The Challenge
As a small but fast-growing and diversifying district, Bettendorf Central School District (BCSD) wanted to engage educators across the district in developing a pilot plan that created authentic and collaborative leadership pathways.
The Response
BCSD worked with Mira Education to study professional leadership and pathway models, explore needs of educators within their district, and support a learning agenda for the district during its three-year pilot. Results from the initial scan contributed to development of a successful first-round grant application to the Iowa Department of Education to fund its Teacher Leadership and Compensation (TLC) Model.
The Impact
As early as the first year of implementation, teachers were more likely to agree that they had regular access to coaching supports and could make progress with the most challenged students.
Educator engagement increased by 25 percentage points during the pilot, with educators reporting that they felt connected to all aspects of the plan’s development, execution, support, and success. Additionally, 4 in 5 educators felt the TLC Model directly improved the quality of instruction in their own and others’ classrooms.
During the pilot, the district made substantive progress toward growth goals, moving two schools off federal SINA (Schools in Need of Assistance) status.
Career opportunities and availability of regular coaching offered by a successful TLC Model was a component of increased teacher retention rates in the district, growing by 17 percentage points among new hires and 2 percentage points for all teachers in the first two years of implementation.