Exploring the Effectiveness of the PLC at Work® Process in Texas Elementary and Middle Schools. Part 1: What Are the Characteristics of Schools Achieving Model PLC at Work® School Designation? PLC Model School Report #1
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| Title: | Exploring the Effectiveness of the PLC at Work® Process in Texas Elementary and Middle Schools. Part 1: What Are the Characteristics of Schools Achieving Model PLC at Work® School Designation? PLC Model School Report #1 |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Kristin E. Mansell, J. Jacob Kirksey, Texas Tech University (TTU), Center for Innovative Research in Change, Leadership, and Education (CIRCLE) |
| Source: | Center for Innovative Research in Change, Leadership, and Education. 2025. |
| Availability: | Center for Innovative Research in Change, Leadership, and Education. Texas Tech University, College of Education, 3002 18th Street, Room 168, Lubbock, TX 79409. Tel: 806-834-2923; e-mail: circle.educ@ttu.edu; Web site: https://hdl.handle.net/2346/88837 |
| Peer Reviewed: | N |
| Page Count: | 27 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | Solution Tree, Inc. |
| Document Type: | Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Elementary Education Junior High Schools Middle Schools Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Communities of Practice, Educational Improvement, Teacher Collaboration, School Culture, Improvement Programs, Program Effectiveness, Elementary Schools, Middle Schools, Institutional Characteristics, School Location, Achievement Tests, Academic Achievement, Geographic Distribution, Student Characteristics, Public Schools, Elementary School Students, Middle School Students |
| Geographic Terms: | Texas |
| Assessment and Survey Identifiers: | State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) |
| Abstract: | This report examines the characteristics, geographic distributions, and descriptive student outcomes of Model Professional Learning Community (PLC) at Work® Schools in Texas. Model PLC at Work® Schools voluntarily apply for this designation, demonstrating a commitment to collaborative data-driven instructional practices designed to improve student achievement. Using administrative data from the University of Houston Education Research Center (UH-ERC), this study compares Model PLC at Work® Schools to non-designated campuses across student demographics, district types, and STAAR proficiency rates in 2023. Findings indicate that Model PLC at Work® Schools are predominantly located in urban and suburban districts, with fewer schools in rural and non-metropolitan areas. Compared to all Texas schools, Model PLC at Work® Schools serve lower populations of economically disadvantaged and at-risk students but enroll similar percentages of students identified as English learners. STAAR proficiency comparisons reveal that Model PLC at Work® Schools outperform state averages in math, reading language arts (RLA), and science across all poverty levels (as identified by NCES). These results suggest that the PLC at Work® process contributes to higher student achievement, regardless of poverty level. Expanding awareness of and support for high-fidelity implementation of the PLC at Work® process may help extend these benefits to a broader range of Texas schools, particularly in underrepresented rural and high-poverty districts. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2025 |
| Accession Number: | ED675137 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | This report examines the characteristics, geographic distributions, and descriptive student outcomes of Model Professional Learning Community (PLC) at Work® Schools in Texas. Model PLC at Work® Schools voluntarily apply for this designation, demonstrating a commitment to collaborative data-driven instructional practices designed to improve student achievement. Using administrative data from the University of Houston Education Research Center (UH-ERC), this study compares Model PLC at Work® Schools to non-designated campuses across student demographics, district types, and STAAR proficiency rates in 2023. Findings indicate that Model PLC at Work® Schools are predominantly located in urban and suburban districts, with fewer schools in rural and non-metropolitan areas. Compared to all Texas schools, Model PLC at Work® Schools serve lower populations of economically disadvantaged and at-risk students but enroll similar percentages of students identified as English learners. STAAR proficiency comparisons reveal that Model PLC at Work® Schools outperform state averages in math, reading language arts (RLA), and science across all poverty levels (as identified by NCES). These results suggest that the PLC at Work® process contributes to higher student achievement, regardless of poverty level. Expanding awareness of and support for high-fidelity implementation of the PLC at Work® process may help extend these benefits to a broader range of Texas schools, particularly in underrepresented rural and high-poverty districts. |
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