Picture it - Your team has worked so hard designing a PL opportunity that you know is high-quality and engaging, yet you fall short of your attendance projections.  We’ve all been there, and it can feel pretty defeating. However, there are a myriad of reasons why we don’t get the outcome we hoped for when we originally planned the PL opportunity.

The following data considerations can help guide your decision making when planning PL opportunities.

• Demand - The offering should be an offering that is needed by educators in your area.  You can find out more about what educators in your area need by performing a needs analysis with schools and districts you work with.  To do so, you can look at the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) report card data that gives a measure of how schools are performing or speak with the schools directly.  You can also look at the Education Legislative Summary to determine what legislation was passed that impacts education.  These data points can help you gauge the potential demand for your PL opportunity.
• Duplicative Efforts - Montana has many PLPs, and many are offering similar opportunities.  You can spend time looking at the OPI Learning Opportunities Portal to know what is already being offered so that you can work to fill in the gaps rather than offering a PL opportunity that has already been offered in the area.  Additionally, you may decide to partner with another event that is already taking place rather than creating your own stand-alone event.
• School District Guidelines - Some schools districts have in-house PL teams that offer PL or have rules regarding what PL counts for salary steps and lane changes.  It is beneficial to know what the district’s rules are regarding PL from outside providers.

 It can take some time to figure out what PL opportunities to develop for the upcoming year, but once you have a better idea of what is going on in your area and across the state, you can create a plan that reflects the needs of those you are working to serve.