From Start-Up to High-Performing Network: Using Instructional Coaching to Improve Consistency, Capacity, and Performance

• In Event: 18.066 - Leadership and Coaching for School Turnaround

Abstract

The Tennessee Achievement School District (ASD) was created in 2011 to rapidly turnaround the lowest performing schools in the state by authorizing high performing charter management organizations to operate the schools. A lack of enough quality applicants, however, led the district to directly run a group of schools. This research investigates the efforts of the ASD’s direct-run schools to become a high performing network by focusing on how an instructional coaching program contributed to efforts to both align and improve instructional capacity. The ability of new networks of schools to develop the capability of the few high performing networks will significantly influence whether the ASD and districts like it across the country will succeed in large-scale turnaround efforts.

Author

• Matthew R. Malone, The George Washington University