2. Planning the Alternative PL Assignment

Overview

This professional learning (PL) plan outlines the framework for transitioning UT Elementary from isolated, compliance-based professional development to ongoing, job-embedded, and collaborative professional learning aligned to student needs. It directly supports our innovation plan to improve Literacy, Math, and Science outcomes through weekly data-driven PLCs, teacher-led modeling, and sustained instructional coaching.

Audience & Needs

This PL is designed for classroom teachers (PreK–5) and support staff at UTES, a Title I demonstration campus affiliated with UT Austin’s College of Education. Our teachers need:
- Clarity on using student data (DMAC, DIBELS, IXL) to guide instruction
- Consistent support in implementing high-impact strategies aligned with the TEKS Top 10 Student Expectations (SEs)
- Opportunities for collaborative learning and practice within grade bands
- Leadership modeling of what effective instruction looks like

Five Key Principles of Effective PL

This plan intentionally incorporates the five research-based principles of professional learning (Gulamhussein, 2013; Darling-Hammond et al., 2017):

Principle	What It Looks Like in Practice
Duration & Ongoing Support	Weekly PLCs for continuous data analysis and adjustment, monthly instructional rounds, and ongoing coaching cycles.
Implementation Support	Real-time feedback through walkthroughs and coaching, with personalized growth goals for each teacher.
Active Learning	Teachers engage in hands-on data analysis, collaborative planning, reflective dialogue, and modeling strategies.
Modeling	Demonstration lessons (live or recorded), peer-led breakout sessions, and exemplar planning templates.
Content Specificity	Targeted strategies tailored to grade level and content: Literacy (PreK–2) and Math/Science (3–5) aligned with TEKS Top 10.

Fostering Collaboration

Collaboration is at the heart of this plan:
- Weekly PLCs with structured agendas and defined protocols following the UTES PLC Data Cycle.
- Teacher-led breakout sessions during monthly faculty meetings.
- Vertical alignment meetings to connect instruction across grade bands during monthly vertical district half days.

Images courtesy of Lucy McCoy, Instructional Administrator, UT Elementary, 2024.

Leadership Roles

Successful implementation of this Professional Learning (PL) plan relies on a distributed leadership model that empowers all members of our school community. The table below outlines the key roles and responsibilities of the admin team, instructional coaches, SPED and general education teacher leaders, and classroom teachers. By fostering collaboration and shared ownership, we create a supportive environment where every educator contributes to professional growth and improved student outcomes.

Role	Responsibilities
Admin Team (Lara Wilder - Executive Principal & Lucy McCoy - Instructional Admin)	Schedule, accountability, feedback
Instructional Coach Team (Jennie Noonan – Reading & Carly Kennedy – Math)	Lead facilitators, coaching, demonstration lessons, data tracking
SPED Teacher Leaders (Gabi Huntington - Reading & John Cheek - Math)	Co-teachers, lead modeling sessions, mentor peers
General Education Teachers	Actively engage in PLCs, track student data, set individual growth goals, lead and participate in breakout sessions, contribute to vertical alignment meetings

Instructional Design Framework

This plan is anchored by a BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) and a 3-Column Table framework to align desired results, evidence of learning, and instructional strategies. Sessions will follow backwards-design principles to ensure relevance and measurable outcomes. The 3-Column Table was developed earlier in the course. It has been updated some actionable to reflect specific and actionable items to guide teachers through their Alternative PL Plan. This ensures continuity and clearly demonstrates how the instructional design underpins the PL plan.

Schedule/Timeline

The success of this Professional Learning (PL) plan depends on intentional, sustained implementation over the course of the year. The schedule and timeline below reflect a structured yet flexible approach, aligned with our campus priorities and administrative expectations. These schedules, provided by our leadership team, outline key milestones such as the August PD launch, ongoing weekly and biweekly PLCs, monthly instructional rounds, and quarterly progress reviews. This timeline ensures accountability, continuity, and opportunities for reflection and adjustment throughout the year.

August PD Week: Launch sessions, review TEKS Top 10 priorities, and train on data tools
Weekly PLCs: Grade-level specific, focused on current student data and instructional next steps
Biweekly Coaching & Feedback Cycles: Walkthroughs, goal-setting, and reflective meetings
Monthly Instructional Rounds: Peer observation, discussion, and collaborative refinement
Quarterly Reviews: Evaluate campus progress and adjust the PL plan as needed

This schedule will launch initial PL for the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year.

This schedule is for structured time dedicated to monthly vertical team meetings.

Professional development schedules created by Lucy McCoy, Instructional Administrator, UT Elementary, 2025. Used with permission.

Resources Needed

Implementing this Professional Learning (PL) plan successfully requires intentional allocation of resources to ensure teachers have the tools, time, and guidance to improve their practice. The following key resources will support the plan’s rollout and sustainability:

Access to DMAC, DIBELS, and IXL: Data tools for tracking student progress and informing instruction.
Protected Coaching & Planning Time: Scheduled time for teachers and coaches to collaborate and reflect.
Protocols, Templates, & Exemplars: Ready-to-use materials for PLCs, modeling sessions, and instructional planning.
Learning Forward Standards Reference Guide: Framework supported by the UTES Instructional Playbook to ensure alignment with best practices for professional learning.

Images courtesy of Lucy McCoy, Instructional Administrator, UT Elementary, 2024.

Promoting the Plan

To build awareness and buy-in, this Professional Learning (PL) plan will be promoted through a narrative-driven call-to-action video and slides, already embedded in my ePortfolio and introduced at the August PD kick-off. Teachers will also receive a concise one-page overview flyer summarizing the why, what, and how for easy reference.

During initial PLCs and sessions, I will model collaborative practices to demonstrate what effective PL looks and feels like. Teachers will have opportunities to contribute their feedback through surveys and informal check-ins, ensuring they feel ownership of the process and its outcomes.

This campaign will be shared under the tagline: “Professional Learning that Works: Collaborative. Relevant. Ongoing.”

Collaboration of Learning

(Click the link to view the interactive group Padlet)

"We can't expect teachers to transform student learning until we transform how teachers learn."

— Adapted from Linda Darling-Hammond