PLCs are year-long peer study groups for Chicago’s school leaders, led by the city’s top principals. Each PLC is led by a principal “expert” who facilitates the learning experience for the participants in their cohort. Thus, PLCs serve to elevate the expert principal’s practice and ultimately improve performance at participating principals’ schools. The program goals are to contribute to principal satisfaction and retention, while also highlighting promising practices in schools that can be shared and scaled. In 2021-22, PLCs are one facet of The Fund’s Summer Design Program, focused on the year-long implementation of practices.
In 2021-22, The Fund is supporting 16 PLC leaders. PLCs intentionally span different content areas, but each one touches on pandemic recovery and learning acceleration. Some focus on equity and social-emotional support for staff and students, others are grounded in teaching practices like equitable grading and differentiated instruction, and others center around helping principals re-ground themselves in the adaptive competencies necessary for leading in this unique moment. With the ultimate goal of impacting student outcomes, leaders are engaged in a reflective journey to understand their leadership practices, accelerate learning, and advance positive school culture.
"The work we are doing in our PLC is highly experiential and job-embedded. I am able to take what I’m learning in collaboration with my principal colleagues and bring it back to Tarkington. This allows for me to provide the highest quality PD for my staff and assistant principals."