OK-ACTS meets its mission through quality professional development opportunities for lead school administrators.

The development of the program content was the culmination of input from the OK-ACTS Partnership Board, OK-ACTS “Cluster Coaches” (principals and superintendents), Oklahoma Career Technology representatives, grant director and University of Oklahoma professor, Dr. Mary John O’Hair, and Norman Professional Development Center Director, Elaine Hale. These opportunities begin with a Leadership Seminar where the school administrators are exposed to in-depth understanding of the components of the OK-ACTS Model through information sharing as well contextual problem-based learning.

Participants will be instructed in the on-line administration and management of the TAGLIT (Taking a Good Look at Instructional Technology) assessment instrument designed to gather data from teachers and their principals about their use of technology for planning purposes.

At the Leadership Seminar, the participants are assigned to a “cluster coach” who is a practicing principal or superintendent and whose purpose is to provide support (“coaching”) to their “cluster” of a maximum of 24 school administrators in any of the component areas of the OK-ACTS Model over a period of one year. The cluster coach also will plan two additional days of training with their cluster relevant to their expressed needs following the Leadership Seminar.

All participants commit to developing an action plan in some aspect of systemic change and technology implementation. Through technology, participants will also be given opportunity to join two OK-ACTS sponsored video conferences/on-line experience designed to build on their understanding of systemic change and technology implementation in their schools.Through our partnering professional organizations, additional professional development opportunities will be provided through these groups as we encourage participation in these organizations who will sustain the mission of OK-ACTS after the three-year grant period.