THE UTILIZATION OF INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES ON THE IMPACT OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND TEACHER INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES IN READING AND MATH IN GRADES THREE THROUGH EIGHT

Abstract

Teachers’ utilization of instructional coaches and their reported instructional practices can help school districts and schools more effectively utilize instructional coaches in schools to impact student achievement and teacher practices that impact instructional and student achievement. Instructional coaches can assist teachers in their continual learning by offering embedded professional development in areas of need and follow up on teacher implementation of professional learning by observing and co-teaching with educators. Examining student state achievement test scores in reading and math in schools that implemented instructional coaches can show if there has been an impact in math and reading instruction and if an impact has been sustained during multiple years of implementation.