Middle School Reading Coaches Found to Build Teachers' Skills

Study of initiative in Fla. finds positive influence on students' motivation.

Reading coaches in Florida middle schools have helped teachers and administrators build their knowledge and skills, and have had a positive influence on students’ motivation to read, but their impact on achievement is mixed, a report on the little-studied topic says.

The study by the RAND Corp. also found that although state education officials recommend that reading coaches work with colleagues in all subjects, they tend to provide more services to reading teachers. And most coaches spend less than half their time working with teachers in the classroom, as state officials also recommend, owing to the demands of administrative tasks and other duties, the researchers found.

“One popular approach to improving student literacy is using school-based reading coaches—specially trained master teachers who provide leadership for the school’s literacy program and offer on-site and ongoing support for teachers so they can improve the literacy skills of their students,” says the report, released Sept. 5. Yet “there is little empirical evidence regarding the nature of coaching and its effectiveness in changing teacher practice and practically no evidence related to coaching effects on student achievement, particularly...