How district leaders can revolutionize professional learning

These five research-backed strategies can encourage teachers to make instructional changes without taking away their agency.

At a Glance

District leaders want professional learning (PL) experiences to change teachers’ practice for the benefit of students.
Through research and experience, the authors have found these five techniques to be effective:
- Listen to teachers when selecting topics.
- Connect research and practice to garner buy-in.
- Enhance teachers’ active participation by making PL relevant to their school and classroom culture.
- Provide opportunities for teachers to apply what they are learning.
- Start small and go deep.

At the start of the school year, school principal Mrs. Wilson examines last year’s literacy scores and realizes that teachers need to make deep instructional changes to improve literacy outcomes. She considers providing professional learning (PL) but is hesitant because her staff seemed disengaged during previous PL experiences and rarely implemented any new practices. Additionally, she is worried that adoption of new curricula, parent concerns about assigned books, and rising class sizes due to a teacher shortage have left educators stretched too thin. She wonders how she can create a learning experience that teachers will find engaging and that will encourage them to make changes.

Research shows that Mrs. Wilson’s experience is not unusual. Too often, professional learning experiences that look effective at first glance don’t make much difference for students (Guskey, 2025). We are a group of teacher educators who research literacy and behavior and are former teachers who have experienced unengaging PL sessions. Additionally, we spend time in schools nationwide and are concerned about the challenges teachers face today. We also believe in giving teachers agency requires much attention (McKibben, 2024), which can, by definition, hinder the ability of leaders to enact top-down instructional changes.

As Sun Young Yoon (2016) suggested, if “teachers feel uncomfortable or unsupported in their school environment as they are asked to change their practices, it might be challenging for them to embrace changes.” So, what can district leaders do to foster instructional changes without removing teacher agency? We dove into the research and found five takeaways to guide administrators in creating dynamic PL experiences that can build teachers’ agency and facilitate change during these difficult times.

1. Listen to teachers when selecting topics

What does the research say?

Research indicates that a school culture characterized by trust, collaboration, and a shared vision for learning helps teachers feel supported in their PL experiences (Fullan & Hargreaves, 2016). This environment encourages the sharing of best practices and collective problem solving, which has been shown to lead to more impactful PL experiences (Hargreaves & O’Connor, 2018). Creating this kind of environment requires leaders to value teachers’ voices while developing PL.

Research indicates that a school culture characterized by trust, collaboration, and a shared vision for learning helps teachers feel supported in their PL experiences

Why? Teachers are the individuals in the school who are most familiar with classroom needs. Leaders who want teachers to see PL experiences as worthwhile should purposefully amplify teacher voices when planning these experiences (Calvert, 2016).

What does it look like to listen to teachers?

One way to amplify teachers’ voices includes providing opportunities for teachers to give feedback on what they will learn and how they will learn it. When we were asked to provide literacy and behavior PL to a large school district, we began by administering a survey to teachers to better understand their needs. Survey results indicated that teachers wanted more practice analyzing student data to inform their teaching, so we constructed the PL workshops to provide these opportunities.

We also met with district leaders and teachers to further develop topics. In this way, all teachers had a voice, and teacher leaders, alongside district leaders, were instrumental in shaping the PL experience.

2. Connect research and practice to garner buy-in

What does the research say?

School and district administrators can shape the effective implementation of new education reforms in their schools by supporting practices that align with the research base (Datnow & Castellano, 2001). However, the research-to-practice gap in education is significant. According to Jim Knight (2014), one of the primary reasons for this gap is the lack of accessible and practical translations of research. Teachers frequently receive information on what to do but not why it works. This disconnect limits teachers’ understanding of new practices and undermines the potential benefits of research-based innovations.

Further, while PL provides teachers an opportunity to hone their skills consistent with evidence-based practices, it is their buy-in to that PL experience that ultimately determines the strength of the intended outcomes (Yoon, 2016). To address this issue, trustworthy translations of research are crucial in bridging the gap between research and practice. This involves making research findings understandable and applicable and highlighting the underlying principles and rationales behind recommended practices. When teachers understand the “why” behind the “what,” they are more likely to implement changes effectively. John Hattie (2012) emphasized that teachers who grasp the reasoning behind instructional strategies are more motivated and able to adapt these strategies to their unique classroom contexts, ultimately leading to improved student outcomes.

What does it look like to connect research and practice to garner buy-in?

To help teachers develop an understanding of the “why” behind each practice, we began each PL opportunity with an explanation of the research behind the topic. For example, we presented research on how K-12 learners develop comprehension skills before sharing specific techniques to support their students’ text comprehension.

We also encourage buy-in by empowering the administrative team to rely on teacher voice when choosing a PL topic. Additionally, administrators were engaged alongside teachers at all PL events, thus demonstrating that they were on board for educational reform. We saw firsthand that when district-level administrators actively participated in the PL events, teachers were motivated to learn and acquire skills.

3. Enhance teachers’ active participation by making PL relevant to their school and classroom culture

What does the research say?

If educators understand how PL affects their day-to-day teaching, they are more likely to participate. Clearly communicating the purpose and goals of PL, coordinating with external resources (e.g., university faculty to support teachers’ learning), and ensuring that PL content coheres with teacher-driven school improvement goals make it more likely that teachers will participate (Fairman et al., 2023). The more interconnected PL is with school culture, the more sustainable the learning is for teachers (Admiraal et al., 2019).

Central office administration also plays a role in how actively teachers participate in learning experiences (Louis et al., 2010). Tim Cain (2016) suggested that teachers are more likely to use research to inform their pedagogy when they have a sense of trust in their district-level administration, which develops when leaders also participate in the PL experiences (Brown, Daly, & Liou, 2016).

What does it look like to enhance teachers’ active participation?

As part of a long-term partnership with a local district, we enhanced teachers’ active participation. We did this by creating a two-level structure in which we held whole-school workshops and created smaller groups that met regularly outside the whole-school workshops. We divided the teachers by grade bands (e.g., K-2, 3-5, 6-8) and met with those small groups two weeks after monthly districtwide workshops. In these follow-ups, we facilitated a discussion about how teachers applied what they learned in the workshops in their own classrooms, their successes and challenges, and how to build upon those successes or resolve those challenges. In these smaller groups, we had time to look at sample student work, review instructional tasks, and grapple with formative assessment feedback. We also built a community of educators who wanted to support one another.

In this kind of structure, teachers are more likely to hold themselves accountable for applying what they learned in the whole-school workshops. This is because they know they will have an opportunity to discuss those applications with their colleagues and the PL facilitators in a smaller space. Of course, teachers, like most professionals, are also motivated by external recognitions, such as continuing education credits through certificates of completion, so including such incentives can also enhance teacher participation.

4. Provide opportunities for teachers to apply what they are learning

What does the research say?

Tomes have been written about the ineffectiveness of “one and done” PL opportunities, primarily because teachers need time and space to apply what they are learning to their classrooms. For example, Laurie Calvert (2016) found that teachers need ongoing, embedded learning experiences where they can learn, practice, discuss, and retry new practices. Similarly, Parsons et al. (2016) found that if PL experiences were not embedded within teachers’ jobs, student outcomes did not improve.

What can district leaders do to help with implementation? District coaches, after participating in PL experiences, can model techniques for teachers. Teacher leaders who quickly embed the learning into practice can be recorded to provide a model for other teachers in the building. Coaches and instructional leaders can co-plan or even volunteer to co-teach with teachers to provide additional support.

What does it look like to provide opportunities for teachers to apply what they are learning?

We provided a literacy PL to improve scaffolding for content-area reading at a middle school. Following the presentation, we met with teachers individually to co-plan. Teachers brought texts to these sessions, and we helped them figure out which scaffolding techniques might work.

We also modeled specific approaches or co-taught with teachers to help them try and see new things. The teachers shared in their reflections afterward that being able to see the strategies we suggested in action with their own students really helped them learn how to implement the strategies successfully and, subsequently, revise their own practice.

5. Start small and go deep

What does the research say?

Given that progress in schools happens over time, we need to approach changing teachers’ practice slowly. Laurie Calvert (2016) suggested to “start small and go deep.” Teach teachers how to do one new thing well and then move on to another new thing. Often leaders see the big picture and want everything fixed now. But teachers can only change their practice one instructional move at a time. Less really is more.

When teachers adopt new practices, they risk an increased workload, uncertain student outcomes, and the opinions of colleagues who may not support the new practices.

Why does change happen so slowly in schools? Although there are a multitude of reasons, one often overlooked reason is that trying new things is risky — it takes courage for teachers to try new practices, even ones with a strong evidence base. Teachers’ risk-taking capacity is associated with the effectiveness of the PL experience (Parsons et al., 2016). When teachers adopt new practices, they risk an increased workload, uncertain student outcomes, and the opinions of colleagues who may not support the new practices. Some simply do not believe the benefits of new practices outweigh these risks. Asking teachers to change just one small thing at a time lessens the risk and increases the chances that teachers will enact changes to their practice. Once teachers try one new thing and see improved outcomes, they are more motivated to try additional practices.

What does start small and go deep look like?

In our collective work with school districts across the country, we witnessed how change to schoolwide instructional practices tends to happen. Usually, a few of the best teachers in the school immediately adopt a new practice. Then, a few other teachers observe or hear about what these teachers have tried, and they decide to try it too. Meanwhile, the teachers who tried the new ideas first are now trying additional new practices. As new practices spread, school culture changes and that practice becomes the norm. This sometimes happens across years — not days or weeks or months or even in a single school year.

Creating dynamic PL experiences begins with district leaders

Creating dynamic PL experiences that truly impact teaching practices and student outcomes requires a multifaceted approach. Mrs. Wilson’s challenges are not unique, but they emphasize the critical need for engaging, practical, and sustained PL that builds teachers’ agency and confidence. By elevating teacher voices, garnering buy-in for evidence-based practices, building trust to encourage active teacher learning, providing time for implementation, and starting small and going deep, district leaders can cultivate an environment where professional development translates into meaningful classroom practice.

For Mrs. Wilson, implementing these guidelines can transform her school’s PL experience into a powerful tool for improving literacy outcomes. Such effective PL is not a one-time event but an ongoing process that requires collaboration, trust, and a focus on gradual and meaningful change. By prioritizing these elements, district leaders can support teachers in becoming more effective educators, ultimately leading to improved student achievement and a more vibrant learning community.

References

Admiraal, W., Schenke, W., De Jong, L., Emmelot, Y., & Sligte, H. (2019). Schools as professional learning communities: What can schools do to support professional development of their teachers? Professional Development in Education, 47 (4), 684-698.

Brown, C., Daly, A., & Liou, Y.-H. (2016). Improving trust, improving schools: Findings from a social network analysis of 43 primary schools in England. Journal of Professional Capital and Community, 1 (1), 69-91.

Cain, T. (2016). Research utilization and the struggle for the teacher’s soul: A narrative review.European Journal of Teacher Education, 39 (5), 616-629.

Calvert, L. (2016, April). The power of teacher agency: Why we must transform professional learning so that it really supports educator learning. The Learning Professional.

Datnow, A. & Castellano, M.E. (2001). Managing and guiding school reform: Leadership in success for all schools. Educational Administration Quarterly, 37 (2), 219-249.

Fairman, J.C., Smith, D.J., Pullen, P.C., & Lebel, S.J. (2020). The challenge of keeping teacher professional development relevant. Professional Development in Education, 49 (2), 197-209.

Fullan, M. & Hargreaves, A. (2016). Bringing the profession back in: Call to action. Learning Forward.

Guskey, T. (2025). Explaining the puzzling results in professional learning research. Kappan, 106 (7-8), 55-60.

Hargreaves, A. & O’Connor, M.T. (2018). Collaborative professionalism: When teaching together means learning for all. Corwin.

Hattie, J. (2012). Visible learning for teachers: Maximizing impact on learning. Routledge.

Knight, J. (2014). Focus on teaching: Using video for high-impact instruction. Corwin.

Louis, K.S., Leithwood, K., Wahlstrom, K., & Anderson, S. (2010). Learning from leadership: Investigating the links to improved student learning. The Wallace Foundation.

McKibben, S. (2024, May 1). The agency educators deserve. Educational Leadership, 81 (8).

Parsons, A. W., Parsons, S., Moorewood, A., & Ankrum, J. W. (2016). Barriers to change: Findings from three literacy learning initiatives. Literacy Research and Instruction, 55 (4), 331-352.

Yoon, S.Y. (2016). Principals’ data-driven practice and its influence on teacher buy-in and student achievement in comprehensive school reform models. Leadership and Policy in Schools, 15 (4), 500-523.

This article appears in the Summer 2026 issue of Kappan, Vol. 107, No. 7-8.