This article examines the convergence of two popular school improvement policies: instructional coaching and data-driven decision making (DDDM). Drawing on a mixed methods study of a statewide reading coach program in Florida middle schools, the article examines how coaches support DDDM and how this support relates to student and teacher outcomes.…

Reading First, the largest and most ambitious beginning reading initiative funded by the United States Department of Education, is entering its sixth and final year in Georgia. The author currently serves as a coordinator for the project as well as serve as a Regional Consultant to six schools near my home in South Georgia. She is one of fourteen…

Over the months of a graduate course in literacy education, the authors engaged in many conversations about their leadership roles in the district in which they both work. Their schools are actively engaged in school improvement with a focus on enhancing student achievement. The district and the provincial Department of Education have given…

What role must principals play in order to effectively support literacy coaching efforts? This is a question that many educators have begun to ask (Burkins, 2007; Casey, 2006; Kral, 2007; Shanklin, 2007; Steiner & Kowal, 2007; Toll, 2008). Some suggest that principals can establish close relationships with literacy coaches by offering a number…

Intended for use by local school districts to facilitate the implementation of kindergarten through grade 12 developmental reading programs for all students in Wisconsin, this booklet explains the legislation that mandates such programs. Divided into four parts, the booklet discusses the purpose and intent of a developmental reading program,…

The purpose of this case study is to describe the challenges one coach faced during the initial implementation of a coaching initiative involving 33 teachers in an urban, high-poverty elementary school. Reading coaches are increasingly expected to play a key role in the professional development efforts to improve reading instruction in order to…

This guide presents a staff development program on content area reading that high school reading specialists can conduct for teachers of content areas such as history, chemistry, and literature. Section one of the guide offers specific reasons why professional growth is necessary for teachers, why reading education ought to be part of that…

Finds that the keys to success were communication and collaboration between specialists and teachers. Notes that the participants expressed an awareness of the changing roles of reading specialists. Finds that major strengths were promoting self-esteem, fostering a love of reading, providing specialized instruction, serving as a student advocate,…

This book is intended to help preservice and inservice reading specialists, supervisors, and administrators understand how to organize and supervise reading programs, pre-kindergarten through grade twelve. Each of the major parts of this book concerns some of the knowledge areas necessary for administering reading programs. Titles of the chapters…