Reviews of Two Programs Focused on Teacher and School Leader Effectiveness

The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) recently reviewed the research on two interventions designed to improve the effectiveness of teachers and school leaders. One intervention—Literacy Design Collaborative—aims to improve teacher literacy instruction by providing professional development and access to high-quality instructional materials. The second intervention, National Institute for School Leadership™, is a professional development program that aims to develop effective, strategic school leaders who support teachers in providing high-quality instruction. The results are summarized in two intervention reports released by the Institute of Education Sciences. Literacy Design Collaborative Literacy Design Collaborative is a professional development program for teachers of kindergarten through grade 12 across subject areas. It supports teachers as they develop and use high-quality, standards-aligned literacy instructional materials that build student reading, research, and writing skills. Teachers implement Literacy Design Collaborative activities in core subject area classes like English language arts, social studies, or science by using 2- to 3-week instructional modules that supplement existing curricula. Teachers get help from Literacy Design Collaborative coaches and from their peers during collaborative planning time. Based on the research, the WWC found that implementing Literacy Design Collaborative has mixed effects on student literacy achievement. While one study showed evidence of a positive and statistically significant effect of Literacy Design Collaborative on general literacy achievement, two other studies showed evidence of no discernable effects. The WWC also found that implementing Literacy Design Collaborative has no discernible effects on general social studies achievement based on one study that did not find a statistically significant effect. The WWC based its conclusion on its review of three studies of the effectiveness of Literacy Design Collaborativethat met WWC group design standards. The studies included racially, ethnically, and geographically diverse groups of students—totaling more than 30,000 students in grades 4 through 8—in schools in Kentucky, New York City, and a school district on the West Coast. Two other studies of the effectiveness of Literacy Design Collaborative did not meet WWC group design standards. Read the full report and learn more about the studies the WWC examined. National Institute for School Leadership™ (NISL) NISL is a professional development program to prepare school leaders in fostering high-quality instruction and a supportive learning environment in their schools. NISL professional development consists of 12 two-day units that are offered over 12 to 15 months. As part of the program, school leaders learn how to apply NISL’s teacher coaching model to support teachers in core subject areas.  No studies of NISL that fall within the scope of the WWC review met WWC standards. Because no studies met standards, the WWC is unable to draw any conclusions at this time about the effectiveness of NISL on student, teacher, or school leader outcomes. Read the full report to learn more about the studies the WWC examined. To see other WWC reports, visit whatworks.ed.gov and check your inbox for more updates and new releases throughout the year. For the latest WWC news, follow the WWC on Twitter and Facebook.