about the program

Today’s educators are expected to help the most diverse student population in United States history meet the highest education standards ever set. WestEd’s Teacher Professional Development (TPD) Program helps classroom practitioners meet that challenge. The program's work is characterized by the recognition that teaching is a complex, non-routine, and responsive endeavor. To that end, TPD tailors its services to address all aspects of teacher development, from preservice education through teacher leadership.

In recent work, Teacher Professional Development Program staff completed five field-test-ready multimedia modules aimed at preparing teachers to work with adolescent English learners in key disciplinary areas, including English language development and social studies. In addition, the program’s Strategic Literacy Initiative focuses on improving adolescent literacy, continuing to expand its work nationwide and collaborating with teams of teachers to help them implement its “Reading Apprenticeship” framework.