The professional development of practicing educators critically informs and extends the mission of Berkeley's School of Education. Our programs, and those sponsored by other units on campus with whom we collaborate, represent our commitment to the ongoing professional learning needs of educators in California schools and districts, and represent a significant contribution of our faculty and staff to the quality of K-12 education.
The BSE is home to professional development for teachers, teacher leaders, school and system-level leaders, and school psychologists. Offerings are informed by educational research, ongoing research projects, collaboration with expert practitioners, as well as state and local policy. Our professional development is focused on supporting educators in urban communities and schools, combining foundational knowledge and professional skill with a strong orientation toward social justice and equity. The programs embrace the aspirations reflected in the Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards, and also understand that a robust educational experience requires still more – an integration of the arts, a well-honed social and historical sensibility, a relentless focus on equity, and the pursuit of the social, emotional and physical well-being of both children and adults.
Through an intra-campus coalition of professional learning units on campus, UC Berkeley Professional Development Providers (UCBPDP), BSE professional development programs also collaborate with other units to support lifelong learning for educators throughout their careers, bridging K-16 communities of research and practice.