Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Professional Learning topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Binghamton schools outline professional learning community plan to align instruction across district
Summary
District presenters described the PLC/PLT framework, a PLC hub for shared essential standards and data tools (Educlimber/Atlas), and the district's plan to pursue model PLC distinctions for buildings; presenters emphasized clarity of essential standards, common formative assessments and targeted interventions.
District staff presented a multi-tiered plan on Nov. 19 to unify instructional practice across buildings through professional learning communities (PLCs) and professional learning teams (PLTs).
Presenters identified Jennifer Doug and Kyle Skinner as the presenters leading the collaborative-teams presentation. They described PLCs as the umbrella for districtwide improvement work and PLTs as smaller team units (for example, a grade-level or department team). Presenters said PLCs/PLTs answer four guiding questions: what students must know and do, how to assess learning, how to respond when students struggle, and how to extend learning for students who already meet standards.
The presenters demonstrated the PLC hub, an interactive website intended to house essential standards, common formative assessments and team resources. "Clarity precedes competence," a presenter said, underscoring the case that districtwide shared expectations and common assessments make teacher collaboration and consistent instruction possible.
They described tools used in the work: Educlimber for data aggregation and a "data wall" to identify students who are meeting standards, close to meeting standards, or not meeting standards, and Atlas for sharing instructional strategies across schools. The presenters described a system of monthly PLT minutes, SMART goals and "WIN groups" (targeted groups for intervention based on data).
District staff said some buildings already have distinctions as promising-practice PLCs and are preparing applications for model PLC status. The presenters described a role for Solution Tree mentors to support building-level leaders and noted next steps including a district PLC survey and model PLC applications for several schools.
What happens next: The district will run a districtwide PLC survey and continue mentoring at the building level; administrators said they would report progress at future board meetings, including an update scheduled for Dec. 17.
Ending: Presenters closed by emphasizing that the PLC work is intended to reduce instructional variability across the seven elementary schools and improve outcomes through shared standards and targeted interventions.
