Preparing, training, and retaining high quality teachers and principals is a major goal of the Office of Instructional Services, headed by Acting Chief Education Officer Denise Quinlan. The Office of Instructional Services coordinated the creation of the Center for Academic Excellence in July of 2002 by merging programs and departments into a single staff training and support center.

The Center's mission is to provide teachers, principals, and other district personnel with comprehensive professional development offerings around standards-based practices in curriculum and instruction. The Center provides ongoing training, in-school support, and continuous feedback. The Center also functions as the district's clearinghouse for programs and services closely tied to the work of students and teachers. The Center's programs and services include instructional materials, curriculum guides, and documents to support district-wide initiatives. The district's professional development personnel, including administrators and content coaches, are housed at the Center, located at 1001 Johnson Parkway.

At the heart of the Center is Saint Paul's Project for Academic Excellence, which is designed to bring the district's ambitious instructional reform efforts together around a standards-based model. The project incorporates some of the most important work undertaken by administrators, principals, and teachers in recent years. Teachers report that the professional development training they receive has transformed the way they teach in their classrooms, which in turn positively impacts their students. For this reason, the district is committed to increasing the scope of professional development offered to staff.

The Professional Development Catalog provides details on upcoming professional development opportunities within the district.