PD 360 to be more economical for
the district than traditional conferences by providing
• Differentiated learning for teachers unlimited access; it is never just a one-shot training.
• Building Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) PD 360 has completely met her concerns of finding
professional learning that is high quality yet cost
A former principal and current DCS Assistant effective.
Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction 6-12, Dr.
Suzanne Bonifay has been keenly aware of the impact Large Library of Content/Current Topics
highly effective teachers have on student readiness and DCS educators easily find the help they need in the
felt the district required an updated, online resource 2,000+ fully indexed video segments that address
to meet the changing needs of educators. With
www.schoolimprovement.com | www.PD360.com | 800.572.1153

2. education’s most pertinent topics and have simple search IMPLEMENTATION AND DRIVING USAGE
ability. It is an advantage that School Improvement
Network is continually adding new programs to PD 360. The Decatur County Board of Education recognizes the
importance of addressing the requisites of all teachers by
Convenient Accessibility/Unlimited Viewing Capacity establishing, coordinating, and maintaining differentiated
DCS teachers are pleased to have the flexibility to professional learning programs.
access PD 360 at home or work and are encouraged to
conveniently take charge of their own learning. Educators Professional Learning Coordinators
also have unlimited access to view segments as many A professional learning coordinator is appointed at the
times as they wish and as often as they require. district level and also within each school to direct and
manage the teacher learning.
Differentiated Learning for Teachers
Dr. Bonifay believes that teacher education, like classroom Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (CSIP)
instruction, should meet a diversity of abilities and be Comprehensive school improvement plans that include
adaptive to evolving needs. With 2,000+ video segments professional learning components are individually
on 125 topics from 120 experts, PD 360 ensures that developed and implemented by the professional learning
teachers of every experience level can find individualized coordinators in the district and each school.
support to improve classroom strategies.
Observations/Evaluations
Professional Learning Communities Classroom observations are significant to teacher
PLCs are an important part of teacher growth and PD evaluations and key to identifying areas of need. As a
360 is a perfect tool for strengthening them. Groups school professional learning coordinator observes a
may watch a video segment on the selected topic and classroom, specific PD 360 segment links relevant to the
discuss how to apply the practice in their classrooms needs of the teacher are recommended, providing easy
while the digitized Facilitator Guides provide group and effective follow-up.
activities, discussion questions, lesson plans, and graphic
organizers. Professional Development Plans
Teachers create their own professional development
plans and incorporate PD 360 as a growth resource. The
ABOUT PD 360 professional learning coordinator within each school
helps determine personal evaluation expectations
PD 360 is the multi-award winning, online, on-
and offers suggestions for pertinent PD 360 learning
demand professional learning resource within School
opportunities.
Improvement Network’s Teacher Effectiveness System.
With 2,000+ videos on 125 topics from 120 experts, PD
License Renewal
360 has the largest online community of nearly one
For certification renewal, Georgia calls for teachers
million educators. It is the most comprehensive web-
to earn 10 professional learning units every five years.
based library of professional development resources
One unit of credit is equivalent to 10 contact hours of
available. Teachers, administrators, professional learning
formal instruction. Because of its easy accessibility, DCS
communities, coaches, mentors, instructional leaders,
teachers are pleased that PD 360 usage can be applied
and paraprofessionals have available at their fingertips
toward the required units.
hundreds of indexed and searchable video segments
that present real, best-practice classroom examples and
feature respected education experts, such as Michael BENEFITS
Fullan, Rick DuFour, Doug Reeves, Rick Stiggins, and
many others. Educators can instantly find the help they PD 360 has rightfully earned its place in the DCS
need on nearly every topic, including differentiation, development plan as educators benefit from its many
assessment, English language learners, leadership, and advantages.
more. It can be used to create a structured learning
experience for an individual teacher, a PLC, or even an Respected Experts
entire school. PD 360 and the Teacher Effectiveness DCS administrators and teachers are pleased that over
System bridge the gap between training and classroom 120 respected experts are available at their fingertips,
implementation with job-embedded follow-up, tracking, including Heidi Hayes Jacobs, Richard DuFour, Gayle
and reflection tools. See a demonstration at www.pd360. Gregory, Michael Fullan, and Rick Stiggins. And it is
com. advantageous that they no longer have to wait for
conferences to learn from acclaimed authorities.
www.schoolimprovement.com | www.PD360.com | 800.572.1153

3. “Many variables shape Decatur County student
Decatur County Schools, Georgia
achievement, and PD 360 is definitely a favorable
PD 360 Usage
factor. When teachers can improve their instructional
February 2011 – August 2012
effectiveness, there is a corresponding improvement in
Collective Collective Collective student learning.”
Registered
Programs Segments Minutes
Users
Viewed Viewed Viewed Suzanne Bonifay, EdD
503 4,829 10,088 68,525 Assistant Superintendent for
Curriculum & Instruction 6-12
Decatur County Schools, Georgia
Real Classroom Examples
PD 360 programs feature a variety of real classroom
examples to illustrate strategy implementation. This is
ABOUT SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT NETWORK
fundamental for teachers learning how to incorporate the
Founded in 1991 by teachers, School Improvement
practices into their own classrooms.
Network has spent more time researching and
documenting the best practices in education than any
Conversation Trigger
other organization in the world. From this research,
PD 360 is a perfect conversation starter in PLCs and
School Improvement Network has developed the Teacher
staff trainings. Watching a program as a group is an ideal
Effectiveness System. The Teacher Effectiveness System
starting point for discussion among educators.
outlines a step-by-step process to improve teacher
practice, and arm educators with a set of powerful
Teacher Enthusiasm
tools that can be used to complete each step. Research
DCS educators have responded well to PD 360, as shown
shows that districts and schools that use the tools in the
by their high usage numbers. When teachers were asked
Teacher Effectiveness System produce better teachers,
if the district should continue to use it, they voiced a
and as a result experience dramatic increases in student
unanimous “yes.”
achievement, driving up student test scores by as much
as 30% in a single year. School Improvement Network
CONCLUSION works with thousands of schools and districts in every
state and around the world and has visited over 3,500
Dr. Bonifay is pleased to have PD 360’s online flexibility classrooms to document best practices in action. Learn
and differentiated learning for teacher effectiveness. She more at www.schoolimprovement.com.
knows that high-quality classroom instruction delivers
long-term gains for everyone.
www.schoolimprovement.com | www.PD360.com | 800.572.1153