Rethinking Professional Development Theories of Change Using Complexity Theory: The Case of Racial Justice PD Amidst a Backlash

Studies of teacher professional development (PD) have found that PD is more effective when it coheres with teacher beliefs and local policy contexts. Recently, however, many states and districts have experienced sudden policy shifts that pose a challenge to PD alignment. Legislation and other efforts to ban critical race theory and so-called divisive concepts have created a hostile environment for teachers to engage in equity-oriented work. How should PD respond to the growing possibility that school and district policy contexts may not align with teachers’ commitments to serve all students and the public good? In this essay, we describe how our recent PD experience prompted us to rethink traditional conceptualizations of PD−context alignment, using insights from complexity theory. We offer a revised PD theory of change that recognizes contexts, not as external influences, but rather as central to PD design, malleable, and able to be influenced by teachers themselves.