When coaches focus conversations on data about student learning in a positive and productive way, the dialogue empowers teachers rather than threatens them.
- Joellen Killion and Cindy Harrison; Taking the Lead

The Role of the Data Coach:

A data coach works to establish a risk and blame-free environment for all stakeholders to engage in conversations around data. The ultimate goal of these conversations is to determine students' strengths and needs to improve student learning through powerful and effective instruction.

Here are some ways that the FCPS Instructional Coaches serve in this role:

• Facilitating data dialogues in order to determine next steps in instruction.
• Using data to determine instructional strategies and structures to address student needs.
• Analyzing school and grade level data trends.
• Building capacity in teachers and teams to locate data to help inform instruction (e.g., EDSL or other data repositories).