Professional development at Marshall is structured to advance the school's efforts to empower teachers and support students. The decision at the district level to do away with social promotion led to the school's interest in reform. In 1994, Marshall received a grant from the Carnegie Corporation to implement the recommendations of Turning Points, the report from the Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development, which were to empower teachers, create small teams to meet student needs, and provide extensive professional development.

With encouragement from a Carnegie consultant, Marshall applied for and was accepted into the Accelerated Schools Network in 1996. The Accelerated Schools philosophy rests on three principles: unity of purpose, empowerment coupled with responsibility, and building on strengths. Once they became network members, Marshall teachers began to receive training in shared decision-making, and used this training to advance the development of the School Improvement Plan and to prepare for the state's school accreditation process.

Marshall is also a member of the Association of Illinois Middle-Level Schools Network (AIMS), through which they take part in the Illinois Middle Grades Network. As a member of AIMS, the school can draw on the expertise of other reform-minded teachers and principals and have access to ongoing professional development. The Illinois Middle Grades Network establishes building-to-building mentor relationships and provides technical assistance to all schools through AIMS and the Illinois State Board of Education Carnegie Project staff. Each year, new Demonstration and Partnership Schools are admitted into the Illinois Middle Grades Network. For the 1995 - 96 and 1997 - 98 academic years, Marshall was selected as a Demonstration School. In partnership with AIMS and two other Chicago schools, Marshall applied for and was awarded an Annenberg Challenge Grant, through which they hired a staff developer to train teachers on ways to integrate technology into the curriculum in order to improve student achievement.

Each year, teachers are surveyed to find out what type of professional development they want. There is something inspirational each year and something for reflection. It used to be the Turning Points recommendations; now it will probably be STW criteria. Teams meet to do curriculum development, which the program coordinator considers to be a type of professional development. She also says that the School Improvement Plan (SIP) group is heading toward being a teacher study group, which is more reflective and focused on the underlying, critical issues of teaching and learning. The team reconvenes periodically to assess the progress of the SIP.

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