Douglas Fisher is professor and chair of educational leadership at San Diego State University and a teacher leader at Health Sciences High and Middle College. Previously, Fisher was an early intervention teacher and elementary school educator. In 2022, he was inducted into the Reading Hall of Fame by the Literacy Research Association. He has published numerous articles on reading and literacy, differentiated instruction, and curriculum design, as well as books such as Your Introduction to PLC+, Welcome to Teaching, How Feedback Works, Teaching Reading, and RIGOR Unveiled. Fisher loves being an educator and hopes to share that passion with others. Kierstan Barbee holds a doctoral degree in educational leadership and literacy from the University of Houston. She brings 20 years of education-related experience in PreK-12 settings. She has served as a secondary English Language Arts teacher, academic coach, and professional development supervisor in urban districts as well as a project manager of assessment for learning, which involved creating system-wide professional learning programming for central staff and campuses that promoted the spread of research- and evidence informed practices to maximize teaching and learning. Through an emphasis on relationship-building and human-centered design principles, Kierstan has coached PreK-12 principals, teachers, and district leaders on pedagogical practices that promote equity and student agency in learning. John Almarode is a professor of education at James Madison University. He was awarded the inaugural Sarah Miller Luck Endowed Professorship in 2015 and received an Outstanding Faculty Award from the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia in 2021. John started as a mathematics and science teacher in Augusta County, Virginia. John has written multiple books, book chapters, papers, and reports. His collaborative work with colleagues on what works best in teaching and learning includes How Tutoring Works, Visible Learning in Early Childhood, and How Learning Works, all with Corwin Press. Nancy Frey is a professor in educational leadership at San Diego State University and a teacher leader at Health Sciences High and Middle College. Her published titles include The Courage to Learn, The Art and Science of Coaching, How Scaffolding Works, and The Illustrated Guide to Visible Learning. Frey is a credentialed special educator, reading specialist, and administrator in California and learns from teachers and students every day.
Transform your PLC collaboration to strengthen student learning across classrooms Professional Learning Communities hold tremendous potential, but without clear structure and shared purpose, that potential often goes untapped. PLC+ The Texas Way offers Texas educators an evidence-based framework for moving beyond isolated classroom practice toward collaborative inquiry and evidence-based teaching that accelerates learning for every student. Written specifically for Texas schools, this guide shifts PLC work from prep and planning to creating shared understanding of TEKS and HQIM, making intentional instructional decisions that support learners and responding to student needs. Anchored in the five essential questions-Where are we now? Where are we going? How do we move learning forward? What did we learn today? Who benefited and who did not?-PLC+ provides the clarity and direction teacher teams need to translate state standards and quality materials into meaningful student growth. Inside, you'll find: Direct connections to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) Spotlight cases featuring small and rural schools that demonstrate how PLC+ works in diverse Texas contexts Ready-to-use tools and protocols that support teams in making sense of the five essential questions and taking immediate action PLC+ The Texas Way helps educators build cultures of collective responsibility, shared efficacy, and trust-based teamwork. When teachers collaborate with purpose, students thrive-and that's what matters most.
Foreword Texas PLC+ Advisory Board Publisher's Acknowledgments About the Authors INTRODUCTION: A Look Back: A Road Map for Moving Forward in PLCs PART I: THRIVING TOGETHER WITH PLC+ QUESTION 1: Where Are We Now? QUESTION 2: Where Are We Going? QUESTION 3: How Do We Move Learning Forward? QUESTION 4: What Did We Learn Today? QUESTION 5: Who Benefited, and Who Did Not? PART II: PLC+ TOOLS AND PROTOCOLS Getting Started Where Are We Now? Where Are We Going? How Do We Move Learning Forward? What Did We Learn Today? Who Benefited, and Who Did Not? Endnotes Index