Online Course Offerings
Customizable Professional Development
Customizable Professional Development
Looking for flexible and relevant online courses? Check out the offerings from Boise State’s Partner, Customizable Professional Development. Courses are completely online and you can start at any time and take them at your own pace!
Explore Customizable Professional Development Courses
State Required Courses
Idaho Comprehensive Literacy Assessment
Need to take the Idaho Comprehensive Literacy Assessment? Boise State’s Literacy, Language and Culture offers testing for those who need to take the assessments but are not Boise State students.
Information on how to take the Idaho Comprehensive Literacy Assessment.
Teaching Mathematical Thinking
TMT is a 3-credit professional development course on student-centered teaching of mathematics. The course meets the MTI/TMT requirement for State of Idaho teaching (re)certification.
Explore Explore TMT courses offered by the Regional Math Center
Special Education 101 for School Principals 2025
Idaho SESTA
Dates: June 8 – July 6, 2025
Days/Time: Every Wednesday, 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Location: Online
Professional Development Credit: 2
Cost: $0 ($0 Course Fee and $0 Credit Fee.)
Term/Transcript: Summer 2025
Course Description: This course is designed for new and experienced school administrators (Principal, Vice Principal, Dean of Students, etc.) who would like to have a stronger understanding of the special education process, their role as the leader of the school’s special education team, and how to ensure students with disabilities have meaningful access to the general education content and environment.
Gifted & Talented, Professional Practices
Administrator Supervision, Data Literacy and Evaluation using the Idaho Framework
Boise State University
Dates: June 3 – July 22, 2025
Days/Time: Asynchronous
Location: Online
Professional Development Credit: 3
Cost: $180 Credit Fee
Term/Transcript: Summer 2025
Course Description: This asynchronous, 16 week course will focus on the critical role of effective instructional supervision and evaluation in Idaho. Uses a variety of interactive exercises to assist in the development of practical skills for supervision and evaluation, as well as examine current issues and best practices. Participants will recalibrate their competency in Idaho’s Framework for Teacher Evaluations, Charlotte Danielson 2nd Edition. The classroom observation practice will ensure you understand how the components are intertwined and observable in the classroom. Supervision and evaluation strategies, skills, and techniques, as well as requirements under Idaho laws, rules, and policies will be explored. Course meets recertification requirements under Idaho Code IDAPA 08.02.02.120. and is approved by the Office of the Idaho State Board of Education.
Professional Practices
Enroll in Administrator Supervision, Data Literacy and Evaluation using the Idaho Framework
Understanding Dyslexia for Idaho Educators
Boise State University
Dates: April 21 – August 8, 2025
Days/Time: Asynchronous
Location: Online
Professional Development Credit: 1
Cost: $156 ($96 Course Fee and $60 Credit Fee. Paid Separately)
Term/Transcript: Summer 2025
Course Description:
This course is designed to fulfill the requirements of Idaho Code 33-1811 (4) which states that no later than the 2023-24 school year, “…all instructional staff members…shall be required to have received professional development specific to providing instruction and intervention to students with characteristics of dyslexia.”
This interactive, asynchronous course will cover characteristics of dyslexia, as well as current research and legislation. Participants will learn about the assessment of dyslexia and gain some practical strategies for serving students with language-based reading difficulties
ELA, Professional Practices, Assessment
Enroll in Understanding Dyslexia for Idaho Educators
Arts & Humanities
2025 IAEA Alt Book Study
Idaho Art Education Association
Dates: June 17 – August 5, 2025
Days/Time: Asynchronous
Location: Online
Professional Development Credit: 2
Cost: $200 ($80 Course Fee and $120 Credit Fee. Paid Separately)
Term/Transcript: Summer 2025
Course Description: The Idaho Art Education Association’s 2025 book study course is based on You Are an Artist: Assignments to Spark Creation by Sarah Urist Green. Rather than a traditional book study, this course takes a more creative, interactive approach. IAEA’s book study includes a virtual opening session, five weeks of exploring art making techniques, a curriculum development component, activities designed around new ways to integrate contemporary artists in classroom lessons, and a virtual closing session. The book study also includes virtual classes and all the materials!
Professional Practices
Mathematics
Teaching Mathematical Thinking
TMT is a 3-credit professional development course on student-centered teaching of mathematics. The course meets the MTI/TMT requirement for State of Idaho teaching (re)certification.
Explore Explore TMT courses offered by the Regional Math Center
Professional Practices
Growth Voyage
Transform Your World
Dates: May 10 – August 8, 2025
Days/Time: Asynchronous
Location: Online
Professional Development Credit: 3
Cost: $355 ($175 Course Fee and $180 Credit Fee. Paid Separately)
Term/Transcript: Summer 2025
Course Description:
Do you like the idea of a professional learning experience tailored to your very own professional growth goals? If so, join us to chart your own course! In this course, you’ll focus on what YOU need to be the best educator you can be. You’ll begin by selecting a theme – in what areas do you want to grow? Next, you’ll curate academic articles, instructional videos, and podcast episodes that relate to your theme. You’ll then summarize, connect to, and apply each piece to your teaching practice. Through this process, you’ll have the opportunity to engage with others in the course as you share and give feedback on one another’s learning. The primary focus of this workshop is You: your learning, your growth, and your development as a valued educator.
Classroom Management, Educational Technology
The Best-Kept Secret in Education: Teaching in Prisons
Taught by Dr. Mary Ellen Nourse, former Idaho Department of Correction Education Program Manager and Instructor.
Dates: February 24 – August 8, 2025
Days/Time: Asynchronous
Location: Online
Professional Development Credit: 1
Cost: $60 Credit Fee
Term/Transcript: Summer 2025
Course Description:
Teaching in a prison is one of the best-kept secrets in education. This professional development course, taught by Dr. Mary Ellen Nourse, former Idaho Department of Correction Education Program Manager and Instructor, offers valuable insights for current in-service educators or educators new to corrections, by exploring the unique world of correctional education.
This course will help you:
- Identify the similarities and differences between teaching in a traditional classroom, an alternative school, and a prison classroom.
- Understand the specific challenges and rewards of working with incarcerated students, including insights applicable to alternative school environments.
- Learn strategies for navigating complex student dynamics, including recognizing potential warning signs and safety concerns relevant to both alternative and correctional settings.
- Discover effective classroom management techniques that can be adapted for diverse and challenging student populations.
- Gain practical “take-aways” that you can apply immediately to your current classroom, whether it’s in an alternative school or another setting.
This course is ideal for those in alternative schools, who want to expand their understanding of reaching and teaching all students, regardless of background or circumstance.
Classroom Management
Enroll in The Best-Kept Secret in Education: Teaching in Prisons
Creating a Professional Digital Website
BeWhereYouAre
Dates: May 30 – August 8, 2025
Days/Time: Asynchronous
Location: Online
Professional Development Credit: 3
Cost: $300 ($120 Course Fee and $180 Credit Fee. Paid Separately)
Term/Transcript: Summer 2025
Course Description:
This course is designed to assist educators in creating a professional website while building an understanding of effective educational website characteristics, communication strategies, and applications. Emphasis will focus on efficient and effective communication between the educator, students, and parents/guardians. By the end of the course, participants will have created their own website embedded with meaningful content, communication strategies, and information relevant to their specific content, grade, and purpose.
Classroom Management
Creating and Using Digital Portfolios for Your Students
BeWhereYouAre
Dates: May 30 – August 8, 2025
Days/Time: Asynchronous
Location: Online
Professional Development Credit: 3
Cost: $300 ($120 Course Fee and $180 Credit Fee. Paid Separately)
Term/Transcript: Summer 2025
Course Description:
This course is designed to assist educators in creating a template student digital portfolio. Upon completion of this course, their students can highlight and showcase their work using a professional portfolio template. The goal is for the educator to create a skeleton portfolio for the educator’s profession, audience, and purpose, so their students do not have to create from scratch. Expectations, pages, subpages, and instructions will be clear and easy for the participants’ students to use so they can concentrate on their learning.
After this course, when students take the participant’s class, they will build a portfolio while gaining a new understanding of effective educational website characteristics, communication strategies, and applications. Emphasis is on showcasing student skills, talents, and abilities to help make education meaningful and transferable. The participants’ students will have a portfolio that will help them apply for scholarships, jobs, grants, and schools.
By the end of the course, participants will have created their own skeleton student digital portfolio to be used immediately with their students. During the course, participants will build an individualized template website embedded with meaningful content, communication strategies, and information relevant to their specific content and grade. Participants will be able to make a template copy for each student so they can immediately begin building a meaningful digital portfolio.
Classroom Management
Enroll in Creating and Using Digital Portfolios for Your Students
Science
PLT Explorations: Environmental Education & Outdoor Teaching
Idaho Project Learning Tree
Dates: May 10 – August 8, 2025
Days/Time: Asynchronous
Location: Online
Professional Development Credit: 1
Cost: $95 ($35 Course Fee and $60 Credit Fee. Paid Separately.)
Term/Transcript: Summer 2025
Course Description:
Unlock the power of nature in your classroom with this dynamic, hands-on professional development course designed specifically for Idaho teachers and nonformal educators. This introductory course will immerse you in Project Learning Tree (PLT), an award-winning environmental education program that empowers educators to teach students about the world around them. Through engaging, real-world activities and lesson plans, you’ll explore how to integrate environmental literacy, sustainability, and outdoor learning into your teaching practice.
Whether you’re a seasoned educator or new to teaching, this course will equip you with the tools to bring outdoor learning to life, enhance student engagement, and foster a deeper connection to nature. Join us and transform your teaching approach, bringing the world beyond the classroom into your students’ everyday experiences.
This course is ideal for K-12 teachers and nonformal educators in Idaho who are looking to enhance their teaching toolkit with effective, environmental education strategies. No previous experience with outdoor education is required—just a passion for learning and inspiring the next generation of leaders!
Professional Practices
Enroll in PLT Explorations: Environmental Education & Outdoor Teaching