Description:
Teach Plus, Inc. created the T3 Initiative program, an innovative teacher leadership program for districts with low-performing schools. Teach Plus, Inc. has worked in the five selected schools over the past three years. Proposed partner schools were selected based on 1) a demonstrated need to improve student outcomes, 2) their readiness to embrace teacher leaders as part of a comprehensive plan to outcomes of the school, and 3) the presence of a principal who supports and empowers teachers to lead. Additionally, the location and demographics of partner schools and their strategic value to serve as model schools were utilized for selection.
Through the T3 Initiative, Teach Plus, Inc. will train and support experienced, effective District teachers to become T3 grade level teacher leaders and current grade-level leaders. The teacher leaders, from Kindergarten to grade 5, will serve as school-wide change agents to advance the instructional goals and priorities of their schools. In support of Anchor Goal 3, the structures implemented by Teach Plus, Inc. support building capacity at the school level to ensure a more distributed leadership model. Teach Plus, Inc. will provide ongoing professional development to grade-level teacher-leaders, SBTLs, and partner principals throughout the year. Each grade-level teacher leader will guide a grade group team of teachers and be responsible for overseeing student growth across all of their team members' classrooms. The data below is specific to the first two years of the partnership with Teach Plus, at the five participating schools:
• In years 1 and 2, T3 schools increased K-2 Aimsweb proficiency by 11 percentage points (2 more than SDP, 11 more than control), K-2 independent reading level growth by 12 percentage points (13 more than SDP, 20 more than control), and 3rd grade ELA proficiency by 1 point (4 more than SDP, 8 more than control).
• 100% of teacher leaders agreed that their experience as a T3 teacher leader had developed them to "make instructional decisions based on evidence," "facilitate the learning of my colleagues," and "stay laser-focused on school-wide goals and priorities."
• 100% of teacher leaders grew at least one level on at least two of the following attributes each year: Purpose-Driven Instructional Leader, Evidence-Based Decision-Maker, or Skillful Facilitation of Adult Learning
The intent on continuing the partnership between Teach Plus and the District is to learn from their capacity-building structures for grade-level teacher leaders to expand at a larger scale throughout the District. The ultimate measure of success at the five partner schools will be gained in student achievement. By July 2021 and 2022, at least 90% (18 of 20) of K-3 grade teams will meet or exceed at least one of their SDP Anchor Goal 2 Outcome Goals (Spring Aimsweb, one year’s independent reading level growth, or ELA PSSA). Performance against goals will be measured using SDP school data reported in QLIK. Additionally, a comparison of student performance and year-over-year growth against SDP as a whole, each network as a whole, and each school’s identified control school. Improvement of early literacy metrics should also lead to increases in schools’ scores on SDP’s School Progress Report ratings system. This work will be in conjunction with the Office of Research & Evaluation to measure and evaluate student achievement gains.
Teach Plus has already transitioned to remote support this spring since the closure of schools and has maintained continuity of all program activities outlined in the grant agreement during this crisis. Specifically, as soon as schools closed, all weekly 1-on-1 coaching, school-based and cross-school professional learning for teacher leaders, and support for PLCs immediately shifted to virtual meetings. Coaches have maintained weekly coaching activities with teacher leaders, and all schools launched virtual PLCs immediately to support teachers in the transition to remote instruction. If remote instruction continues next year, Teach Plus will continue to deliver all coaching and support virtually, and Teach Plus teacher leaders will continue facilitating virtual PLCs to improve teaching and learning in the virtual space. Teacher teams in PLCs will continue to examine student data and work, engage in intellectual preparation and planning for instruction, and explore research-based instructional practice changes. Additionally, Teach Plus has the capability to utilize the learning management system, Northpass, to supplement our live virtual programming and coaching with asynchronous online learning modules for teacher leaders. Teach Plus will work closely with partner principals and district leaders to continue to adapt to the needs of schools, teacher leaders, and students.
Contingent on their board approval, the grant from Teach Plus is made possible by the Neubauer Family Foundation and the William Penn Foundation.