Release Date: Oct 1, 2012 8:30 AM  

Delaware teachers feel the 90 minutes of weekly time to plan together with colleagues and data coaches is helping them build useful skills and giving them more confidence in making instructional decisions based on data, according to the results of a state survey of educators across Delaware.

The weekly time – also commonly referred to as professional learning communities or PLCs for short – was a key component of the state’s top-ranked federal Race to the Top (RTTT) plan and the centerpiece of the Delaware Department of Education's efforts to fuel collaboration amongst educators. All educators who teach core subject areas meet in small, consistent groups of six to 10 educators for 90 minutes weekly. They are usually joined by data coaches two times a month.

Last year was the first year of full implementation of the state's Data Coach Project, which was created as a support structure for PLC work happening in districts and charters statewide. Through the Data Coach Project, skilled coaches partner on-site with teachers, principals and district administrators to build lasting capacity in analyzing actual student data. They train PLC leaders and often directly collaborate with educators to adjust and individualize instruction, monitor student progress and intervene early for students who are drifting off-track.

“Teachers and administrators are telling us that they appreciate having -- sometimes for the first time -- the chance to coordinate and plan with their colleagues. And they are benefiting from the skills and analysis brought to the group by the data coaches,” Secretary of Education Mark Murphy said. “While there are areas for us to adjust going into the second year, we are glad that teachers are finding this time and coaching valuable for their growth and for their students' growth.”

Overall, the educators who responded (4,527 or 53 percent of all Delaware teachers) rated their data coaches well with at least 70 percent saying their data coach has the appropriate skills to facilitate their professional learning community, is responsive to the needs of their PLC and is responsive to teachers’ individual needs. Of elementary teachers surveyed, 73 percent rated their data coach as “good,” “very good” or “excellent.” About 72 percent of middle school teachers said the same, as did 63 percent of high school teachers.

When questioned about data usage:

*63 percent said their PLCs are helping them build useful skills around the collection and use of data

 *59 percent said they feel more confident in making instructional decisions based on data because of their PLCs

*88 percent of those who said their PLCs are helping them build useful skills said they feel more confident in making instructional decisions based on data as a result of their PLCs

*The rate of agreement was highest among elementary school teachers (64 percent) and lowest among high school teachers (50 percent)

“Despite many years of teaching experience, I have found these PLC’s to be highly helpful and informative,” one teacher responded.

Another said, “I thought PLCs were beneficial because it allowed the sixth grade team to collaborate, analyze data and devise a plan on how to target low learners. This way we were able to meet as a team and have everyone create and maintain the same expectations for the sixth grade class.”

Respondents also outlined challenges and areas for improvement. Recommendations will lead to adjustments at the state and local level. For example, teachers indicated a desire to better align their PLCs with implementation of the Common Core State Standards.

A full copy of the survey and results is available here.

The survey, administered in the spring, was commissioned by the state as part of its statewide PLC initiative. The Data Coach Project is a collaboration between the state's Teacher & Leader Effectiveness Unit with Wireless Generation, which has recruited, selected, trained and provided 29 data coaches to the state's schools over the past two years. The survey was designed to assess participant satisfaction and efficacy while helping identify ways to adjust the project to better meet educator and student needs in the second full year of statewide implementation.

---

Delaware's Department of Education is committed to promoting the highest quality education for every Delaware student by providing visionary leadership and superior service.	Contact Info. Alison Kepner Delaware Department of Education 401 Federal Street, Suite #2 Dover, Delaware 19901 Phone: (302) 735-4035 Fax: (302) 739-4654 Email: akepner@doe.k12.de.us
Other Press Releases