Implementing A Professional Learning Community (Paperback)

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of implementing a Professional Learning Community (PLC) and its impact on student achievement and teacher learning. This mixed methods study used evaluation methods and quantitative data derived from a survey. To determine the effectiveness of PLC research, the researcher analyzed pre- and post-test results given to 33 fourth grade students on language arts standards, as well as responses from a survey given to 23 teachers to analyze the effectiveness of a PLC. Findings from the study indicated that teachers involved in this study's PLC overwhelmingly agreed that implementing a collaborative culture increases student performance. This study also showed that implementing an intervention and enrichment model as part of a PLC helped close the achievement gap on content standards. The study provided recommendations for school leaders and for further research.