The Literacy Professional Development Project (LPDP) began in March 2004. The LPDP has a focus on improving teacher content knowledge in literacy, pedagogy and practice, and building effective professional learning communities. The project provides schools with an evidence-based professional development programme which aims to improve student learning and achievement in literacy.
A total of 288 schools (3,288 teachers) have participated in the project to date. Schools work within the project for two years.
NZCER in collaboration with the University of Canterbury provided an independent evaluation of the project. Overall, the evaluation finds that the gains in reading and writing achievement by students from schools in the LPDP were greater than those that could be expected without the intervention.