Your School Doesn’t Need More PD. It Needs One Clear 90-Day Instructional Priority.
- Dr. Anecca Robinson
- 7 days ago
- 4 min read
I’ll be honest with you. I’ve sat in more than a few meetings where the solution to every school challenge seemed to be “more professional development.” Teachers are tired, schedules are packed, and yet the answer keeps coming back to adding another PD session. I remember one principal telling me, “If I have to schedule one more workshop, I might lose my mind.” That’s the tension right there: you want to improve your school, but piling on more PD isn’t helping—and might even be making things worse.
This isn’t just your school’s problem. Across districts, leaders are wrestling with the same issue. You see it in teacher burnout, scattered focus, and a lack of real change in classrooms. The question is, why does more professional development often fail to move the needle? And what can you do instead?
The Problem with More Professional Development
Here’s the reality: more PD doesn’t automatically mean better teaching or improved student outcomes. In fact, it often leads to three common symptoms that you’ve probably noticed in your building:
Overwhelmed teachers juggling too many initiatives without clear priorities
Scattered implementation where new strategies never fully take root
Minimal impact on student learning despite all the time spent in workshops
These symptoms aren’t about teachers not caring or trying hard enough. They’re about how PD is designed and delivered. When professional development is a one-off event or a checklist item, it doesn’t change daily practice. Instead, it adds to the noise and drains energy.
I’ve seen schools where teachers attend multiple PD sessions on different topics, but none of it connects or builds toward a shared goal. The result? Teachers feel pulled in every direction, and leaders struggle to see any real progress.
Why More PD Isn’t Better
You might be thinking, “But we need to keep learning. How else will we improve?” That’s true. Growth is essential. But the problem is how PD is often approached:
Lack of focus: Too many topics, no clear priority
Weak follow-up: No coaching or support to apply new skills
One-size-fits-all: PD doesn’t address specific needs or contexts
Imagine trying to build a house by buying every tool in the store but never using any of them properly. That’s what happens when PD is scattered and disconnected. You end up with a pile of resources but no solid foundation.
What You Can Do Instead
You don’t need more professional development. You need better professional development—and that means a focused, practical plan that fits your school’s unique needs. Here’s how to start:
1. Identify One or Two Clear Priorities
Look at your school’s data and feedback. What’s the one or two areas that will make the biggest difference in the next 90 days? Maybe it’s improving reading instruction or strengthening formative assessment. Focus your PD around these priorities.
2. Build a 90-Day Implementation Plan
Professional development should be part of a clear plan with specific actions, timelines, and checkpoints. This plan should include:
Targeted workshops or learning sessions
Follow-up coaching or peer collaboration
Opportunities for teachers to practice and reflect
3. Provide Ongoing Support
PD isn’t a one-time event. Teachers need support to change habits and try new strategies. That means coaching, walkthroughs, and regular check-ins. When you show up as a leader to support, not just mandate, teachers are more likely to engage and grow.
4. Measure Impact and Adjust
Set clear goals for what success looks like. Use classroom observations, student work, and teacher feedback to see what’s working. If something isn’t moving the needle, adjust your plan rather than adding more PD.
Recently, a principal shared their frustration that their professional development wasn’t having the impact they wanted in classrooms. I reviewed their PD calendar and we talked about the topics they had chosen and why. As we dug in, we realized that the issue wasn’t effort, but focus: there were too many different topics and not enough time spent on any one area to see real change.
Together, we narrowed the focus to improving math instruction in grades 3–5 through systematic instruction using clear language, concrete representations, and number lines. We then built a 90-day plan that included:
Two targeted workshops on building conceptual understanding using concrete representations and number lines
Weekly coaching visits to classrooms to observe, model, and give feedback on teaching
Collaborative teacher meetings to share successes and challenges and review student work
By the end of 90 days, teachers reported feeling more confident, and student math scores showed measurable improvement. The key was not more PD, but focused, supported, and sustained learning.
Moving Forward with Confidence
You don’t have to add more professional development to fix your school’s challenges. Instead, focus on what matters most, build a clear plan, and support your teachers every step of the way. That’s how you turn learning into action and action into results.
Learn more about building a clear 90 day plan that supports teachers and accelerates learning during our upcoming webinar the 90 Day Jumpstart to Student Growth. Click the button below to register.
When: December 16, 2025
Time: 1 PM ET
Who is it For: School and district leaders
Dr. Anecca Robinson is the founder of Leaders for Learning, and a former district leader who is dedicated to helping K–12 educators implement academic programs with clarity and consistency. She helps leaders to align their resources, strengthen professional learning, and support every student’s success. Visit www.leaders4learning.com to learn more about work or contact her at arobinson@leaders4learning.com.
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