Coach+Sustainability

=Coach Sustainability=

Final Document Created: [|Coach Sustainability.doc]

Guiding Question: In what ways can we as TIMs help coaches, individually and as a group, to continue their mission of supporting teachers in developing engaging and academically challenging assignments and reflecting on their work?

//**Information gathered from collective sharing out...**// = ** What do we already know? ** =
 * = Funding ends in June =
 * Most districts are indicating that coaches will go back to the classroom. Some may stay or play a dual role.
 * The listserv is overwhelming however it has been a valuable resource for many. The listserv has been successful. The listserv been great for turnover.
 * There is positive support from the districts to send coaches to meetings and network opportunities.
 * We do have districts that have made their coaches full time. Cohort 1 schools experienced the planned commitment from PDE.
 * The funding delivery really impeded the success of the program.
 * A majority of districts have no plans for sustaining technology in instruction within their districts.
 * The CFF Moodle is only being used as a repository. Listserv should be integrated.
 * There are disjointed initiatives across the state.
 * Accountability has been a major issue across all stakeholders-PDE, administrators, IUs, coaches, and teachers. The first year people were held very accountable.
 * There is not an expectation that educators need to grow. Act 48 isn’t focused. Local control plays a major role.
 * Districts have limited themselves by making technology a line item. They need to leverage all the funding sources. Districts are not taking forward budgeting serious.

** Administrators **
 * There are administrators that are interested to sustaining their coaches.
 * Despite the effort to provide pd for administrators, the impact of pd for administrators has been minimal. There have been many administrative changes since the inception of CFF.

** Coaches **
 * Coaches do not have the ability to sustain their own position.
 * Many CFF coaches do not see themselves as instructional coaches.
 * The coaches are the mavericks for the districts.
 * Current coaches are primed for future projects. Districts and IU’s should be thinking about how they can best utilize coaches-build capacity.
 * Coaches should use the coach log to support coaches when looking at sustaining the position.
 * Coaches need to align themselves with their district strategic plan.
 * Coach emphasis should be on instructional support and not technical support.
 * Coach position is not seen as an instructional position.
 * Not all coaches make themselves visible at workshops, conferences, etc.
 * Many coaches are not on the active committees that are needed to lead the district.-Professional development, Special Ed, Strategic Planning, School Improvement

** What are the challenges to address this need? **
 * Direction
 * Funding
 * Administrative supports
 * School Board support
 * Administrators don’t look at embedded pd as a valuable model of pd
 * An expert is somebody that knows something and is from out of town
 * Engage administrators in Higher Order Thinking.
 * Educators are not good at marketing themselves.
 * Continuing to help coaches redefine their role.
 * Getting districts to think outside the box.
 * How do you determine what data supports the need for coaches.
 * PR
 * Coaches don’t know what they need to do to sustain themselves.

** What do we need to know to create the solution? **
 * PAECT and PAASCD could carry the mantle for sustaining coaches. There is no need to recreate an organization. Refuel them
 * Promote PAECT among coaches
 * It needs to be a K-12 continuous solution. The engagement has been at the high school level. Districts are going to be looking for the K-12 solution. There are pockets of success all of over PA. We need to target elementaries. We have missed a receptive crowd.
 * How do we get the forward thinking librarians/media specialists on board? Librarians could be our biggest supporters. They can reach every student and teacher in the school.
 * What do coaches need to be experts on-Curriculum Mapping, Data, Digital Citizenship, SAS, Tech Integration PD, RtII
 * Tap the districts that have hired their coaches. What are their success stories?
 * Spread the news of how embedded pd is effective.
 * PIIC needs to be more visible and not all IUs have benefitted from the model.
 * Coaches need to market their ability to make differences in instruction. You need to make yourself indispensible.
 * Showcase CFF districts at Curriculum Council /Tech Council to discuss the impact that has been made in their school districts. Critical for the principal to be present.
 * Make sure the right people know the impact that has been made.
 * Look at more programs like LoTi to provide valuable pd for administrators.
 * Have administrators capitalize on CFF to move in their career.
 * Have coaches be part of the solution. Coaches lead the way in designing a plan to sustain the good work that has been done. If you’re forced to leave the position, leave with a plan. Come up with an idea bank.
 * Administrators need to see that the coach price is minimal in scheme of a multi-million dollar project.
 * Tie the coach back to the visions mission and goals and Strategic Plan. Coaches need to be cognizant of where they fit in the School Improvement plan.
 * Instructional improvement is at a high priority right now. We need to capitalize on this high priority.
 * CFF is a strong professional learning community. Most of us feel that it is made an impact on learning in PA. We need to link on how this has impacted student achievement in districts. How it saved them money on PD? In time and job embedded Educate the administration on the use of their own personnel instead of bringing in the outside consultants.
 * Coaches share expertise across districts-exchange PD to save money. Hire coaches at IU level to do PD.
 * Make sure the coaches know how to use the listserv archive.
 * Develop a forum on the SAS PLC for CFF coaches.
 * Creating an environment where all stakeholders know about all initiatives.
 * The data that should be used is the research that exists that shows how coaching has contributed to student achievement.
 * Coaches need to demonstrate how they have impacted making AYP. Connect the dots for the administrators. “Without the coach this structure breaks down.”
 * Career and Work Readiness Assessments need to be integrated and assess the whole child.
 * Check the contract to see if there is a variation on how previous positions can be redesigned to provide for a coach.
 * Coaches can work with Higher Ed institutions and teacher induction programs.
 * We have a wealth of resources that we can integrate into teacher induction programs.
 * Lobby with legislature for the importance of instructional coaching in the professional development line item in budget.
 * Gather information from district curriculum directors what it would take to sustain coaches.

** What resources are available to us? **
 * CFf Moodle
 * CFF listserv
 * What resources are available at the IU? The people. Connections among departments. Building capacity with coaches at IU
 * No funding
 * CaseNex videos
 * TIMS
 * PDE Mentors
 * Allies at PDE
 * Coaching Board
 * Coaching endorsement coming from higher ed

Plan