Michelle Dunkle, Coordinator of Alternative Preparation Programs for the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), just completed the project direction of a  USDOE-funded Troops to Teachers Grant the overarching goal of which was to enhance mobility of teacher licensure, with emphasis on those obtained through alternative pathways, across states through the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement.  Her current work consists of overseeing the data collection associated with state accountability of Professional Development Schools (PDS), required for Maryland Approved Programs for teacher education.  Ms. Dunkle led 75-member network team of stakeholders through the process of development the Standards of Practice for Maryland Approved Alternative Preparation Programs, piloting them, and finalizing the template for bringing the 19 alternative pathways programs into the State Program Approval process. 

        Ms. Dunkle came to MSDE from Prince George’s County Public Schools, where she was assigned to an urban comprehensive high school, as a teacher, department chair, and Instructional Leader/Coordinator.  She also served as a teacher mentor, project site coordinator, and a Dimensions of Learning instructor in a partnership with Bowie State University. 

        Ms. Dunkle also worked with the Maryland Assessment Consortium, the work of which was under the direction of Dr. Jay McTighe, in developing and validating questions and activities linked to the Maryland Learning Outcomes for English, a precursor to the Maryland High School Assessments, part of the current No Child Left Behind testing initiatives in Maryland.  She authored the 2004 Maryland Professional Development School Study, and served as co-author of various implementation and assessment documents for PDS.  She also co-authored a case study in the 2005 NCATE publication entitled Implementing PDS Standards: Stories from the Field.