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The Handbook for Highly Effective Teams in a PLC at Work®
Essential Actions for Tackling Critical Issues
Transform your teacher teams into the driving force of student success and collaboration with this practical, action-driven guide. A companion to Learning by Doing, this handbook delivers 15 essential actions that highly effective teams use to strengthen collaboration, clarify student learning goals, use assessments as powerful learning tools, and ensure every student gets the time and support they need to learn at high levels. This easy-to-read, conversational book provides the tools, strategies, and real-world insights teams need to boost student achievement.
Benefits
- Build high-impact teams with 15 critical actions that drive student learning
- Establish clear success criteria and assessment protocols to measure progress
- Access practical tools and resources for every foundational aspect of collaboration
- Structure lessons effectively to support struggling students while challenging high achievers
- Continuously refine instructional practices using student results and team analysis
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Part 1: Highly Effective Teams Have a Common Foundation
Action 1.1: We Identify Team Roles, Norms, and Protocols to Guide Us in Working Together
Action 1.2: We Have a Process for Addressing Moments When Personalities Interfere With the Team’s Work
Action 1.3: We Use SMART Goals to Drive Our Work
Action 1.4: We Regularly Evaluate Our Team’s Effectiveness
Part 2: Highly Effective Teams Focus on Learning for All Students
Action 2.1: We Collectively Identify Essential Learnings and Define What Success Looks Like in Student Work
Action 2.2: We Identify the Prerequisite Knowledge and Skills Needed to Master Our Essentials
Action 2.3: We Identify Course Content and Topics We Can Minimize or Eliminate to Devote More Time to Our Essentials
Action 2.4: We Agree on How to Sequence Content and Pace Our Course
Part 3: Highly Effective Teams Effectively Use Assessments and Data
Action 3.1: We Develop and Deliver Frequent Common Formative Assessments Throughout Our Units of Instruction
Action 3.2: We Use Team Assessment Data to Identify High-Impact Instructional Strategies
Action 3.3: We Teach Students the Criteria We Will Use to Judge Their Work
Action 3.4: We Create Exemplars Students Can Examine to Evaluate Their Own Progress Toward Mastery
Part 4: Highly Effective Teams Provide Extra Time and Support for Learning
Action 4.1: We Create Flexible Time During Our Units of Instruction to Provide Extra Time and Support to Learners
Action 4.2: We Deliver Targeted Interventions to Support Students Who Have Not Yet Reached Grade-Level Expectations
Action 4.3: We Deliver Targeted Extensions to Students Working Beyond Grade-Level Expectations
Epilogue: A Beacon of Hope
PRINTABLE REPRODUCIBLES
Action 1.1: We Identify Team Roles, Norms, and Protocols to Guide Us in Working Together
- Figure 1.1.2: Tool: Protocol for Reviewing Team Norms
- Tool: Developing Team Norms
- Tool: Developing Specific Actions to Address the Needs of Our Peers
- Sample: Developing Specific Actions to Address the Needs of Our Peers
- Tool: Establishing Team Roles
Action 1.2: We Have a Process for Addressing Moments When Personalities Interfere With the Team’s Work
Action 1.3: We Use SMART Goals to Drive Our Work
Action 1.4: We Regularly Evaluate Our Team’s Effectiveness
- Tool: Assessing Our Reality
- Tool: Survey—The State of Your Learning Team
- Tool: Learning Team Quarterly Reflection
- Tool: Critical Issues for Team Consideration—Highly Effective Team Actions
Action 2.1: We Collectively Identify Essential Learnings and Define What Success Looks Like in Student Work
- Tool: Deconstructing an Essential Standard
- Tool: Using AI Tools to Deconstruct an Essential Standard
- Tool: Gaining Shared Clarity
- Tool: Seven Critical Steps for Team Success—Instructional Unit Design
Action 2.2: We Identify the Prerequisite Knowledge and Skills Needed to Master Our Essentials
- Tool: Prerequisite Planning Document
- Tool Overview: Preparing a Prerequisite Pretest
- Tool: Preparing a Prerequisite Pretest
Action 2.3: We Identify Course Content and Topics We Can Minimize or Eliminate to Devote More Time to Our Essentials
- Tool: Identifying Essential Learning Outcomes for a Unit of Study Checklist
- Tool: Using REAL to Identify Essential Standards
- Tool: A Record of Our Essential Standards and Skills
Action 2.4: We Agree on How to Sequence Content and Pace Our Course
- Tool: Team Pacing Guide Protocol
- Tool: Team Pacing Guide Template
- Tool: Pacing Guide for a Cycle of Instruction
- Sample: Pacing Guide for a Cycle of Instruction
- Tool: Critical Issues for Team Consideration—Highly Effective Team Actions
Action 3.1: We Develop and Deliver Frequent Common Formative Assessments Throughout Our Units of Instruction
- Figure 3.1.2: Four Data Questions for Teams
- Tool: Building a Common Formative Assessment
- Tool: Using the ACID Test to Evaluate a Common Formative Assessment
- Tool: Actionable Data Tool
- Tool: Team Protocol for Analyzing Assessment Results
Action 3.2: We Use Team Assessment Data to Identify High-Impact Instructional Strategies
- Tool: Evidence of Practice in Action—Teacher Self-Reflection
- Tool: Practice-Centered Peer Observation
Action 3.3: We Teach Students the Criteria We Will Use to Judge Their Work
- Tool: Developing a Success Checklist for a Learning Intention
- Tool: Template for Developing a Success Checklist
Action 3.4: We Create Exemplars Students Can Examine to Evaluate Their Own Progress Toward Mastery
- Tool: Developing Exemplars to Make Learning Intentions Explicit
- Sample: Developing Exemplars to Make Learning Intentions Explicit—Middle School Science
- Tool: Developing a Single-Point Rubric With Your Students
- Tool: Sample Video-Based High/Low Comparison Task
- Tool: Critical Issues for Team Consideration—Highly Effective Team Actions
Action 4.1: We Create Flexible Time During Our Units of Instruction to Provide Extra Time and Support to Learners
- Tool: Team Flexible Time Planning Prompts
- Tool: Building Shared Knowledge About Tier 2 Interventions and Extensions
- Answer Key: Building Shared Knowledge About Tier 2 Interventions and Extensions
- Tool: Team-Based Intervention Plan for Struggling Learners
Action 4.2: We Deliver Targeted Interventions to Support Students Who Have Not Yet Reached Grade-Level Expectations
- Tool: List of Common Misconceptions for an Essential Outcome
- Tool: Targeting Tier 2 Interventions for an Individual Student
- Tool: Strategies for Modifying Assignments
- Sample: Strategies for Modifying Assignments
- Tool: Instructional Strategies to Consider
- Tool: Tier 2 AI Prompts for Classroom Teachers
Action 4.3: We Deliver Targeted Extensions to Students Working Beyond Grade-Level Expectations
- Tool: Analyzing Your Team’s Extension Reality
- Tool: Creating a Tiered Task Card to Extend Student Learning
- Student Tool: Creating a Tiered Task Card to Extend Student Learning
- Sample: Tiered Task Card—High School Sculpture (Assemblage)
- Sample: Tiered Task Card—High School History (The First Global Age)
- Sample: Tiered Task Card—Middle School Mathematics (Slope)
- Sample: Tiered Task Card—Middle School Science (Fossils)
- Sample: Tiered Task Card—Kindergarten Family Version (Counting and Cardinality)
- Tool: Using AI Tools to Develop Extension Tasks
- Sample: RAFT Activity for an Infectious Disease Unit
- Tool: Critical Issues for Team Consideration—Highly Effective Team Actions
SUGGESTED RESOURCES
Books
- Bailey, K., & Jakicic, C. (2017). Simplifying common assessment: A guide for Professional Learning Communities at Work. Solution Tree Press.
- Bailey, K., & Jakicic, C. (2019). Make it happen: Coaching with the four critical questions of PLCs at Work. Solution Tree Press.
- Bailey, K., & Jakicic, C. (2022). Formative tools for leaders in a PLC at Work: Assessing, analyzing, and acting to support collaborative teams. Solution Tree Press .
- Bailey, K., & Jakicic, C. (2023). Common formative assessment: A toolkit for Professional Learning Communities at Work (2nd ed.). Solution Tree Press.
- Brown, T., & Ferriter, W. M. (2021). You can learn! Building student ownership, motivation, and efficacy with the PLC at Work process. Solution Tree Press.
- Chiprany, D. T., & Page, P. (2025). Celebrating in a PLC at Work: A leader’s guide to building collective efficacy and high-performing collaborative teams. Solution Tree Press.
- Conzemius, A. E., & O’Neill, J. (2014). The handbook for SMART school teams: Revitalizing best practices for collaboration (2nd ed.). Solution Tree Press.
- Dimich, N. (2024). Design in five: Essential phases to create engaging assessment practice (2nd ed.). Solution Tree Press.
- Dimich, N., Erkens, C., Miller, J., Schimmer, T., & White, K. (2022). Concise answers to frequently asked questions about assessment and grading. Solution Tree Press.
- DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., Many, T. W., Mattos, M., & Muhammad, A. (2024). Learning by doing: A handbook for Professional Learning Communities at Work (4th ed.). Solution Tree Press.
- DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., Mattos, M., & Muhammad. A. (2021). Revisiting Professional Learning Communities at Work: Proven insights for sustained, substantive school improvement (2nd ed.). Solution Tree Press.
- Eaker, R. (2020). A summing up: Teaching and learning in effective schools and PLCs at Work. Solution Tree Press.
- Ferriter, W. M. (2020). The big book of tools for collaborative teams in a PLC at Work. Solution Tree Press.
- Ferriter, W. M., & Cancellieri, P. J. (2017). Creating a culture of feedback. Solution Tree Press.
- Ferriter, W. M., Graham, P., & Wight, M. (2013). Making teamwork meaningful: Leading progress-driven collaboration in a PLC at Work. Solution Tree Press.
- Ferriter, W. M., Mattos, M., & Meyer, R. J. (2025). The big book of tools for RTI at Work. Solution Tree Press.
- Kramer, S. V., & Schuhl, S. (2023). Acceleration for all: A how-to guide for overcoming learning gaps. Solution Tree Press.
- Maeker, P., & Heller, J. (2023). Literacy in a PLC at Work: Guiding teams to get going and get better in grades K–6 reading. Solution Tree Press.
- Marzano, R. J. (2017). The new art and science of teaching. Solution Tree Press.
- Mattos, M., Buffum, A., Malone, J., Cruz, L. F., Dimich, N., & Schuhl, S. (2025). Taking action: A handbook for RTI at Work (2nd ed.). Solution Tree Press.
- Mattos, M., DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., & Many, T. W. (2016). Concise answers to frequently asked questions about Professional Learning Communities at Work. Solution Tree Press.
- Nottingham, J. A. (2024). Teach brilliantly: Small shifts that lead to big gains in student learning. Solution Tree Press.
- Roberts, M. (2019). Enriching the learning: Meaningful extensions for proficient students in a PLC at Work. Solution Tree Press.
- Schuhl, S., & Kanold, T. D. (2024). Mathematics assessment and intervention in a PLC at Work (2nd ed.). Solution Tree Press.
- Schuhl, S., Toncheff, M., Deinhart, J., & Buckhalter, B. (2024). Mathematics Tier 1 and 2 interventions in a PLC at Work. Solution Tree Press.
- Simms, J. A. (2024). The Marzano synthesis: A collected guide to what works in K–12 education. Marzano Resources.
- Sonju, B., Powers, M., & Miller, S. (2024). Simplifying the journey: Six steps to schoolwide collaboration, consistency, and clarity in a PLC at Work. Solution Tree Press.
- White, K. (2022). Student self-assessment: Data notebooks, portfolios, and other tools to advance learning. Solution Tree Press.
- Wiliam, D. (2017). Embedded formative assessment (2nd. ed.) Solution Tree Press.
Websites
Action 1.1
Action 2.1
Action 3.2
Action 3.3
Action 3.4
Action 4.2
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