The Breakthrough Results Program is a comprehensive, proven approach designed to accelerate student learning and deliver measurable results while building the leadership capacity of teachers and staff. The program integrates focused goals, progress monitoring, rapid action cycles, performance coaching, and targeted professional development to effectively address a wide range of district challenges.
What are the key responsibilities of a Breakthrough Results (BTR) performance coach?
A Breakthrough Results (BTR) performance coach partners with the team lead—often a literacy or instructional coach—at each BTR program school, offering guidance and support to enhance student success.
Our role begins with getting to know the team lead, their school dynamics, and the resources and timing available for intervention. We operate remotely, meeting with team leaders early in the week on a weekly basis, to prepare them for their grade-level team meetings later on. During this time, we develop a structured agenda to help them facilitate the meeting effectively.
BTR performance coaches help team leads recognize and utilize existing resources and proven strategies within their schools. Even experienced instructional, leadership, or literacy coaches sometimes overlook valuable tools already available to them. Our role is to help them identify and leverage these resources to enhance instructional effectiveness and student outcomes.
How does a BTR performance coach contribute to data-driven decision-making and instructional effectiveness?
BTR performance coaches play a critical role in helping team leads analyze and interpret assessment data to drive informed instructional decisions. We focus on identifying what’s working—replicating successful strategies—and addressing areas where adjustments are needed. Our approach includes prompting reflective discussions, uncovering effective past strategies, and refining instructional techniques.
Beyond data-driven decision-making, we emphasize relationship-building—between team leads and their teachers and between teachers and students. We guide them in identifying learning gaps, particularly in literacy and numeracy, and fostering collaboration that enhances student achievement. Ultimately, our goal is to equip school team leads with the skills and strategies to create a culture of continuous improvement and success.
How do performance coaches support instructional and literacy coaches?
It is important to emphasize that performance coaches are not evaluators or supervisors. We serve purely as support and thought partners, ensuring teacher team leads feel comfortable, supported, and better equipped to drive meaningful results.
Our role is to challenge their thinking, encouraging them to view results from new perspectives. Since we are not their supervisors, they can be open about their challenges, which allows us to provide meaningful support. We help them reflect on their practices, refine their approach, and strengthen their ability to support grade-level teachers effectively.
One key area where we provide guidance is prompting teacher team leads to observe classrooms more frequently. This helps them identify teacher needs, address gaps, and offer targeted support. By fostering open conversations and helping them navigate team dynamics, we empower them to overcome barriers that may hinder student success.
Is a performance coach a subject matter expert?
Not exactly. When we first start working with schools, some may wonder, What can you tell me that I don’t already know about literacy and numeracy? or Do you have a set of strategies to offer? But the true power of coaching isn’t about providing answers—it’s about unlocking the existing expertise.
Our role is to help educators tap into their strengths and make the most of the resources available—many of which may already be in their schools but underutilized. While we are not subject matter experts, we bring valuable insight from working with districts nationwide. When educators encounter a gap or are unsure of their next step, we offer guidance based on proven strategies and data-driven success from other schools.
How do BTR skills extend beyond the program?
The ultimate goal of the BTR program is to ensure that the skills, strategies, and ways of thinking become second nature, seamlessly integrating into everyday teaching and leadership practices.
When we first introduce the BTR program, schools sometimes approach it with hesitation, seeing it as just another thing to do. But through our 8-to-10-week challenges, something powerful happens. By week three, team leads and educators begin replacing old habits with their learning in the BTR program. They start experimenting, refining, and integrating these strategies into their daily practice.
That’s the magic of BTR—it's not just about one subject, one grade level, or one moment in time. Educators often tell us things like, I tried this in my science class, or I’ve completely revamped my teaching approach. The impact isn’t limited to a single subject or grade level—it spreads throughout the school, influencing instruction across disciplines.
Do educators need ongoing support after completing the BTR program?
While ongoing support is always beneficial, many participants find that BTR skills and strategies become a permanent part of their practice. Team leads, often instructional or literacy coaches, naturally extend BTR principles beyond their immediate teams, fostering collaboration and data-driven decision-making throughout the building. By the end of the program, they’re not just using BTR strategies—they’re owning them, adapting them, and passing them along.
One of the best compliments we receive is when a team lead reaches out in July, just before the new school year, and says, I'm using everything we learned in BTR to kick off the year. That’s when we know BTR has done its job—creating lasting change that continues to drive results long after the program ends.