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Professional Learning Communities

Empowering Educators, Elevating Students: Together, We Achieve More!

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At Idaho Falls School District 91, our Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) are designed to empower educators through teamwork, shared expertise, and a commitment to excellence. These communities foster collaboration, refine instructional practices, and create meaningful learning experiences that drive student success.

PLCs provide tools, strategies, and a structured environment where educators can connect, grow, and achieve shared goals. Together, we enhance student outcomes by diving into collective expertise and focusing on what matters most: delivering impactful education for every learner.

The Power of PLCs

PLCs are more than just meetings—they are a movement.

They provide a structured, collaborative environment where educators unite under shared goals and collective expertise to ensure that every student achieves their highest potential.

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Why PLCs Matter

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Empowered Educators

Collaborate to enhance teaching strategies and best practices.

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Focused Outcomes

Align efforts to improve student learning and outcomes.

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Shared Accountability

Work together to create solutions and celebrate success.

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Four Guiding Questions of PLCs

PLCs are grounded in four essential questions that drive the work of every team:

What should students know, understand, and be able to do?
How will we know if they’ve learned it?
What will we do if a student hasn’t learned it?
What will we do if a student already knows it?
These guiding questions ensure educators stay focused on student learning and outcomes.

The Work of PLC Teams

Collective Responsibility for Student Learning

PLC teams embrace a culture of shared accountability by clarifying their commitments to each other and their students. This ensures consistent, high-quality instruction across classrooms.

Guaranteed Curriculum: Teams establish a guaranteed and viable curriculum, unit by unit, so every student has equitable access to the same knowledge and skills, no matter their teacher
Common Formative Assessments: By designing and using frequent assessments, teams gather real-time evidence of student learning to adapt and improve instruction.
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Interventions & Extensions: PLCs develop systems that are:
Timely: Address student needs as they arise.
Directive: Provide clear steps for improvement.
Diagnostic: Identify specific areas of struggle or strength.
Systematic: Ensure consistent support across all classrooms.
Continuous Improvement: Using data-driven evidence of student learning, teams refine their practices individually and collectively to ensure excellence. (Adapted from Learning by Doing, p. 14)

Why PLCs Work

"Together, we achieve more."

PLCs create a foundation of trust, innovation, and continuous learning. By working as a team, educators transform their classrooms and build a brighter future for every student.

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