Making A Difference: Year Two Report of the Pennsylvania High School Coaching Initiative – Executive Summary

The Executive Summary to the Making a Difference: Year Two Report of the Pennsylvania High School Coaching Initiative.  This report examines the implementation of the second year of three for the Pennsylvania High School Coaching Initiative (PAHSCI).  Funded by the Annenberg Foundation, this initiative focuses on literacy and math coaches providing support to teachers from across the major subject areas to create literacy-rich classrooms in which students actively engage in learning tasks that deepen their content knowledge and strengthen their abilities to think critically and communicate well.  This report presents findings from the first two years of research.  It includes survey research as well as in-depth qualitative research in participating schools and districts and provides recommendations for PAHSCI stakeholders as they refine the program and for other education reformers as they consider the benefits of instructional coaching as a strategy for improving high schools and student achievement.