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Union asks district to embed annual ELL professional development and notifications into PD calendar
Summary
The union proposed that the district annually notify teachers holding professional certifications about ELL training requirements and provide at least five hours of ELL‑specific professional development during superintendent conference days each year.
The union proposed inserting contract language to ensure that holders of New York State professional teaching certificates are notified annually about required English language learner (ELL) professional development and that the district provide dedicated ELL training time.
Union negotiators noted a state requirement that teachers certified after February 2004 must complete 15 hours of ELL (English as a New Language / ENL) training every five years and said many teachers were unaware of the obligation. Gary, who spoke to the group, said colleagues had struggled to find where to get compliant training and several relied on district PD offerings.
The union’s proposal asks the district to notify certificate holders annually of the requirement and to offer five hours of ELL‑specific professional development during at least one superintendent’s conference day each year, with additional ELL training offered as part of the district’s PD plan.
District officials signaled support for improving communication, but advised caution about hard‑coding current hour totals in the contract because state requirements might change. Participants suggested language that references complying with the law as written, and allowing modifications by memorandum of agreement (MOA) if statutory hours change.
Outcome: district staff said the proposal “enhances communication” and agreed in principle that notification and embedded PD were appropriate; parties said they would refine wording to reconcile statutory hours with contract language.
Why it matters: ensuring teachers complete required ELL training supports compliance with certification requirements and helps teachers serve a diverse student population.
