The Bowie State University PDS Network -- We Are Bowie Bold!

ABSTRACT

As a two-time winner of the Exemplary Professional Development School (PDS) Achievement Award and the only historically Black college and university (HBCU) to be presented with this award, Bowie State University offers a unique perspective on the power of partnership. This year's honor is particularly special, given the obstacles many educators and student interns faced with a shift to virtual learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Solid relationships within Bowie State's PDS network, built over more than 20 years, eased the move to online instruction. Bowie State's PDS network (PDSN) is a collaborative partnership among seven elementary schools, two secondary schools (Middle and High schools) spanning two school districts, the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), the College of Education, and the College of Arts and Sciences who work closely with the yearlong interns. This article covers the network's history of both human and financial shared resources, unique partner features, inquiry groups as a signature program, project-based learning, and boundary spanning roles.