Standards of Effective Instructional Support for Educational Support Professionals. In our continuing effort to increase student achievement, the Educational Support Professionals Joint Labor Management Committee has adapted the Minneapolis Public School’s Standards of Effective Instructional Support to guide the practices of Educational Support Professionals as integral team members in the total teaching and learning process. (This committee was formed under the grant received from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services.) The Standards of Effective Instructional Support were developed in 1994 to assist with decisions and planning for the improvement of instruction and student learning. During the development of these standards, a committee of teachers, principals, and administrators reviewed, analyzed and synthesized the standards and current research on teaching from the following national organizations: National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), Educational Testing Service (PRAXIS series), National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC), Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC), North Central Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), and Minnesota Educational Effectiveness Program (MEEP). From that effort, the Minneapolis Standards of Effective Instruction were written. The Standards can be used in a variety of ways. They can be used as: • a tool for self-assessment • a basis for teaming and/or coaching; goal setting, planning, and discussions • a guide for implementing staff development • criteria for reflection on work All staff of the Minneapolis Public Schools can continue to improve the quality of teaching and learning through the use of standards as a foundation for professional expectations as well as a guide for planning, implementing and reflecting on instruction. Although the Standards of Effective Instructional Support for Educational Support Professionals are clearly aligned with teacher standards, the ultimate responsibility for the design, content, and implementation of instruction is the professional responsibility of the licensed teacher. Belief Statements About Students And Learning ▪ ALL students can learn and all educators can teach them to learn. ▪ Instruction is rooted in the belief that there are no true differences in ability based on gender, culture, language, economic or family status. There are individual differences in student and teacher/staff talents, styles and experiences which need to be addressed in designing i...
