A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to speak at my local school board meeting about Common Core implementation and, in particular, the role of instructional coaches in supporting teachers to make the transition in classroom practice. Jefferson County Public Schools (Colo.) was the site of a 2010 evaluation of instructional coaching that prompted my co-authors and me to write Coaching Matters.

A full hour of the meeting had been set aside to help board members know what the Common Core standards meant for the curriculum in the district and state, as well as what steps the district was taking to implement the standards. Without a doubt, Jefferson County central office leaders have taken substantive and aggressive steps to prepare for and initiate implementation of the new standards by establishing a rich online resource of materials for teachers; engaging teachers in training; and supporting principals in leading change efforts.

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