In partnership with SRI, our third-party grant evaluator, we’ve been studying the implementation and impact of whole-school instructional coaching models in rural and urban settings through Professional Learning Communities (PLCs).

We know, and the research corroborates, the potential of PLCs to drive instructional excellence through meaningful professional learning. Some schools don’t have PLCs, however. In others that do, many educators report that team meetings have devolved into opportunities more for airing grievances than problem-solving, and/or their PLCs just haven’t rebounded after the pandemic.

The beauty of PLCs is in the collaboration, which study after study indicates is what educators want. In fact, having opportunities for professional collaboration is a leading indicator for teacher retention. But it’s not as simple as throwing a bunch of bright, creative teachers in a room together. High-impact PLCs are carefully nurtured, structured, and facilitated.