Chandler Unified rolls out districtwide ‘learning walks’ to monitor instruction and build teacher collaboration

District instructional leaders told the Chandler Unified School District board on Aug. 20 that the district is expanding a non-evaluative classroom-observation program called learning walks to every school to celebrate and spread effective instructional practices.

Dr. Edgar, executive lead for instruction, and Karen Brooks, an instructional coach, described learning walks as short (about 10-minute) classroom snapshots followed by facilitated discussion focused on high-yield instructional strategies and Universal Design for Learning (UDL). “They are a non evaluative system for observing and discussing innovative ideas and impactful strategies that enhance student learning,” Brooks said. The stated goal is to have teachers learn from peers, reflect on practice and accelerate districtwide adoption of proven methods.

The program evolved from a 2023–24 proof-of-concept and an administrator pilot; district staff reported training administrators and teacher facilitators and developing a “note catcher” tool to guide observations and post-walk conversation. Dr. Edgar said the initiative ties closely to the Journey to Excellence strategic plan, especially Goal 1 (learning experiences) and Goal 4 (culture). Sites choose a Marzano evaluation element—examples included planning standards-based units, formative assessment use and cognitively complex tasks—to focus their walkthrough conversations.

Implementation details presented to the board included: - A district coaching team assigned to support sites; elementary coaches typically facilitate walks directly while secondary sites train teacher facilitators (department chairs or teacher leaders) to run walks. - A timeline for the academic year with semester‑based cycles; for secondary schools learning-walk scheduling may cover a full semester. Brooks said some elementary sites already completed a practice walk this semester. - Logistics for classroom coverage: elementary walks often require substitutes and the district is budgeting for substitute coverage; secondary walks generally use teacher planning time. - A tool (the note catcher) that aligns the walk to district instructional priorities, UDL considerations and Marzano elements and guides the debrief conversation toward teacher reflection and adaptation.

Board members asked how the district will track whether learning walks improve instruction and student outcomes. Dr. Edgar and Dr. Fletcher said the district plans to add perception items to staff climate surveys and to link school-level Site Learning Experience Plans (which include SMART goals) to learning-walk evidence. Brooks added that coaches and administrators are collecting qualitative feedback from teachers; early reports from pilot sites included increased teacher morale, ideas for classroom practice, and concrete examples teachers said they planned to adopt.

Members also discussed sustainability and scale: secondary schedules and planning-time tradeoffs, coach capacity (some coaches support 3–4 elementary sites or one large secondary), and whether teachers observed should be part of the post-walk conversation. Brooks said the first-year design emphasized safe, peer-led reflection and non-evaluative discussion; the protocol could evolve in later years to include different feedback loops.

District leaders said the program aims to create greater alignment between district initiatives and classroom practice while building a “culture of professional learning.” Several board members praised the model, and some asked to participate in a walk at a school in the coming weeks.

Provenance: The presentation and discussion were part of the Aug. 20 study session and continued until the board adjourned for a brief break; supporting detail appears in the presentation and Q&A between 01:03:18 and 01:12:00 of the meeting.