The underlying LTD approach is to concentrate resources and professional evelopment among a core group of supervisors from 16 districts, as well as teachers and principals from 300 public schools in the West Bank. The aim is to develop a school-based community of educators who share a common understanding of good teaching practice gained from a range of in-service professional development experiences. These communities of practice will work toward common goals of improved leadership, supervision and instruction. Collectively, this group of educators within LTD schools will then be equipped to implement changes to improve student learning, particularly as they relate to the classroom environment. LTD schools are intended to become magnet institutions for follow-on pre-service student practicum experiences, as well as other kinds of school-based management reforms that influence the education system. This broad agenda is reflected in the activities and program components which will be implemented by relevant departments within the MoE.

The National Institute for Education and Training (NIET) will expand its provision of in-service professional development to thousands of Palestinian educators. In the context of LTD, this will include providing a Professional Leadership Diploma for up to 300 LTD school principals. The Leadership Diploma Program will be delivered in conjunction with the Department of Field Follow-up, and will primarily focus on instructional leadership to ensure all school activities are oriented around improving student learning and academic growth. The Leadership Development Program will consist of 320 hours in the following activities: practicum, action research project, face-to-face training, reflective learning circles, virtual learning, and a school leadership project.

NIET will also take the lead in providing teacher certification through a year-long in-service teacher professional development program resulting in a Professional Diploma in Education. The goal is to certify approximately 2,500 teachers from grades 5-10 in five disciplines: Arabic, science, math, English and technology education. A key dimension of LTD will be to build the capacity of NIET to undertake this task by establishing a national cadre of teacher educators. These teacher educators will include university faculty and content-area experts, as well as MoE district and school-based staff. AMIDEAST's partner, the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (UMass), will provide professional development opportunities for teacher educators to focus on learner-centered pedagogies through reflective learning circles, action research and portfolio assessment.

The Professional Diploma in Education expects teachers to be active learners engaged in the concrete tasks of teaching, assessment, observation, and reflection. The content and pedagogy of the diploma will be connected to actual classroom experiences and daily activities of teachers. Delivery will primarily be school-based and will take place during the school day. The diploma will be comprised of approximately 325 hours of monthly face-to-face instruction, bi-monthly learning circles, homework assignments, action research, and the development of teaching portfolios. The program will involve both formative and summative assessment for completion. The resulting diploma will be issued by NIET and will certify teachers for continued employment.