Supporting Literacy Across the Sunshine State A Study of Florida Middle School Reading Coaches (2008)

by Marsh, Julie A.; McCombs, Jennifer Sloan; Lockwood, J. R.; Martorell, Francisco; Gershwin, Daniel

• ISBN13: 9780833045096
• ISBN10: 0833045091
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-08-25
• Publisher: RAND Corporation

Summary

"Despite recent progress in reading achievement among children in primary grades, many children are not moving beyond basic decoding skills to fluency and comprehension as they go on to higher grades. To address this problem, many policymakers suggest that reading coaches - master teachers who offer ongoing on-site instructional support for teachers - can improve teachers' practice and students' literacy skills. RAND researchers evaluated the middle school reading coach program in Florida to answer these questions: How is the program being implemented by the state, districts, schools, and individual coaches? What is the impact of coaching on teachers' practice and students' achievement in reading and mathematics? What features of reading coach models and practices are associated with better outcomes?"--BOOK JACKET.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. iii
Figures	p. ix
Tables	p. xi
Summary	p. xv
Acknowledgements	p. xxvii
Abbreviations
Introduction	p. 1
The Adolescent Literacy Problem	p. 1
Improving Adolescent Literacy	p. 3
Purpose of the Study	p. 5
Methods	p. 6
Organization of the monograph	p. 7
Background on coaching Flodia's Program	p. 9
What We Know from Previous Literature on Coaching	p. 9
Overview of Coaching	p. 9
Theoretical Basis for Coaching	p. 11
Coaching Implementation	p. 12
Outcomes: Effects of Coaching on Teachers, Instruction, and Student Achievement	p. 16
Conclusion	p. 18
Florida's Reading Coach Program	p. 18
History of Reading Coaches Florida	p. 19
Key Elements of Florida's Reading Coach Program	p. 23
Summary	p. 31
Research Questions, Framework, and Methods	p. 33
Research Questions	p. 33
Conceptual Framework	p. 34
Data and Methodology	p. 36
Sample	p. 38
Data	p. 40
Data Analysis	p. 44
Technical Notes	p. 46
Study Limitations	p. 46
Summary	p. 48
Implementation of Florida Coaching Program: District and School Policis	p. 51
Overview of District Coaching Programes	p. 51
Hiring And Placement	p. 54
Coach Qualification	p. 56
Comprehesion	p. 64
Supervision, Evaluation, and Monitoring	p. 65
Professional Development and Support	p. 65
Professional Development and Support	p. 67
State Training	p. 67
District Professional Development	p. 69
Summary	p. 77
Implementation of Florida Coaching Program: The Day-to-Day Work of Coaches	p. 81
How Coaches Spend Their Time	p. 81
Type of Coach Activities	p. 82
Focus of Work :Teachers	p. 97
Focus of Work: Areas o Istruction	p. 99
Teachers' Reports of Coach Interaction	p. 101
Perceived Constraints and Enables	p. 105
Time to Works With Teachers	p. 105
Continuity in School	p. 107
Teacher Turnover	p. 107
Teacher Attitues	p. 107
Role Clarity	p. 108
School Administrator Support	p. 111
Central Office Support	p. 112
Coach-Teacher Ratio	p. 112
Summary	p. 113
Perceived Influence of the coach in Teaches, Principal, School Climate. And Students	p. 117
Descriptive Findings	p. 117
Perceived Influence of the Coach on Teachers	p. 117
Perceived Influence of the Coach on the Pricipal	p. 133
Perceived Influence of the Coach on the School	p. 135
Perceived Influence of the Coach on the Studens	p. 136
Modeling Results	p. 137
Modeling Approach	p. 137
Modeling Results	p. 145
Conclution	p. 152
The Impact Coaching on Student Achhivement	p. 155
Longitudinal, Statewide Analysis: Do School Make High Average Annual Achievement Gains After Receiving a Sate-Funded Coach?	p. 155
Achievement: Trends in Florida and Coaches Schools	p. 156
Statewide Modeling Approach
Statewide Coaching Effects
Cross sectional Analysis in Study Schools: Are Certain Coaching Features and Practices Associated with Improvements in Student Achievement?	p. 167
Achievement Trends in study Schools	p. 167
Cross Sectional Modeling Approach	p. 167
Relationship Between Coaching Program Features and Reading Achievement of Low-Performing Students	p. 173
Relationship Between Coaching Program Features and Mathematics Acheivement	p. 175
Conclutions	p. 177
Conclusion and Recommedations	p. 179
Key Findings	p. 179
Recommendations for Policy and Practice	p. 184
Supporting Coach Quality	p. 185
Enabling Certain Types of Coach Activities	p. 187
Prioritizing Work and Targeting Teacjers	p. 190
Providing Broader Contextual support	p. 191
Recommendations of future Research	p. 192
Appendixes
2006-2007 Florida Reading Coach Position Description	p. 195
Data and Modeling in the statewide Achievement Analysis	p. 199
Modeling the Coaching Implementation ûStudent Achievement Limk	p. 219
References	p. 229
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