Instructional Coaching Project

The OESCA Program Cabinet (comprised of Ohio Department of Education & Workforce and Ohio ESC staff) has allotted ESSER funds for an Instructional Coaching Project. [Foundations of Effective Instructional Coaching Project Slides]

The Need for the Project
OESCA commissioned a survey to assess whether educational service centers (ESCs) provide Instructional Coaching services to their member districts. Out of 40 participating ESCs, 35 confirmed offering coaching services, while five do not currently provide them. Among the ESCs without coaching services, four expressed interest in offering them in the future. Overall, the survey findings highlight the provision and potential growth of Instructional Coaching services among ESCs, diverse training approaches, and resources, collaborative partnerships, utilization of ODE-developed resources, involvement of external coaching experts, primary focus areas, and additional resources. The findings indicated that instructional coaching is a significant part of ESC services and training; however, responses from the ESCs revealed:

• Definitions of instructional coaching vary widely 
• Different language, models, structures, services, and support to define, design, develop, and deploy coaches
• Lack of shared criteria for effective practice 
• Lack of resources to implement, monitor, and measure impact

Learn more about the survey and results [Executive Summary]

Project Goal
Establish common criteria for effective instructional coaching and build capacity of ESCs to develop and deploy instructional coaches and monitor and measure their impact. 

Project Scope
The Instructional Coaching project will have two parts – co-design and training and implementation.

Co-Design Team

1. Research and review instructional coaching models.
2. Define common criteria for effective instructional coaching.
3. Design implementation and monitoring tools.
4. Design key performance indicators and tools and resources to monitor implementation.

Training and Implementation Team

1. Provide feedback to common criteria, plans for implementation and monitoring tools. 
2. Provide regional training to ESCs and/or member districts.
3. Lead communities of practice for ongoing support. 
4. Monitor implementation. 

Desired Project Outcomes
The project will provide common instructional coaching guidelines, resources, tools and metrics that can be used by ESCs and schools statewide.

• ESCs will be trained to work with districts on instructional coaching.
• Districts will have access to trainers and resources.
• A networked learning community of practice will bring together trainers, ESCs and school districts for ongoing learning around Instructional Coaching.
• Measurement and monitoring of Instructional Coaching statewide will provide data for decision-making.
• The State and Ohio Department of Education will have a consistent statewide network of Instructional Coaches available to assist with State initiatives.

Contact: Heather Sass, Instructional Coaching Project Coordinator, heather.sass@bcesc.org

 Foundations of Instructional Coaching: Train-the-Trainer Sessions for ESC Staff Register Now

The Foundations of Instructional Coaching Project is designed to build the capacity of instructional coaches in Ohio educational service centers (ESCs) to improve teaching and learning. As part of this project, two-day regional training sessions are offered to prepare ESC leaders to deliver this training to instructional coaches and education leaders within each region. (Learn more about this project)

The training is designed to introduce leaders to the materials and facilitation guides for the new Foundations of Instructional Coaching Course in the Ohio Learning Community and promote a coherent approach to training instructional coaches through Ohio’s ESCs. [Info Flyer]

The two-day training is for ESC staff with:

• Experience in supporting schools/districts with instructional coaching 

• Capacity for delivering this training in the 2024/2025 school year to schools, districts, and other ESC consultants

• An understanding of how coaching and consultant work supports districts with leadership and learning 

*All meetings are in person and scheduled for 8:30a.m. to 3:30p.m.

Register Now