Professional Learning Communities

Being a principal is a huge — and, at times, lonely— job. Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) provide principals with the time and space they need to learn from and connect with their fellow principals.

PLCs are headed by some of the city’s most talented principals, whose success and experience help fellow principals tackle shared problems of practice. Topics change every year based on principal feedback and revolve around principals’ greatest challenges: managing time, coaching teachers and improving students’ academic performance.

Any Chicago public school principal can participate in a PLC. PLCs meet for a minimum of six two-hour sessions throughout the academic school year. Dates, times and locations are determined by the PLC leader and are flexible depending on participants’ schedules and priorities.

During the 2020-2021 school year, 174 principals and assistant principals are participating in 20 PLCs across 16 topics, all of which are centered around the idea of “COVID-19 Comeback.” Leaders are focused on a range of topics, including action planning around learning loss, leading school-wide anti-racist initiatives, leveraging community partnerships, and ensuring student safety. A complete list PLC topics for the 2020-21 school year can be found here. PLCs will meet virtually for the 2020-21 school year.