Data Coaches
In order to build educators’ expertise in using data to inform instruction, DDOE is now issuing this Request for Proposals for vendors to staff and implement its data coaching program, described below.
The State seeks to provide a corps of data coaches to all Delaware schools for approximately two years. Following this period, the State will work with LEAs to expand and continue data coaching beyond its Race to the Top obligation. The role of a data coach is to work with small groups of teachers and instructional leaders to support the transition to data-driven instruction and the implementation of IISs. Coaches will facilitate collaborative planning time, during which they will help teachers develop the technical skills to analyze data and the pedagogical skills to adjust instruction based on the data. Coaches will also provide feedback on instructional approaches.
Through these services the data coaches will:
Build technical skills to access and interpret student-level data from statewide formative and summative assessments, and other assignments Build pedagogical and content skills to help teachers differentiate instruction and revise instructional approaches in response to data Create cultural acceptance for sharing data among peers and leaders
Through this work, data coaches will affect real change, moving Delaware’s teachers from a data-rich to a data-driven environment. The success of data coaches will be measured by student growth and achievement in their teachers’ classes, satisfaction among the educators in their planning groups, and other measures.
The data coaching program will begin in a limited number of schools in January 2011 and will expand to full implementation across all schools in September 2011. At full implementation, the program will cover all 7,000 teachers in core subjects, with a minimum of 35 vendor-provided data coaches. Teachers in other subject areas and instructional leaders may also participate in collaborative planning sessions facilitated by data coaches.
Vendors shall: Provide 3-5 data coaches to work with approximately 600-1000 eligible teachers3 and leaders, embedded in their schools, beginning in January 2011 Upon continuation of contract at the discretion of the Secretary, provide up to the approximately 35 data coaches necessary to cover all 7,000 eligible teachers and leaders beginning in September 2011. Deploy data coaches to work with small groups of approximately 6-8 eligible teachers and leaders each.4 Groups will receive a minimum of 4.5 hours of data coaching per month for two years. This will include at least 180 minutes of facilitated collaborative planning time per month, typically in 90- or 45-minute sessions5
