Arlington Community Schools

FLEX hours for 2021-22 will primarily be earned via ASCD eBooks.

ACS is excited to offer virtual eBook options through the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) platform for FLEX PD 2021-22. All full-time instructional staff members (faculty), including teachers, counselors, therapists, psychologists, and assistant principals are required to earn the equivalent of four (4) professional development days (28 hours).

How do I earn FLEX hours for 2021-22?

• eBooks, which are available in ASCD (8 hours for each eBook ACS Study Guide)
  
  
• Safe Schools (4 hours – required by all)
  
  
• Other events approved via the Request for PD Form 
• Apple Certification (for new teachers)

Click here to view the FLEX PD Flyer.

Click here to download the FLEX PD request form. (More Information Below)

Click here to download the ACS eBook Study Guide. (Caution: Do not use the study guides linked to the eBooks in ASCD; they are much lengthier than the ACS modified Study Guide.)

What is Flexible Professional Learning (FLEX)?  

Arlington Community Schools is committed to improvement through intentional, reflective and empowering professional learning that meets the individual needs of each school and our instructional staff members. By providing opportunities for flexible professional development hours specific to school needs, professional development is more closely aligned to the district’s strategic goals and targeted to the needs of the teachers. FLEX Professional Learning sessions will be offered through December 21, with the expectation that all designated faculty members will earn hours equivalent to 4 professional development days built into the 2021-22 instructional calendar. 

Who is required to earn FLEX hours? 

All full-time instructional staff members (faculty), including teachers, counselors, therapists, psychologists, and assistant principals are required to earn the equivalent of 4 professional development days. 

What are the timeline requirements for FLEX hours? 

• Faculty is  required to earn a total of 28 FLEX hours for the 2021-22 school year. 
  
  
•  June 2021 begins the FLEX cycle for the 2021-22 school year. 

 All 28 hours must be earned by the end of  the  1st  Semester (Dec. 2021). 

• SAFE SCHOOLS module completion is due by September 7, 2021 and will be monitored by district office. 
  
  
• Submit ACS eBook Study Guide submissions to your school’s FLEX email account.
  
  
• Submit attendance documentation for other pre-approved events to your school’s FLEX email account.

How will I earn my 28 FLEX hours? 

• The District Office will offer eBook FLEX opportunities June 1st  through December 21st  via our online platform, ASCD. 
  
  
• Four hours of FLEX will be recorded by district office for completion of the SAFE SCHOOLS modules. 
  
  
• Other events directly correlated to one’s instructional duties can be used as FLEX, if pre-approved via the Request for FLEX PD form.
  
  
• New Teachers can receive FLEX hours for earning their Apple Certification.

Will I receive FLEX credit for completion of the required SAFE Schools modules?  

Yes, upon completion of the required modules by September 7th,  4 hours of FLEX credit will be recorded by the district office.             

How do I request FLEX credit for events not hosted by the district? 

At least two weeks prior to the event, submit a Request for Flex PD form to your school’s FLEX email account. The request will be reviewed and either approved or denied. The PD opportunity should relate to one’s teaching duties. 

Who do I send my requests and documentation to?

AES & DES - Rochelle Douglas

AMS & AHS - Marsha Davis

How do I access the ASCD eBooks?  

• Log in to your ASCD account. 
• Select the 1st tab – Activate Home
• Scroll down and select the tile for ASCD eBooks
• (ASCD offers 9 eBooks at a time, with titles rotating every few weeks)
• Be mindful of the “Available Through” date as you make your selection.
• You can read the eBook online or choose to download it for access later.
• After reading the book, complete the ACS eBook Study Guide, as posted on our website. (Caution: Do not use the ASCD Study Guide linked to each book – they are lengthy.)
• You must submit answers for each eBook you wish to receive FLEX credits.
• Each eBook is worth 8 FLEX hours.
• Submit completed study guides to your school’s FLEX email account.

When can I begin earning my hours for 2021-22?  

Current employee ASCD accounts are already active. You can begin earning hours for 2021-22 on June 1, 2021. Accounts for newly hired staff will be created during the on-boarding process.

Can I choose any eBook listed in ASCD for earning my FLEX hours?  

Yes, you can choose any book title that catches your interest. ASCD has 9 book titles posted at a given time. Be careful to monitor the “Available Through” date for each eBook.

How will my eBook FLEX hours be recorded?  

• Submit your completed ACS Study Guide(s) to your school’s FLEX email account.
  
  
• District office staff will post the hours to your Frontline transcript. 

Will FLEX hours count for Professional Development Points (PDP’s)? 

Yes, your FLEX Professional Learning hours , if applicable to your current role, may be entered in TN Compass as professional development points towards renewing or advancing your license. Your Frontline (My Learning Plan) transcript will serve as the documentation you will attach in TNCompass. Safe Schools modules cannot be counted as PDPs.  

Will FLEX hours count for TASL (applicable to Assistant Principals)? 

Assistant Principals are required to earn 14 TASL hours per year. Your TASL hours can count as FLEX only if they were earned outside of your regular workday. If you wish to submit TASL credits for FLEX, please send the documentation to your school’s FLEX email account. Proof that it was completed outside the regular workday is required.

Will I report to school on the designated 4 FLEX PD days listed on the ACS Instructional Calendar?  

No, schools will not be open for regular business on these days. Faculty members are expected to earn the hours during the June 2021 – December 2021 window.  

What are the consequences for not fulfilling the required hours? 

• Faculty are expected to earn 28 hours. Professional development is a required component of your annual contract; it is not optional.
  
  
• Failure to meet the 28 hours will result in a payroll deduction on the January 15th paycheck. Employees will not be paid for partial credit. 

~ Plan ahead as you RENEW or ADVANCE your teaching license ~

Did you know?

Educators must earn 30 professional development points (PDPs) to advance or 60 PDPs to renew a teacher license (professional, professional occupational, and professional school services personnel license).

______________________________________________________________________________________

Activities used for PDPs must be completed within the validity period of the license being advanced or renewed and must be related to improving educator effectiveness by:

1. Developing content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, or pedagogical content knowledge; or
2. Enhancing educator effectiveness (e.g., world language courses for those working with students for whom English is a second language, coursework that supports understanding and use of data).

Reasons for PDP denial include, but are not limited to: 

• activity not related to improving educator effectiveness*;
• activity conducted outside the validity period of the license; 
• activity lacks adequate documentation; or duplicate activity. 

*Activities not related to improving educator effectiveness do not qualify for PDPs. This includes training activities such as sessions on bloodborne pathogens and suicide prevention. While these training opportunities are highly valuable and often mandated, they do not explicitly focus on educator effectiveness. 


It is the responsibility of the teacher to submit PDP’s for approval in TN Compass. 

Here are the steps:

• Click on My Educator Profile from the Home page (TNCompass).

• When the Educator Profile page displays, click Licensure tab.

• On the Licensure page, scroll to the section for Professional Development Points (PDPs) and click the Add PDPs button.

• When the PDP Wizard displays, select the Type of Activity from the drop-down list, --such as Training, Coursework and/or National Board Certification for the PDP-- and include the Date Completed, Course Title/Seminar Name/Title, the number of Clock Hours, CEUs, Semester Hours, Points Accrued, etc. When all entries are completed, click the Add button.

• When the activity/activities appear in the list click the Continue button.

• A summary of the new PDP activities displays. The Review and Submit step in the PDP Wizard tracks progress. Click the Submit button to send the PDP request for approval.

• For approval, you must add an Attachment to verify attendance/participation. Choose file, provide Attachment Description, choose Attachment Type. Click Save.

Please contact Marsha Davis if you have questions or need assistance.

Visit the Tennessee Department of Education Professional Development Website to learn more about PDPs.

TASL – Tennessee Academy for School Leaders
Arlington Community Schools

~ Plan ahead as you ADVANCE or RENEW your admin license ~

Did you know?

• TASL professional learning tracking has been integrated into the TNCompass data platform as of March 1, 2017.

• TASL cycles have changed from a 28 credit hour requirement in a two-year cycle to a 14-credit hour requirement in a one-year cycle.

• The 2019-20 new 14-hour TASL cycle will begin July 1, 2019. All cycles are one year beginning July 1 and ending June 30.

• A listing of TASL events can be found in TN Compass. ACS is committed to offering TASL events annually, as well. 

Check TNCompass to view the expiration date for your license(s)

It is the responsibility of the administratorto add/submit TASL credits for approval TN Compass. 

Here are the steps:

• Click on My Educator Profile from the Home page (TNCompass).

• When the Educator Profile page displays, click TASL tab.

• Find the TASL Requests section and Add TASL Attendance.

• Follow the TASL Wizard directions.

• A supporting document is required to submit (ie. Certificate, email verification of attendance, etc.)

• Click Continue. Review and Verify.Click Back to make changes.

• If all is correct, click Submit. Enter your PIN Signature to sign and click Submit. 

Visit the Tennessee Academy for School Leaders (TASL) website to learn more information.

Please contact Marsha Davis if you have questions or need assistance.

In conjunction with the Tennessee Department of Education, Arlington Community Schools recognizes the importance of high-quality professional learning in a continuous improvement process to support positive student outcomes. We seek to reinforce what it means to select, plan, implement and evaluate professional learning opportunities. This goal is accomplished by recognizing high-quality professional learning practices based upon research and supporting leaders and educators to reach those standards (Professional Learning Rubric and Quick Guide, 2017). 

ACS plans PD in alignment with the Tennessee Professional Learning Standards as stated in the State Board of Education Policy 5.2. We strive to provide professional learning opportunities that are based upon student, educator, community, and/or district needs. 



Tennessee Standards for Professional Learning (Adopted 2012)

The Standards for Professional Learning are the essential elements of professional learning that function in synergy to enable educators to increase their effectiveness and student learning. All elements are essential to realize the full potential of educator professional learning. The Standards for Professional Learning describe the attributes of effective professional learning to guide the decisions and practices of all persons with the responsibility to fund, regulate, manage, conceive, organize, implement, and evaluate professional learning. 


Educators’ commitment to students, all students, is the foundation of effective professional learning. Each educator involved in professional learning comes to the experience ready to learn. Because there are disparate experience levels, and use of practice among educators, professional learning can foster collaborative inquiry and learning that enhances individual and collective performance. Like all learners, educators learn in different ways and at different rates. 

Tennessee Standards for Professional Learning

LEARNING COMMUNITIES: Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students occurs within learning communities committed to continuous improvement, collective responsibility, and goal alignment. 

LEADERSHIP: Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students requires skillful leaders who develop capacity, advocate, and create support systems for professional learning. 

RESOURCES: Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students requires prioritizing, monitoring, and coordinating resources for educator learning. 

DATA: Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students uses a variety of sources and types of student, educator, and system data to plan, assess, and evaluate professional learning. 

LEARNING DESIGNS: Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students integrates theories, research, and models of human learning to achieve its intended outcomes. 

IMPLEMENTATION: Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students applies research on change and sustains support for implementation of professional learning for long term change. 

OUTCOMES: Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students aligns its outcomes with educator performance and student curriculum standards.

References

Professional Learning Rubric and Quick Guide. (2017, September). Retrieved from here.

Policies. (n.d.). Retrieved from here.