In partnership with PVUSD, and with the help of The Foundation for Public Education supporting PVUSD, ASU is offering an opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education, Elementary Education certification (grades 1-8) and and optional English as a Second Language (ESL) endorsement, right here in Paradise Valley.

Professional Development School program benefits future teachers and the district

What is a PDS?

A Professional Development School (PDS) site is a district-based, teacher education program that is fully delivered in a university/district partner school. Future teachers are immersed in the real world of teaching – and learn from real world, highly experienced teachers. Professional Development Director, Julie Salley, explains, "Professional development schools are run much like 'teaching hospitals' only they are in an educational setting, training new teachers rather than in a hospital where budding doctors and other medical professionals learn from real life experience."

ASU come to the student

Through a partnership with The Foundation for Public Education and Arizona State University, the Paradise Valley PDS Program offers state-of-the-art ASU classrooms located at the Palomino Elementary School; Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education; elementary, ESL and Early Childhood endorsements; a full-time faculty member at the site to offer support throughout the entire program; use of a laptop computer – through PVUSD – while in the program; and financial aid opportunities for PDS students.

Advantages for the students include extensive and practical classroom teaching experience and feedback; in fact, the students benefit from three times the clinical experience as other teacher education programs. ASU comes to the student – classes are at a school site and the cohort cohesiveness creates support for the students. The students also experience personalized attention and support and have the opportunity to rotate into different classrooms in order to maximize their exposure to different styles of teaching.

How does this help the district?

Benefits to the district include growing Highly Qualified, ESL-endorsed teachers, PVUSD curriculum adoptions embedded in course work, PDS sites attract master teachers and there is increased student achievement, particularly in high-poverty populations. A specially-designated Professional Development classroom will be located at Palomino Elementary School and pre-K through eighth-grade clinical experience will take place at that school and several satellite schools in the district. Students will exit the program with elementary, ESL and Early Childhood endorsements, and the district will offer employment contracts to the most highly qualified graduates.

For more information, please contact: PDS coordinator Cecilia Lynch at 602-818-0507 or clynch@pvschools.net or academic advisor Marissa Ames at 602-543-6354 or Marissa.Ames@asu.edu.

The Paradise Valley Professional Development Program (PDS) Program offers:

• A state-of-the-art ASU classroom located at the Palomino Elementary School in the
  Paradise Valley Unified School District
• A Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education, Elementary Education Certification (1st – 8th
  grade), and optional ESL Endorsement in only 3 semesters
• A full-time faculty member at the site to support you throughout your entire program
• Financial aid opportunities for PDS students
• Participating students will have use of a laptop computer — through PVUSD —while
  in the program.