Professional development is a continuous learning process across all levels of education for the entire learning community. Quality professional development expands the capacity of the learning community to realize its vision and reach its goals.
(State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Characteristics of Successful Schools, Chapter 1, Professional Development, Definition, ΒΆ1).
On first glance, that definition looks as though it embraces all that the colloboratory we're in the process of discussing does, or envisions doing.
However, closer examination of that definition in context reveals direct references to community members including only staff and students, when even local educational communities would ordinarily comprise administrators, parents, and elected political leaders, too--community members to whom "accountability measures for changing practices" may refer indirectly.
How adequate, fitting, or sufficient do you suppose a generic, public-sector, school-level definition of professional development is for purposes of envisioning and underpinning development of a collaboratory that is provincial (or larger) in scope?