To accommodate teachers' and administrators' schedules and to save money, Chesterfield County is testing a Web-based professional-development program in 17 of its schools.

The PD 360 Professional Development On-Demand program, which is run by School Improvement Network, gives teachers and staff members the flexibility to take classes at times that are convenient to them, and they can access the system from school or home, said Donna M. Dalton, director of professional development. Central-office personnel and School Board members also will have the opportunity to participate.

Chesterfield will pay a fee of $2,000 per school for the program.

"The cost per school is less than sending two teachers to a national conference," Dalton said.

Dalton said employees have access to more than 1,000 topics, such as teaching, assessment and classroom management. They are taught by national experts, who may be some of the same people teachers would go to a conference to see.

The Web site tracks who takes classes and the time spent on courses and notifies the principal, she said. The classes do not count toward certification or college credit.

The school system also is partnering with the Chesterfield Academy, which offers online training to county employees, to provide 50 licenses to nonteachers from schools other than the 17 schools piloting the Web-based program.

Board members liked the idea of anytime, anywhere.

"This is so convenient," said Dianne Pettitt, "there's no reason why it can't be done."

But Lois Stanton, president of the Chesterfield Education Association, said that while the Web-based initiative can be a good tool for professional development, she's concerned about its implementation and that school officials would think that it's a does-it-all option.

"Attending professional conferences, for example, provides valuable networking with colleagues and opportunities to interact with experts," she said.

Other school systems have similar Web-based professional development. Henrico County offers teachers a professional development option through the Electronic Registrar Online from eSchool Solutions. Colonial Heights and Hopewell use Moodle to provide some teachers on-demand and self-help materials.

Dinwiddie County has opportunities for individual teachers. Prince George County offers in-house online staff development as well as through outside providers.
Contact Juan Antonio Lizama at (804) 649-6513 or jlizama@timesdispatch.com.