PLC Roles & Responsibilities

PLC Process

Searcy School District

Campus Level Roles

District GC

Building GC

CTMs

District Level Roles

Principals Assistant Principals Building Learning Coordinators Lead Teachers

PrincipalAssistant Principal BLC & BIC Lead Teacher Teacher

PrincipalsFaciltators Building Learning Coordinators

Principals Assistant Principals Instructional Facilitators Content Teachers

Superintendent Assistant Superintendents Instructional Facilitator

Documentation in the PLC Process

Essential Standards Smart Goals CFAs SLIPS

Monthly PLC Work Checklists

District Guiding Coalition

Meets Monthly

Roles

1. Support and disseminate information about the PLC process to the building guiding coalition teams.
2. Lead the PLC transformation process by example while maintaining a focus on improving all student learning, focusing on results, and working collaboratively.
3. Models continuous improvement using district-level SMART Goals
4. Designs job-embedded learning opportunities
5. Address misconceptions that hinder learning from occurring while setting expectations for further growth

Building Guiding Coalition

Meets Bi-monthly

Roles

1. Support and disseminate information about the PLC process to the collaborative teams.
2. Lead the PLC transformation process by example at the school level while maintaining a focus on improving all student learning, focusing on results, and working collaboratively.
3. Models continuous improvement using building-level SMART Goals
4. Designs job-embedded learning opportunities

Collaborative Team Meetings

Meets Weekly

Discuss

Roles

1. Group of teachers and facilitators who work interdependently to achieve a common goal, for which members are held mutually accountable.
2. Meets biweekly to plan, monitor, and adjust instruction
3. They collect and analyze student work samples as a team regularly
4. They discuss:
1. Instructional practices, CFAs, RTI, and Data while being open to learning about how to customize instruction for individual students and groups based on their learning needs.

CFAs

Data

RTI

District Level Roles

Superintendent & Assistant Superintendents

Principals & Assistant Principals

District Facilitators

District Guiding Coalition

District Guiding Coalition

District Guiding Coalition

Building Guiding Coalition

Building Guiding Coalition

Building Guiding Coalition

CTMs

CTMs

CTMs

Documentation

Documentation

Documentation

Campus Level Roles

Building Instructional Coordinator

Building Learning Coordinator

Lead Teachers & Teachers

District Guiding Coalition

Building Guiding Coalition

Building Guiding Coalition

CTMs

CTMs

Building Guiding Coalition

Documentation

Documentation

CTMs

Documentation

Documentation in the PLC Process

CFAs

Smart Goals

Essential Standards

SLIPS

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Essential Standards

1. Grade-specific and course-specific standards outline essential knowledge and skills for each school year.
2. All students are guaranteed access to these standards.Models continuous improvement using building-level SMART Goals
3. Common formative assessments are based on these standards.
4. Minimum requirements for high-level learning, not exhaustive.
5. Unpacked and prioritized from a guaranteed and viable curriculum.
6. Used to create pacing guides, assessments, and interventions based on student data.

CFAs

Smart Goals

Essential Standards

SLIPS

Smart Goals

District-Level Facilitators

1. A SMART goal is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
2. It is a focused and measurable target set to improve specific aspects of teaching, student learning, or overall team effectiveness.
3. SMART goals guide data-driven decision-making, encourage collaboration, and provide a framework for continuous improvement within the Professional Learning Community process. .

BGC & BLC

CTMs

INterventionist & Coaches

Teachers

CFAs

Smart Goals

Essential Standards

SLIPS

CFAs

1. Help ALL students achieve high levels of learning
1. Leveling UP - REALLY having ALL students interact with grade level texts
2. Made by a team of teachers in a CTM that guide their teaching (different from summative assessments).

Used to Identify

1. Individual students who need additional support and time for learning
2. Highly proficient students who would benefit from extension
3. The teaching strategies most effective in helping students acquire the intended knowledge and skills
4. Curriculum and professional development concerns - areas in which all team members are having difficulty achieving the intended standard
5. Improvement goals for individual teachers and the team

CFAs

Smart Goals

Essential Standards

SLIPS

SLIPS

• Definition: SLIPs are strategic documents outlining school goals, strategies, and action steps for improvement.
• PLC Contribution: PLCs, through collaboration, identify areas for improvement, set specific goals, and align them with standards and best practices.
• Continuous Monitoring: PLCs engage in ongoing data-driven decision-making, monitoring progress, and making adjustments to SLIP strategies.
• Professional Development: Professional development within PLCs aligns with SLIP goals, supporting effective instructional strategies.
• Culture of Improvement: Integration of SLIPs into PLCs fosters a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement within the school.

CFAs

Smart Goals

Essential Standards

SLIPS

Communication and Transparency:

• Communicate school-level documentation to the District Guiding Coalition, fostering transparency and collaboration across the district.
• Ensure that documentation communicates school-level goals, progress, and areas for improvement, contributing to the overall improvement narrative.

Data-Informed Review and Analysis:

• Utilize data from documentation to assess the effectiveness of school-level strategies, interventions, and improvement plans.
• Encourage a data-driven review and analysis of documentation within the school, providing insights for continuous improvement and informed decision-making.

Principal's Role in:

Documentation

Alignment and Oversight:

• Ensure alignment between school-level documentation (SMART goals, CFAs, Essential Standards, Improvement Plans) and district-wide expectations and standards.
• Provide oversight to documentation processes, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and adherence to established guidelines.

Alignment with District Goals:

• Ensures that the documentation aligns with district-level goals and priorities, fostering a cohesive approach to improvement strategies across all schools.
• Collaborates with school leaders to align essential standards, SMART goals, CFAs, and improvement plans with broader educational objectives.

Quality Assurance and Data Utilization:

• Conducts quality assurance reviews of documentation, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and adherence to established guidelines.
• Utilizes data from documentation to assess the effectiveness of PLC practices, providing insights for continuous improvement and strategic decision-making at the district level.

District Facilitator's Role in:

Documentation

Guidance and Training:

• Offers guidance and training to school leaders and teams on the documentation of essential standards, SMART goals, CFAs, and improvement plans within the PLC process.
• Facilitates professional development sessions to enhance the understanding and consistent application of documentation processes across schools.

Resource Allocation and Support:

• Allocates resources, both human and material, to support the effective functioning of the Building Guiding Coalition.
• Offers support and assistance to the BGC in addressing challenges, facilitating communication, and implementing PLC practices consistently across the building.

Data-Informed Decision Making:

• Promotes a data-driven approach within the BGC, encouraging the use of student data to inform decision-making processes.
• Works with the BGC to establish and monitor SMART goals, ensuring that the coalition's efforts contribute to measurable improvements in student learning outcomes.

District Facilitator's Role in:

Building Guiding Coalition

Guidance and Alignment:

• Guides the Building Guiding Coalition, ensuring alignment with district-level PLC goals and strategies.
• Collaborates with building leaders and the BGC to reinforce the importance of PLC principles in achieving district-wide improvement objectives.

Collaborative Team Meetings

Collaboratively set and regularly assess SMART goals during CTMs, focusing on improving instructional practices, student learning outcomes, and overall team effectiveness.

Communication and Feedback:

• Communicate BGC discussions, decisions, and initiatives to other teachers and team members, ensuring transparency and alignment within the school.
• Provide feedback from teachers to the BGC, offering valuable insights into the practical implications and challenges of implementing strategies at the classroom level.

Collaboration and Support:

• Collaborate with other BGC members, including Building Learning Coordinators and administrators, to ensure cohesive support for school-level initiatives.
• Provide support to colleagues in understanding and implementing strategies discussed in the BGC, fostering a collaborative and supportive culture within the school.

Lead Teacher's role in The:

Building Guiding Coalition

Active Participation and Representation:

• Actively participate in Building Guiding Coalition (BGC) meetings, representing the perspective of teachers and contributing insights from the classroom.
• Collaborate with other BGC members to align school-level goals and strategies with the broader objectives set by the District Guiding Coalition.

Resource Allocation and Support

• Allocates necessary resources, including time, personnel, and budgetary considerations, to support the effective implementation of PLC practices.
• Facilitates or supports district-wide professional development sessions, modeling a commitment to continuous improvement through the use of data and SMART goals.

Cultivating a Collaborative Culture and Policy Alignment

• Cultivates a culture of collaboration, shared responsibility, and continuous improvement at both the district and school levels.
• Ensures district policies align with and support the principles and practices of Professional Learning Communities, working to remove any barriers hindering effective implementation.

Superintendent's Role in the:

District Guiding Coalition

Strategic Leadership and Vision

• Sets and communicates a clear vision for the district's Professional Learning Community (PLC) process, aligning it with broader educational goals.
• Provides strategic leadership to guide the District Guiding Coalition and advocates for the importance of PLC practices in improving student learning outcomes.

Building Interventionist & Coaches

Align intervention and coaching strategies with SMART goals set by CTMs, monitor effectiveness using SMART criteria, and actively contribute to discussions on achieving SMART goals.

Resource Allocation and Professional Development:

• Allocates resources to support effective CTMs, including time for collaboration, access to data, and any necessary training or professional development opportunities.
• Facilitates or supports district-wide professional development sessions focused on enhancing the effectiveness of CTMs and promoting a culture of collaborative learning.

Monitoring Progress and Data Utilization:

• Monitors the progress of Collaborative Team Meetings, using data to assess their impact on student learning outcomes and overall instructional improvement.
• Encourages the use of data-driven decision-making within CTMs, supporting teams in analyzing student work samples, discussing instructional practices, and customizing instruction based on student needs.

Superintendent's Role in the:

Collaborative Team Meetings

Strategic Oversight and Guidance:

• Provides strategic oversight and guidance to Collaborative Team Meetings, emphasizing the importance of these meetings in achieving district and school-level goals.
• Ensures that CTMs are aligned with the broader vision of the Professional Learning Community (PLC) process and supports teams in their collaborative efforts.

Contribution to Goal Setting:

• Contribute to the setting of SMART goals within CTMs, aligning them with broader school and district priorities.
• Collaborate with team members to identify specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals that address student learning needs.

Collaborative Planning and Reflection:

• Engage in collaborative planning sessions within CTMs, sharing best practices and strategies for improving instructional practices.
• Reflect on the effectiveness of instructional approaches, interventions, and strategies, contributing to a culture of continuous improvement within the Collaborative Team.

Lead Teacher/Teacher's role in The:

Collaborative Team Meeting

Active Engagement in Data Analysis:

• Actively engage in data analysis during Collaborative Team Meetings (CTMs), contributing insights into student performance and instructional needs.
• Collaborate with team members to interpret data from common formative assessments and other sources, informing instructional decisions and interventions.

Resource Alignment and Support:

• Aligns resources, both personnel and material, to support the Building Guiding Coalition's efforts in implementing PLC practices at the school level.
• Offers support and strategic guidance to building leaders, facilitating professional development opportunities that strengthen PLC principles and practices within each school.

Communication and Alignment with District Goals:

• Communicates the importance of the PLC process to building leaders, teachers, and other stakeholders, emphasizing its role in enhancing student learning outcomes.
• Ensures that building-level goals and initiatives align with district-wide strategies, fostering a unified and collaborative approach to implementing PLC practices across the district.

Superintendent's Role in the:

Building Guiding Coalition

Guiding Building-Level Leadership:

• Provides guidance and direction to building leaders within the Building Guiding Coalition (BGC), ensuring alignment with district-level goals and PLC principles.
• Supports building principals in the effective implementation of PLC practices within individual schools, fostering a cohesive approach to collaborative learning.

Communication and Collaboration:

• Communicate documentation updates and insights from CTMs to the broader team, fostering collaboration and shared understanding.
• Collaborate with colleagues to ensure that documentation accurately reflects classroom-level efforts and contributions to school-wide goals.

Data-Informed Reflection and Adjustment:

• Use data from documentation to reflect on the effectiveness of instructional practices and interventions.
• Actively engage in data-informed discussions within CTMs, contributing to the iterative process of reflection, adjustment, and continuous improvement.

Lead Teacher/Teacher's role in:

Documentation

Accurate Documentation and Data Entry:

• Ensure accurate documentation of SMART goals, common formative assessments, essential standards, and improvement plans.
• Contribute to the entry of data into documentation systems, maintaining transparency and accountability in the tracking of goals and progress.

Support for Data-Driven Decision-Making:

• Support the use of data-driven decision-making within CTMs, emphasizing the analysis of student work samples, common formative assessments, and other relevant data.
• Encourage a culture of continuous improvement within Collaborative Teams, fostering a commitment to achieving SMART goals and addressing identified challenges.

Professional Development and Capacity Building:

• Provide ongoing professional development to Collaborative Teams, ensuring that team members have the skills and knowledge needed for effective collaboration.
• Build the capacity of teams to identify, implement, and assess best practices, interventions, and instructional strategies within the PLC framework.

Principal's Role in the

Collaborative Team Meetings

Facilitation and Guidance:

• Facilitate Collaborative Team Meetings, guiding teams in their discussions, data analysis, and decision-making processes.
• Provide guidance on the effective use of data to inform instructional practices, interventions, and improvements in student learning outcomes.

Communication and Transparency:

• Communicate school-level documentation to the District Guiding Coalition, fostering transparency and collaboration across the district.
• Ensure that documentation clearly communicates content-specific goals, progress, and areas for improvement, contributing to the overall improvement narrative.

Data-Informed Review and Analysis:

• Utilize data from documentation to assess the effectiveness of content-specific strategies, interventions, and improvement plans.
• Encourage a data-driven review and analysis of documentation within the school, providing insights for continuous improvement and informed decision-making.

Building Learning Coordinators role in The:

Documentation

Alignment and Quality Assurance:

• Ensure alignment between documentation at the school level (SMART goals, CFAs, Essential Standards, Improvement Plans) and district-wide expectations.
• Provide oversight to documentation processes, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and adherence to established guidelines.

Alignment with District Goals:

• Aligns CTMs with district-level goals and priorities, emphasizing the importance of these meetings in achieving broader educational objectives.
• Collaborates with school leaders to ensure that CTMs are focused on the essential standards and contribute to the overall improvement goals of the district.

Data-Informed Decision Making:

• Promotes a data-driven approach within CTMs, encouraging teams to analyze student data, discuss instructional practices, and make decisions based on evidence.
• Monitors the use of data within CTMs, providing support and guidance to ensure that discussions and decisions are informed by relevant and meaningful information.

District Facilitator's Role in:

Collaborative Team Meetings

Professional Development and Training:

• Facilitates professional development sessions and provides ongoing training to educators and facilitators on effective practices for Collaborative Team Meetings.
• Ensures that teams have the necessary skills, resources, and understanding to conduct productive and collaborative CTMs.

Communication and Dissemination:

• Communicate district-level information and initiatives to the Building Guiding Coalition (BGC) and Collaborative Teams, fostering alignment with district goals.
• Disseminate key insights and best practices from school-level experiences to contribute to the continuous improvement of the district-wide PLC process.

Resource Allocation and Support:

• Allocate resources and support to facilitate the effective functioning of the Building Guiding Coalition and Collaborative Teams within their schools.
• Provide guidance and support to school leaders in aligning school-level SMART goals and improvement plans with district priorities and expectations.

Principal's role in the:

District Guiding Coalition

Strategic Leadership and Representation:

• Provide strategic leadership within the District Guiding Coalition, representing the needs and goals of their respective schools.
• Act as a liaison between the district and school levels, ensuring that the PLC process aligns with the unique characteristics and priorities of their schools.

Support for Content-Specific Goals:

• Provide support to Collaborative Teams in the development and implementation of content-specific goals and strategies.
• Work with teachers and team leaders to ensure that content-focused initiatives within the school align with the overall direction set by the District Guiding Coalition.

Professional Development and Capacity Building:

• Contribute to professional development opportunities that enhance the capacity of teachers in specific content areas.
• Identify and address professional development needs related to content-specific instructional strategies and interventions within the school.

Building Instructional Facilitator's role in The:

Building Guiding Coalition

Content Area Facilitation:

• Facilitate discussions and activities within the Building Guiding Coalition (BGC) that leverage content area expertise to enhance instructional practices.
• Collaborate with other BGC members to align content-specific strategies with broader school improvement goals and initiatives.

Data-Driven Decision Making:

• Support the use of data within CTMs, especially in the context of content-specific instructional practices.
• Encourage teams to analyze student work samples, common formative assessments, and other data sources to inform content-focused decision-making.

Continuous Improvement in Instruction:

• Collaborate with teams to set content-specific SMART goals aligned with broader school improvement objectives.
• Emphasize a culture of continuous improvement within CTMs, guiding teams in the iterative process of goal setting, implementation, assessment, and adjustment.

Building Instructional Facilitator's role in The:

Collaborative Team Meetings

Content-Specific Insights and Guidance:

• Offer content-specific insights and guidance during Collaborative Team Meetings, supporting teams in addressing instructional challenges and improving student outcomes.
• Facilitate discussions related to content-specific instructional strategies and interventions, fostering a collaborative learning environment within CTMs.

Collaboration and Coordination:

• Collaborate with other Building Instructional Coordinators and school leaders to ensure coordinated support for specific content areas.
• Align BGC activities and discussions with broader school improvement goals and the initiatives set forth by the District Guiding Coalition.

Professional Development and Capacity Building:

• Contribute to professional development opportunities that enhance the capacity of teachers, especially in the specific content area.
• Work with Collaborative Teams to identify and address professional development needs related to content-specific instructional strategies and interventions.

Building Learning Coordinators role in The:

Building Guiding Coalition

Content Area Expertise and Facilitation:

• Provide content area expertise within the Building Guiding Coalition (BGC), especially in areas related to flexible grouping and instructional planning.
• Facilitate discussions and activities within the BGC that leverage content knowledge to improve instructional practices and student learning outcomes.

Resource Allocation and Support:

• Allocates resources, both human and technological, to support the effective documentation of essential standards, SMART goals, CFAs, and improvement plans.
• Provides support, including training or professional development, to ensure that documentation processes are clear, consistent, and aligned with PLC principles.

Data-Driven Review and Analysis:

• Facilitates a data-driven review and analysis of documentation related to essential standards, SMART goals, CFAs, and improvement plans.
• Monitors the quality and effectiveness of documentation, using data to assess progress toward goals, identify areas for improvement, and guide strategic decision-making in the PLC process.

Superintendent's Role in:

Documentation

Strategic Oversight and Alignment:

• Provides strategic oversight and ensures alignment in the documentation of essential standards, SMART goals, CFAs, and school-level improvement plans.
• Ensures that documentation accurately reflects the district's educational priorities, aligns with essential standards, and contributes to the overall improvement goals.

Resource Allocation and Coordination:

• Allocates necessary resources, including personnel, time, and support, to facilitate the effective functioning of the District Guiding Coalition.
• Coordinates the resources needed to disseminate information, support schools, and successfully implement PLC practices.

Data-Driven Decision-Making and Continuous Improvement:

• Promotes a data-driven decision-making approach by emphasizing the analysis of district-level data to inform strategic decisions.
• Facilitates continuous improvement by guiding the DGC in setting and monitoring district-level SMART goals, ensuring that the PLC process contributes to measurable advancements in educational outcomes across the district.

District Facilitator's Role in:

District Guiding Coalition

Strategic Leadership and Vision:

• Provides strategic leadership to the District Guiding Coalition, aligning the coalition's efforts with the broader vision and goals of the district.
• Collaborates with district leaders to set a clear vision for the PLC process, emphasizing its role in improving student learning outcomes and overall educational effectiveness.

Supporting Data-Driven Decision Making:

• Support Collaborative Teams in using data effectively during CTMs, especially in the context of content-specific instructional strategies.
• Encourage teams to analyze student work samples, common formative assessments, and other data sources to inform content-focused decision-making.

Continuous Improvement and Goal Setting:

• Work with teams to set content-specific SMART goals aligned with district and school priorities.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement within CTMs, emphasizing the iterative process of goal setting, implementation, assessment, and adjustment.

Building Learning Coordinators role in The:

Collaborative Team Meeting

Information Sharing and Facilitation:

• Share insights and information from District Guiding Coalition meetings during Collaborative Team Meetings, ensuring a clear understanding of district expectations.
• Facilitate discussions within CTMs that link district-level strategies to specific instructional practices and interventions within the school.

Communication and Transparency:

• Communicate school-level documentation to the District Guiding Coalition (if applicable), fostering transparency and collaboration across the district.
• Ensure that documentation clearly communicates content-specific goals, progress, and areas for improvement, contributing to the overall improvement narrative.

Data-Informed Review and Analysis:

• Utilize data from documentation to assess the effectiveness of content-specific strategies, interventions, and improvement plans.
• Encourage a data-driven review and analysis of documentation within the school, providing insights for continuous improvement and informed decision-making.

Building Instructional Facilitator's role in The:

Documentation

Quality Assurance and Alignment:

• Ensure alignment between documentation at the school level (SMART goals, CFAs, Essential Standards, Improvement Plans) and district-wide expectations.
• Provide oversight to documentation processes, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and adherence to established guidelines.

Local Application and Customization:

• Customize district-level strategies and initiatives for the specific needs of Collaborative Teams within the school.
• Work collaboratively with school leaders to align DGC recommendations with school-level priorities and instructional practices.

Resource Allocation and Team Support:

• Allocate resources, including information, tools, and support, to help Collaborative Teams effectively implement district-level strategies.
• Support Collaborative Teams in translating district goals into actionable plans and activities, fostering a culture of collaboration within the school.

Building Learning Coordinators role in The:

District Guiding Coalition

Information Dissemination and Collaboration:

• Attend District Guiding Coalition (DGC) meetings to gather information on district-level initiatives, expectations, and best practices.
• Act as a liaison between the DGC and Collaborative Teams (CTMs) by disseminating relevant information, and ensuring alignment between district and school-level goals.

District-Level Facilitators

Guide schools in setting district-level SMART goals aligned with broader educational objectives and monitor progress, providing support for successful achievement.

Resource Allocation and Team Support:

• Allocate resources and support to facilitate the effective functioning of Collaborative Teams, ensuring they have the necessary tools for success.
• Support Collaborative Teams in their work, fostering a culture of collaboration, shared responsibility, and data-driven decision-making within the school.

Communication and Collaboration:

• Communicate district-level expectations and initiatives to Collaborative Teams, ensuring alignment with broader educational objectives.
• Collaborate with district and school leaders to align school-level SMART goals, common formative assessments, and improvement plans with district strategies.

Principal's role in the

Building Guiding Coalition

Strategic Leadership and Local Vision:

• Provide strategic leadership within the Building Guiding Coalition, aligning school-level goals and strategies with district priorities.
• Develop a local vision for the PLC process within the school, emphasizing collaboration and continuous improvement.

Building Guiding Coalition & Building Learning Coordinators

Lead the development and implementation of building-level SMART goals in SLIPS that align with district priorities, fostering a culture of success and continuous improvement.

Teachers & Lead Teachers

Align personal professional goals with CTM SMART goals, using data to inform instructional decisions, and actively participating in discussions to achieve collective objectives.