For 25 years, New Teacher Center has focused on getting better at what we do. Our reputation is built on giving educators access to career-shaping coaches and mentors — high-trust relationships that lead to deep, personal, affirming, and reflective learning experiences. The goal is that teachers can, in turn, model these same practices and ways of being in their classrooms with their students.
Over the last decade, to validate the effectiveness of NTC’s model and investigate the conditions needed to scale a culture of coaching school and system-wide, we have engaged in numerous studies with federal grant partners. We’ve learned a lot about what works and where to pivot. Leveraging a Decade of Research: Designing Instructional Coaching for Optimal Learning summarizes our learning journey. Authored by SRI International, the paper highlights our history and the evolution of our model and its deep alignment with research and practice wisdom on how to support optimal learning for teachers and students. Findings from these studies and our ongoing experience working with educators on the ground continue to improve our relationship-driven solutions that unlock how people engage, learn, and thrive.
The report synthesizes over ten years of research on instructional coaching, offering best practices, key findings, and innovative approaches to creating sustainable, impactful coaching models in schools across the country. Through an in-depth analysis of coaching strategies, the report highlights how intentional design and implementation can accelerate teacher development and improve outcomes for all students.
Dr. Tommy Chang, CEO of New Teacher Center, emphasized the importance of instructional coaching as a transformative tool: “This report underscores that well-designed coaching programs are a game-changer for educators and students alike. Leveraging over a decade of research, we’ve created a blueprint for schools to build coaching programs that truly elevate learning outcomes and foster teacher growth.”
Key Highlights of the Report:
- Research-Backed Practices: Grounded in over a decade of data, the report outlines the most effective coaching methods that support instructional improvement, teacher retention, and student achievement.
- Sustainable Systems: Offers strategies to build scalable, sustainable coaching systems that integrate seamlessly into existing school infrastructures.
- Focus on Equity: Provides a lens on how instructional coaching can be designed to support equity-focused teaching practices, ensuring all students, particularly those from underserved communities, benefit from high-quality instruction.
- Actionable Frameworks: Delivers practical tools and frameworks for education leaders to create or enhance coaching programs, including guidance on building a strong coaching culture, selecting qualified coaches, and assessing program impact.
With a clear roadmap for designing instructional coaching programs, the report serves as an essential resource for schools and districts committed to improving instructional leadership and teacher effectiveness. Whether looking to establish a new coaching program or refine an existing one, education leaders will find actionable guidance to create lasting, positive change.
