Measuring the Impact of Professional Development
Sample Items for Evaluation
The following items assess individuals’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to core competencies for creating safe schools for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) youth.
Schools and school districts may use these sample items to evaluate the core competencies of their teachers and other school staff prior to, during, and/or following professional development (PD).
Alternatively, they may also use them to guide development of their own items to evaluate the content and effectiveness of their PD offerings regarding support for LGBTQ+ youth in schools.
Three categories of indicators are presented for each core competency: knowledge, attitudes, and practices assessment items.
Knowledge
Knowledge
Knowledge items measure staff’s familiarity with concepts, terminology, and other information covered in PD courses.
Knowledge items measure staff’s familiarity with concepts, terminology, and other information covered in PD courses.
Attitude
Attitude
Attitude items assess staff’s beliefs and opinions about LGBTQ+ youth and other topics relevant to core competencies.
Attitude items assess staff’s beliefs and opinions about LGBTQ+ youth and other topics relevant to core competencies.
Practice Assessment
Practice Assessment
Practice Assessment items ask about classroom activities and other actions that teachers may implement following PD.
- post-test immediately following PD (e.g., “I intend to implement”)
- longer-term follow-up assessment (e.g., “I implemented”)
Practice Assessment items ask about classroom activities and other actions that teachers may implement following PD.
- post-test immediately following PD (e.g., “I intend to implement”)
- longer-term follow-up assessment (e.g., “I implemented”)
Learning Objectives
- CDC Division of Adolescent and School Health. How to Conduct More Effective Professional Development: CDC Professional Development Practices
This website describes the six professional development practices and provides tools and resources to assist school districts in achieving a sustainable professional development framework. - CDC Division of Adolescent and School Health. LGBTQ Inclusivity in Schools: A Self-Assessment Tool
A self-assessment and planning toolkit for school and district staff to quickly evaluate LGBTQ+ inclusivity across school environment and staff practices.