Connecticut State Profile

Professional Development System

The Adult Training and Development Network (ATDN) of the Capital Region Education Council (CREC) is the professional development agent for the Connecticut State Department of Education’s Bureau of Health/Nutrition, Family Services and Adult Education. ATDN works closely and collaboratively with the Bureau and local adult education programs to identify and implement program and teacher training needs. The Bureau, with the support and collaboration of ATDN, has designed and implemented a professional development model that features the following:

• Professional Development Basics;
• Field-Requested Professional Development; and
• Stipend Professional Development Activities.

Established and coordinated by the Bureau with support and facilitation from ATDN, The Reading and Language Arts Task Force (RTF) reviews existing reading instructional practices and strategies, adapts those strategies to teaching adult learners, helps create training initiatives, and advises the Bureau on reading, writing, and spelling issues as they relate to adult learners. The RTF is very involved with Bureau’s capacity building efforts to introduce more adult education programs and expose more teachers to the comprehensive STAR professional development model. As part of ATDN’s professional development basics, the RTF was instrumental in establishing the Connecticut Reading Institute. The Connecticut Reading Institute is a professional development initiative that provides a series of workshops focused specifically on improving learner performance and outcomes. Based upon the STAR model, the Connecticut Reading Institute provides adult education teachers with training, resources, and strategies utilizing evidence-based instructional practices and techniques.

STAR Implementation

Connecticut began implementing STAR by selecting three local programs to pilot this professional development initiative. These programs were chosen because they have large numbers of intermediate-level readers and the largest number of teachers at that level. Additionally, teacher surveys at these sites indicated a need and desire for professional development in the area of reading instruction.

All three programs identified teachers and a site coordinator to work closely with ATDN. The Project STAR pilot team also invited teachers of intermediate-level readers in other program areas to participate. The majority of the teachers have a background in education, but not in reading. However, each program has at least one to two teachers who do have formal reading training.

Since the initial pilot phase, five additional local adult education programs have requested and received STAR professional development for their teachers. STAR training is provided through the Stipend Professional Development Activities component of the ATDN professional development model. Training is provided by Connecticut’s STAR certified trainer.

Programs Implementing STAR

• Bridgeport Adult Education
  Bridgeport, CT 
• EastConn Regional Education Service Center
  Windham, CT 
• Hartford Adult Education
  Hartford, CT 
• Meriden Adult Education
  Meriden, CT 
• Middletown Adult Education
  Middletown, CT 
• New Haven Adult Education
  New Haven, CT 
• New London Adult Education
  New London, CT
• Waterbury Adult Education
  Waterbury, CT