Leveraging Teacher Leadership in a District’s Initiative to Scale Up and Sustain an Evidence-Based Practice

• In Event: Poster Session 15
  In Poster Session: The Lives of Teachers: Poster Session

Abstract

This study investigates the role of teacher leaders in a district’s initiative to scale-up and sustain an Evidence Based Practice (EBP) called Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR) in middle schools. The district leverages teacher leaders as models and support for decreasing the achievement gap through the school-wide adoption of CSR. Findings show variability in how teacher leaders defined and enacted the role despite the district’s professional development and guiding documents. Results also demonstrate school-specific patterns and varying conceptions of “ownership” of CSR to make decisions about accepted adaptations of the reading instructional model. Principals, district leaders, and teacher leaders may need more structured time to craft a clear set of expectations to guide the work of teacher leadership in instructional initiatives.

Authors

• Karla Scornavacco, University of Colorado - Boulder

• Alison Gould Boardman, University of Colorado - Boulder

• Janette K. Klingner, University of Colorado - Boulder