Which approach best aligns professional development with leadership goals for an initiative aimed at at-risk students?

• A. Linking individual teacher growth plan goals explicitly with the instructional goals of the initiative
• B. Hosting PD focused only on technology use
• C. Providing PD that is not connected to any school goals
• D. Ignoring teacher input in PD design

Answer: (A)

Aligning professional development with leadership goals means designing teacher learning so it directly supports the instructional aims of the initiative and the outcomes you want for at‑risk students. When teachers’ growth plan goals explicitly map to the initiative’s instructional goals, the learning becomes a concrete bridge to classroom practice. That coherence ensures what teachers learn is actually implemented, and it creates clear, trackable progress toward both teacher development and student results. It also builds ownership and sustained change because teachers see how their growth pushes the initiative forward.

Why the other approaches don’t fit as well: a PD focus limited to technology use misses the broader instructional practices and assessment routines the initiative relies on, so it’s unlikely to move student outcomes. PD not connected to school goals lacks direction and can drift away from what leadership aims to achieve. Ignoring teacher input leads to designs that don’t fit classroom realities, reducing relevance and buy-in, which undermines effective implementation.