Putting It All Together: Guiding Coalitions & PLCs in Action

Last week, Wicomico County Public Schools leaders gathered with Solution Tree associate Clara Sale-Davis to dive deeper into Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) at Work and the role of Guiding Coalitions in driving sustainable school improvement.

Why PLCs Matter

The heart of a PLC is simple: collective responsibility for all students’ learning. Instead of working in isolation, educators collaborate to ensure every student acquires the skills, knowledge, and behaviors needed for success. Research shows the impact is profound and students thrive when teachers are engaged.  Schools see stronger outcomes when collaboration drives decision-making.

Building Effective Guiding Coalitions

John Kotter’s framework highlights what makes a guiding coalition powerful: position power, expertise, credibility, and leadership. These groups set the tone for cultural change, establish mission and vision, and model the collective commitments that drive results. Shifting from individual leadership to shared leadership is essential for sustaining progress.

The Work That Matters

Participants revisited the 3 Big Ideas of PLCs:

1. Ensure students learn – Learning is non-negotiable.

2. Build a culture of collaboration – No teacher should work in isolation.

3. Focus on results – Use data to guide action, not just to gather information.

Guiding coalitions were challenged to apply the 4 Critical Questions in their work:

• What do we want students to learn?

• How will we know if they’ve learned it?

• What will we do if they haven’t?

• What will we do if they already know it?

Data, Culture, and Collective Efficacy

The session emphasized using formative and common assessments to shape instruction and respond to student needs in real time. Leaders were reminded that culture matters: telling stories of success, celebrating small wins, and reinforcing collective efficacy are key to sustaining momentum.

Looking Ahead

By sharing evidence of strong practices, schools can continue moving from initiative to implementation to sustainability.  As Clara Sale-Davis reminded the group: optimism and shared responsibility fuel achievement. When schools invest in PLCs, they’re investing in the belief that every educator has the power to change student outcomes.

As we move ahead, our partnership with Solution Tree will continue to strengthen our work. The next phase will focus on coaching and feedback—with Solution Tree associates visiting schools, observing PLCs in action, and providing targeted insights. This hands-on coaching will give our teams the chance to celebrate what’s working, identify areas for growth, and refine practices that directly impact student learning.

We look forward to this next step, knowing that continuous reflection, feedback, and growth are what make PLCs thrive. Together, we will keep building a culture where collaboration drives results and every student’s success is at the center of our work.