FLICC has just completed another round of lesson study training institutes across Florida. During these recent institutes, the question about lesson study's return on investment continued to come up. So when we finished, I sat down and looked at some numbers. Here is one example for your consideration and comment.
A. The costs of sending 20 people to a popular five-day national conference for professional development (The numbers are actual quotes from the professional development company offering a national conference, with some estimated additional costs to compete the analysis):
Registration: $575 x 20 = $11,500
Lodging: $239 (plus tax, est.) x 5 Days x 10 (rooms, double occupancy) = $11,950
Transportation: $400 (est.) x 20 = $8,000
Meals & Incidentals: $29 (est. Per Diem) x 5 Days x 20 People = $2,900
Total Estimated Costs for A = $34,350
Loss of instructional days = 5 Days each or 100 Days Total
B. Lesson Study implementation for 20 people (Based on actual costs for a sample district with onsite training):
Initial Facilitator Training (for 4 facilitators):
Facilitator Training: $3,100
Substitutes for Attendees: $150 x 4 = $600
Materials: $150 (Facilitator kit) x 4 = $600
Loss of instructional days = 2 Days each or 8 Days Total
Lesson Study Cycles (4 Teams of 5 people each meet for 3 times during the year)
Substitutes: $150 x 20 x 3 Cycles = $9,000
Materials (1 grade band kit for Facilitator and Teachers): $150 x 20 = $3,000
Total Estimated Costs for B = $16,300
Loss of instructional days = 4.5 Days each (1.5 Days per Cycle) or 90 Days Total (98 w/ Facilitator Training included)
So given this scenario, it appears that lesson study arguably delivers more bang for the buck in terms of less money spent and fewer days of lost instructional time. In short, the return on investment may be higher for lesson study as opposed to other forms of professional development.
