Adopting new state standards for theatre education is only part of the effort to increase student achievement. Centers for Educator Development (CEDs) have been established in all major curricular areas to help ensure that Texas teachers have the opportunities they need to develop skills for teaching the TEKS.

CEDFA, the Center for Educator Development in Fine Arts is helping theatre educators prepare to teach the TEKS with professional development activities that are more than "seat time" or "make-and-take workshops." Three themes are predominant among contemporary models of professional development: on-the-job learning, collaboration, and performance assessment of teachers and students. This section of the theatre pages explores models of professional development and new initiatives that promote powerful professional development of theatre teachers.

To help students demonstrate the Theatre TEKS, teachers should be involved in professional development that:

• Directly relates to the significant content in the Theatre TEKS
• Helps make the Theatre TEKS accessible to students who are in the greatest need of improvement
• Meets their individual needs as related to the theatre needs of their students
• Engages them in experiential learning, building on what they already know and helping them progress to new levels of understanding and achievement
• Models appropriate development of theatre knowledge and skills for students in specific grades and courses
• Provides examples of expected student achievement in theatre
• Focuses on higher-order thinking in theatre content
• Integrates the four content strands of theatre, as appropriate
• Promotes research-based practice that results in demonstrated excellence in student work.