Your Introduction to PLC+: Building Collaborative Teams That Drive Student Success

by Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey

Overview

Drive collaboration and improve student learning with PLC+

Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) have long been celebrated as a powerful tool for driving collaboration and improving student outcomes. But what if there was a way to take your PLC work to the next level? Your Introduction to PLC+: Building Collaborative Teams That Drive Student Success introduces the next-generation PLC model that prioritizes collective efficacy and actionable strategies by focusing on five essential questions:

• Where are we going?
• Where are we now?
• How do we move learning forward?
• What did we learn today?
• Who benefited and who did not?

PLC+ emphasizes identifying and applying evidence-based instruction that values the background of every student, ensuring access and opportunities for all. Team members begin by identifying a common challenge. Then, the clear PLC+ framework, practical tools, and research-based strategies ensure that team efforts directly improve teaching practices and student outcomes.

This playbook includes: 

• Protocols and tools that promote data-driven decision-making and actionable plans.
• Engaging features like "Two Truths and a Lie," self-assessment tools, and implementation-ready scenarios.
• Practical strategies to measure the real-time impact of collaborative efforts.
• An interactive design with ample space to reflect on your learning and outline steps to build collective efficacy.

Transform your professional learning community today. Whether you′re a teacher or school leader, Your Introduction to PLC+ equips you with the knowledge and skills to collaborate effectively and lead with clarity and confidence. Together, you’ll create effective and impactful learning environments that ensure every student thrives.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781071901632
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	04/21/2025
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256
File size:	29 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Douglas Fisher is professor and chair of educational leadership at San Diego State University and a teacher leader at Health Sciences High and Middle College. Previously, Doug was an early intervention teacher and elementary school educator. He is a credentialed English teacher and administrator in California.  In 2022, he was inducted into the Reading Hall of Fame by the Literacy Research Association. He has published numerous articles on reading and literacy, differentiated instruction, and curriculum design, as well as books such as The Teacher Clarity Playbook 2/e, Your Introduction to PLC+, The Illustrated Guide to Teacher Credibility, Instructional Strategies that Move Learning Forward: 30 Tools that Support Gradual Release of Responsibility, and Welcome to Teaching!

Nancy Frey is a Professor in Educational Leadership at San Diego State and a teacher leader at Health Sciences High and Middle College.  She is a credentialed special educator, reading specialist, and administrator in California.  She is a member of the International Literacy Association’s Literacy Research Panel. Her published titles include 50 Strategies for Activating Your PLC+, The Illustrated Guide to Visible Learning, Welcome to Teaching Multilingual Learners, Teaching Foundational Skills to Adolescent Readers, and RIGOR Unveiled: A Video-Enhanced Flipbook to Promote Teacher Expertise in Relationship Building, Instruction, Goals, Organization, and Relevance.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Module 1: Where Are We Going?
Module 2: Where Are We Now?
Module 3: How Do We Move Learning Forward?
Module 4: What Did We Learn Today?
Module 5: Who Benefited and Who Did Not?
Module 6: PLC+ Planning, Progress Monitoring, and Success Tools
Conclusion
References

Editorial Reviews

Your Introduction to PLC+: Building Collaborative Teams That Drive Student Success by Doug Fisher and Nancy Frey is a fantastic resource that enhances the work around teacher collective efficacy by providing collaborative structures to improve student learning. It also strengthens teacher and leader capacity through reflective practices and data-driven decision-making, making it an essential guide for professional learning communities at any level.

Kim West

A must-read for all educators committed to continuous growth, impactful collaboration, and lasting impact in education. This book provides the essential strategies every team needs to collaborate effectively, maximize their impact and drive meaningful student success.

Olivia Amador-Valerio

PLC+ is a game-changer for professional learning communities. Fisher and Frey provide a research-driven, equity-centered framework that empowers educators to collaborate with clarity and purpose. This book is an essential guide for teams looking to enhance student learning through collective efficacy and actionable strategies.

Aida Allen-Rotell

Your Introduction to PLC+: Building Collaborative Teams That Drive Student Success is an essential guide for educators looking to strengthen professional learning communities and improve student outcomes. Using a clear framework and practical strategies, this book empowers teachers and leaders to collaborate effectively to drive meaningful change in their schools. A must-read for anyone committed to fostering a culture of continuous learning and student success!

Toni Faddis

Your Introduction to PLC+: Building Collaborative Teams That Drive Student Success—An Illustrated Playbook is a must have for schools that are seeking to experience immediate transformation of their teacher teams! The content of this Playbook is designed to equip educators with the tools to foster growth and achievement for every learner regardless of background or circumstance! Educators are given the opportunity to know how to measure the impact of their collective collaboration in “real time” with the multitude of job-embedded experiences and tools that are throughout this publication. What has always been evident in the PLC+ model within this uniquely designed playbook format is HOW the authors provide teams the knowledge and skills to engage with each other to overcome challenges and produce intended outcomes through a commitment of unified ACTIONS! Another key feature of this book is the use of the Liberatory Design Approach created by the National Equity Project. This approach is a cornerstone to elevating processes that guide the decision-making techniques of PLC+ Teams through a dynamic cycle of improvement efforts that meet the diverse and evolving needs of schools. Since the inception of the PLC+ model 6 years ago, many educational communities have been transformed throughout the world and are embracing the results of growth in student and educator learning. With confidence, I know that the tools and experiences in this publication are sure to create many more school cultures that generate success for all!

Sonja Hollins-Alexander

Finally—a PLC book that doesn't just rehash old ideas but actually makes them better. PLC+ bridges research and reality, delivering actionable strategies with an unwavering focus on equity. This book empowers teams, drives real impact, and elevates student success.

Tyler Gilbert

Believing in continuous improvement and improving are two different things. Closing this gap is exactly what this book does for teaching and learning. This groundbreaking resource reimagines how professional learning communities can drive meaningful change in our schools and classrooms. Fisher and Frey have beautifully designed a practical guide that goes beyond theory to deliver actionable strategies for implementation – boosting the collective efficacy of our communities. What sets this work apart is how it centers equity throughout the PLC process, ensuring that all students benefit from our collective efforts. This isn't just another education book to add to your shelf - it's a vital companion that will accelerate the impact by enhancing how your team approaches collaborative work. If you're seeking to build a more responsive, equitable, and effective learning community, Fisher and Frey's work is absolutely essential.

John Almarode

This book reimagines the Professional Learning Community as a dynamic space where educators leverage their collective expertise to brainstorm possibilities and generate innovative ideas. This book is grounded in the belief that educators are professionals in their field, and empowers them to transform insights into actionable initiatives that drive meaningful change.

Sarah D. Ortega

This book is a transformative approach to professional learning communities, grounded in liberatory design principles that remove barriers to learning and elevate teacher agency. By centering collaboration, inquiry, and collective responsibility, Fisher and Frey honor the expertise of educators as the key drivers of meaningful change. PLC+ isn’t just another framework—it’s a movement toward more just, informed, and impactful teaching that empowers both teachers and students to thrive.

Kierstan Barbee