Student-Centered Inquiry for School Transformation
In Partnerships for Learning (PFL, formerly known as Impact 2012), expert coaches work with teachers and administrators to assess and address the learning gaps that underlie low student achievement, and raise the overall effectiveness of classroom instruction to meet every student’s needs. 
Our coaches support teachers and administrators at your school site to form an Inquiry Team and develop collaborative inquiry practices, identify focal students, practice formative assessment and intervention cycles with focals to close learning gaps, and use the process to strengthen classroom instruction. PFL coaches help teachers embed formative assessment into daily instruction, use real-time student data to adjust instruction, and build learning partnerships with students that foster engagement and efficacy.
Coaching services are customized to school conditions. Schools may receive coaching to strengthen professional learning communities and instructional leadership before beginning PFL inquiry. More advanced teams develop strategies for scaling inquiry and assessment practices across the school and making aligned changes.
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Key ideas
Go small to get big. Keep a tight focus on a specific skill for a small group of under-performing students to improve teaching and learning class-wide and school-wide.
The inquiry process is core. Team time focuses on rich conversations about student learning anchored by formative assessment data, review of student work, and collective study of instructional planning and practice.
Students accelerate their own learning. Teachers provide students with timely feedback to make learning explicit so that students become self-aware, self-directed learners.
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Program Features
- 25 days of on-site, embedded coaching. Includes learning resources, process coaching, assessment training, meeting facilitation, instructional coaching, leadership coaching, and research and data management. Any level of K-12.
- Expert coaches. PFL coaches are experts in school change, team development and instructional coaching, supporting teachers in all content areas to improve instructional planning and practice.
- Expertise in reading providing training in a range of literacy principles and assessment tools.
- Instructional seminars to provided needed content in literacy, learning theory, cultural competence, and other areas.
- Participation in a network of schools doing and sharing similar work.
- District-wide engagements are encouraged. Develop strategies for central office support of sustainable instructional improvement in schools across your district.
- Subsidized rates may be available for qualifying schools based on project parameters and context.
Results
Schools report a high degree of teacher adoption of formative assessment and related practices. Schools with strong implementation closed or greatly narrowed CST ELA proficiency gaps between target groups and district averages in a single year. Target students in all 12 pilot schools in 2009-10 outperformed their peers by 13 percentage points in targeted CST strands.
Principal Jason Lustig of MLK Middle School in Berkeley discusses his school’s challenges and successes in Partnerships for Learning (aka Impact 2012).
Two teachers in Partnerships for Learning (aka Impact 2012), one elementary and one middle school, discuss their progress in the program.
A middle school Inquiry Team discusses their focal students using a sort activity, a tool we use with students and adults.
- Our evaluation reports indicate that the program has a consistent impact on student achievement. Evaluations have found that greater school leader involvement and greater fidelity were associated with greater gains among targeted students.
Download a panel discussion transcript with compelling ideas from some participating teachers and principals who made significant improvements to their classrooms and schools.- Visit our Research & Evaluation page for more information.
Activities Overview
(click image to download PDF)
Participating Schools
We are currently seeking Bay Area schools and districts to participate in our 2012-13 cohort. Please contact Senior Associate and PFL project manager Tom Malarkey at 510.208.0160 x318 or email tmalarkey (at) nationalequityproject.org for more information. Program launches in August 2012.
2010-12 Schools Served
- Henry Haight Elementary, Alameda
- LeConte Elementary, Berkeley
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School, Berkeley
- Anna Yates Elementary, Emeryville
- Emery Secondary School, Emeryville
- Encinal Elementary, Menlo Park
- Hillview Middle School, Menlo Park
- Laurel Elementary, Menlo Park
- Oak Knoll Elementary, Menlo Park
- Acorn Woodland Elementary, Oakland
- Castlemont High School, Oakland
- Elmhurst Community Prep, Oakland
- Futures Elementary, Oakland
- Frick Middle School, Oakland
- Manzanita SEED Elementary, Oakland
- Learning Without Limits Elementary, Oakland
- Leadership Preparatory High School, Oakland
- Madison Middle School, Oakland
- Redwood Heights Elementary, Oakland
- Bahia Vista Elementary, San Rafael
- Davidson Middle School, San Rafael
- San Pedro Elementary, San Rafael
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We believe that every child in America has the right to a quality education, and we coach people to become powerful leaders who make good on that promise.