VITAL Collaboration: Developing and Revitalizing Professional Learning Communities

VITAL (Visibly Improve Teaching and Learning) Collaboration provides a schoolwide framework through professional learning communities (PLCs) by increasing teacher and leadership capacity to support and sustain meaningful collaboration among staff. Through the VITAL Collaboration framework, VITAL facilitators help school and district teams use evidence of student and teacher work to set goals for improving teaching and learning, as well as strengthen comprehensive school improvement implementation and planning.

How We Help

VITAL Collaboration provides a structured and rigorous approach to PLCs. The VITAL methodology to professional collaboration encourages teachers to use evidence of teacher and student learning to set clear goals for enhancing their teaching to improve student outcomes. Teacher and student growth is made visible by looking at artifacts of teacher and student practice, including lessons, observations, videos, as well as student work and assessment data. 

A full year of professional learning for VITAL Collaboration (10–24 days of on-site support) typically includes a combination of the following: 

• On-site training, coaching, and technical assistance for district and school leaders 
• Copies of the VITAL Collaboration Facilitator’s Guide for all school and teacher leaders (excerpts available below) 
• Baseline assessment and report of professional learning capacity and practices using the VITAL Collaboration survey 
• On-site training, coaching, and technical assistance for teacher leaders, PLC facilitators, and instructional coaches: 
  • ongoing modeling, co-planning, and guided practice 
  • ongoing support and feedback to support implementation 
• End-of-year assessment and report to measure improvements in professional collaboration and its impact on teaching and learning 

Service Delivery

• Onsite

Who Will Benefit

• Teachers 
• Coaches 
• Community service providers 
• School and district administrators  
• Title I staff 
• Paraprofessionals 

Connecting Research With Practice

VITAL Collaboration draws upon the research of school improvement science, visible learning, professional learning communities, lesson study, and standards implementation to inform its approach to improving teaching and learning.  

We ensure rigorous, structured PLCs through a suite of standards-driven and evidence-based protocols that are designed to foster deep conversations that propel effective feedback about teaching practice.