The only full-service partnership designed to scale deeper learning to ALL students through research-validated systems.
District Pilot-to-Scale
Everything You Need to Implement, Measure, and Sustain Deeper
Learning at Scale
There has always been deeper learning for some students—but not for ALL students in every classroom, every day.
Now it is possible with the Model of Instruction for Deeper Learning, which provides every teacher and all students with the professional learning, support, and resources to achieve deeper, more rigorous learning of the curriculum.
We help districts pilot the model through a phased implementation plan that is rooted in adoption science. The model is designed to build systemwide momentum and deliver measurable results with:
- Increased student achievement
- Improved behavior
- Better attendance
- Higher student agency
- Deeper engagement
“Instructional Empowerment brought us the ability to bring high quality Tier 1 instruction to scale so we leave nothing to chance for children.”
Superintendent Michael Gaal and his team at Colorado Springs School District 11 had been searching for a model they could use to bring high quality Tier 1 instruction to all of their students. They partnered with Instructional Empowerment through the Pilot-to-Scale process, which provided the structures to scale deeper learning across their district.
What Deeper Learning Looks Like in Practice:
- Students work together with clear roles and rigorous tasks, gradually taking on more responsibility as they collaborate, lead, and think critically.
- Structured protocols ensure deeper learning reaches every student, including English learners and students with disabilities.
- Teachers shift from being the director of learning to the more fulfilling role of being a coach as students take on more ownership.
How We Help Districts Build the Systems
for Deeper Learning
Executive leadership workshops to apply deeper learning research to your unique needs.
Tailored pilot-to-scale plan designed around best practices for widespread adoption and aligned to your unique goals and resources.
Capacity-building across all instructional roles through professional learning, coaching, student and teacher resources, and certifications.
Research-validated tools to measure classroom rigor and accurately predict student achievement.
Quarterly leadership meetings for strategic support with turning data into action.
Getting Started with an Introductory Meeting and Workshop
District partnerships begin with a collaborative conversation. In an initial meeting—offered at no cost—our team of experienced educators will learn about your district’s goals and challenges and share the research behind transforming Tier 1 instruction for deeper learning.
We also offer our highly acclaimed Leading to Your Why Workshop for district instructional leaders, often at no cost. This interactive session helps leadership teams explore:
- Why educators are working too hard for too little results.
- The neuroscience behind how students’ brains have changed and why today’s students are more difficult to engage.
- The root causes of lower rigor instruction.
- The powerful research for transforming the classroom learning experience to high rigor and high agency for all students.
Leaders leave the workshop with a shared language and vision for instruction—and a renewed sense of purpose to guide the planning process.
“As a district, one of the biggest things that we got from the workshop was the space to come together to talk about our purpose, what drew us here, and what ultimately our guiding principles are. It has kickstarted our work to stay grounded in making decisions that are in the best interest of our students, using research.”
Dr. Angela Holt
Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Woonsocket Education Department
“I really appreciated the opportunity to dive deep into our ‘Why’—our purpose and intentionality in what we do every day. Connecting with our ‘Why’ keeps us focused, reinforcing the importance of our work in ensuring student success. It empowers us to provide students with greater agency and a stronger voice in their education.”
Lucilla Davila
Superintendent of Schools, Marquardt School District 15
The superintendent and senior leaders in Santa Rosa County Public Schools collaborate with Instructional Empowerment to develop a research-based plan for achieving their vision of rigorous, student-led Tier 1 instruction.
Tailored Pilot-to-Scale Plan
After aligning your team of district leaders around a shared vision for deeper learning, we work with a smaller team of senior leaders to turn that vision into a clear strategy. A second workshop introduces the science of large-scale adoption and begins the process of co-developing your district’s tailored implementation plan.
Together, we design a phased approach that begins with a well-structured pilot—engaging volunteer principals and teachers with an early adoption mindset—and builds toward a districtwide rollout aligned to your goals, timeline, and available resources.
Develop Capacity Within Your District
As the pilot begins and early momentum builds, our multi-year approach focuses on building lasting capacity across your system. We work alongside your team to ensure everyone—from classroom teachers to district leaders—has the training, coaching, and tools needed to sustain deeper learning at scale. This foundation sets your district up for success as the work expands year over year.
Our comprehensive support includes:
Professional Development
On-site or online, job-embedded learning is designed for teachers, instructional coaches, PLC leaders, school leaders, and district leaders. This professional development equips educators to implement the Model of Instruction for Deeper Learning with next-day impact.
Expert Coaching
On-site or virtual coaching supports teachers, coaches, principals, and district leaders as they implement new practices. All Instructional Empowerment coaches are certified through a rigorous process, and every leadership coach is a former principal or has equivalent experience.
Digital Resource Suite
The Instructional Empowerment Teacher Suite includes interactive learning modules, coaching tools, badge recognitions, a robust resource library, and membership in a moderated community of like-minded educators and experts. Each section in the learning modules is designed to be reviewed in under an hour and put into practice immediately.
Student and Teacher Toolkits
Our Model of Instruction Toolkits include ready-to-use resources and tools to support all subjects and grade levels. The toolkits help ensure deeper learning is successful from day one.
Research-Validated Metrics
RigorWalk and Look & Learns provide real-time insight into implementation quality and instructional impact —so you can proactively target supports and accelerate student achievement.
Certifications
Recognize growth and build districtwide capacity through rigorous certifications. These certifications validate effective implementation with student evidence of deeper learning in action.
Monitor Your Progress Without Waiting for End-of-Year Test Scores
At every stage of your District Pilot-to-Scale partnership, you’ll use research-validated tools—developed by our Applied Research Center—to measure progress and accurately predict student achievement.
These exclusive metrics provide leaders with the insight needed to address challenges early and accelerate improvement without waiting for end-of-year test scores.
You’ll see clear, actionable data reports across every level of your system:
- Classrooms
- Grade levels and subjects
- Schools
- Regions or networks
- Districtwide
With this industry-leading measurement system, you can ensure all students have access to rigorous, high-quality instruction.
RigorWalk™
The nation’s most research-validated classroom walkthrough tool, RigorWalk captures a real-time snapshot of Tier 1 instruction—without adding tests or evaluating teachers.
How RigorWalk delivers results:
- Measures instructional rigor, alignment to standards, and student engagement.
- Conducted in 5–10 minutes per classroom by school leaders on a consistent basis.
- Generates trend data and pinpoints areas to strengthen Tier 1 instruction schoolwide.
- Validated by research, which found that schools conducting more RigorWalks saw higher student achievement.
“One of my key learnings from the partnership has been the power of tracking through Rigor Classroom Walks and tracking the alignment of the learning target, the success criteria, and the standards. We can see the progress, and we’re able to measure it. That has been key for us in terms of our progress. We know if we’re doing better, if we need to improve, and if there is an area we need to focus on.”
Iris Rocio Jiménez
Principal, Scharbauer Elementary School, Midland, TX
Look & Learns
Look & Learns transform classrooms into spaces for collaborative professional growth through low-stakes feedback.
How Look & Learns deliver results:
- Led by coaches, fellow teachers, or school leaders in a supportive, non-evaluative way.
- Helps educators see student skill development come to life.
- Enables on-the-spot professional learning and adjustments for a greater impact on student learning.
- Teachers can earn Implementation Badges that recognize their classroom’s transformation, confirmed by evidence of student growth.
“Being able to conduct over 150 Look & Learns to give coaching and specific feedback to teachers was huge…When I can see the release of the activity and getting kids to use their tools and resources on their own, that is when we know we have fully embedded and changed the practice.”
Aaron Ford
Principal, Audubon Elementary School, Colorado Springs School District 11
From Data to Impact: Leadership Meetings That Drive Results
Every quarter, school leaders and their Instructional Empowerment coach meet with the district’s Executive Action Team to review implementation progress and data. This decision-making group removes barriers and drives systemwide improvement.
These meetings give teams the opportunity to share data transparently, celebrate wins, troubleshoot challenges, and align on next steps.
Benefits for District Leaders:
- Provides system-level insight across schools
- Strengthens alignment among teams
- Reinforces accountability and momentum
Benefits for School Leaders:
- Keeps goals visible and actionable
- Reduces initiative fatigue
- Ensures timely support to overcome roadblocks
“The Executive Action Team meetings give us the opportunity to look at sustainability, building capacity, and leveraging resources rather than quick fixes. The new tools that our leaders and teachers are learning with Instructional Empowerment have truly impacted the systems and quality of instruction in our buildings.”
Brandon White
Former Assistant Superintendent of Academics, South Bend
Community School Corporation, IN
Ready to Talk About Deeper Learning in Your District?
Connect with an experienced educational leader to explore how the Pilot-to-Scale model works, what it takes to implement it effectively, and how it’s helping districts build stronger systems for deeper learning.
The Results You Can Expect Across Classrooms, Schools, and the District
When your vision for deeper learning takes hold in classrooms, grows across whole schools, and is supported by district systems, the impact is transformative. That’s why our District Pilot-to-Scale partnerships are focused on building the long-term capacity of students, educators, and leaders.
In Classrooms: Deeper Learning for ALL Students
At the classroom level, instruction shifts from teacher-led delivery to student-led learning. Using our daily model of instruction, students work in structured teams to engage in rigorous, standards-aligned academic tasks—bringing deeper learning to every subject.
As a result:
- Students demonstrate increased ownership of their academics and behavior.
- The teacher’s role evolves from delivering content to designing rigorous tasks, monitoring progress, and coaching students to fulfill their team roles and responsibilities.
- Achievement, engagement, behavior, and attendance improve across the board.
- Students develop life skills like critical thinking, self-management, collaboration, resourcefulness, and leadership that prepare them to thrive in a complex world.
Students talk about how their mindsets and skills have transformed after their classrooms adopted the Model of Instruction for Deeper Learning.
In Schools: Leadership That Builds Momentum and Lasting Change
At the school level, principals learn how to lead their school through the phases of adoption and sustain real change where other programs and initiatives may have failed to take hold. Principals support their early adopter teachers as momentum builds and deeper learning spreads across the school.
As a result:
- Student achievement improves as more students experience rigorous, student-centered instruction.
- The school sees better student behavior, attendance, and engagement as learning becomes more relevant, challenging, and connected to students’ lives.
- With growth-oriented feedback, teachers, instructional coaches, and other staff align on a shared vision.
- Principals establish systems for classroom walkthroughs and acting on real-time data.
Case Study: Willard Elementary
24.1 point increase in ELA proficiency
9.1 point increase in Math proficiency
252 fewer office-managed behavior referrals
3x greater reduction in chronic absenteeism than national average
Across the District: Aligned Systems for Sustainable Impact
At the district level, we guide leaders through growing their pilot across schools using adoption science. We begin by working with your leadership team to develop a shared Destination Vision for Instruction—a clear picture of what deeper learning should look like in every classroom, with the student outcomes you want to see. Then we build the infrastructure to bring it to life.
As a result:
- The district aligns around a clear instructional vision anchored in systems for student-led, rigorous learning.
- District leaders become well-versed in the routines and tools to monitor data and drive continuous improvement.
- Long-term success is sustained as schools equip ALL students with future-ready skills—driving stronger enrollment and community confidence.
“The mission that Instructional Empowerment has is easy for us to wrap our arms around, but it’s the tools, the resources, and the support that come in along with it that help that to feel possible.”
Brenda Miller
Director of Curriculum for Northwest Local School District, Cincinnati, Ohio
The Science Behind How Our Phased Model Builds Momentum Across Districts and Sustains Change
Instructional Empowerment’s District Pilot-to-Scale partnership is grounded in adoption science and built for lasting impact. Unlike traditional top-down initiatives that often stall after initial rollout, our approach starts where real change happens: in classrooms with Early Adopter teachers and leaders.
A peer-reviewed study from Instructional Empowerment’s Applied Research Center found that being an Early Adopter (including innovators and visionaries, as defined in adoption science) had a statistically significant impact on whether teachers actually implemented a new model of instruction. By intentionally beginning with those most motivated to deepen student learning, we create early success stories and establish systems for deeper learning to take hold across classrooms, schools, and entire districts.
The following is an overview of the adoption science phases of implementation that build a robust capacity within the district to scale and successfully sustain the implementation.
Phase 1: Coalition of the Willing
Phase 2: Expanding Volunteers
Phase 3 and Beyond: Sustained Growth
Volunteer principals and teachers receive professional development and coaching. They begin to see success in classrooms and share best practices.
District leaders receive executive coaching and visit volunteer schools. They form a community of practice with principals to identify best practices to replicate and help spread success stories across the district and community.
The second cohort forms as teachers visit successful classrooms, decide to volunteer, and receive professional development and coaching.
District leaders continue showcasing success, recruit the second cohort of volunteer schools, and receive coaching on monitoring quality control metrics and aligning district systems.
Schools and districts develop systems to continue scaling the work themselves as Instructional Empowerment shifts to a strategic support role.
Phase 1: Starting with the Coalition of the Willing
Key Outcomes of Phase 1
- Rapid transformation of student learning in pilot classrooms
- Strong principal and teacher buy-in
- Early success stories that inspire momentum
- Foundational district capacity to support and expand implementation
The first phase begins by inviting principals to participate in the same workshop that district leaders have already experienced: Leading to Your Why: Determining Your Destination Vision for Instruction. In this workshop, school leaders engage with the research, define their personal “Why” for students, and set a bold, student-centered vision for instruction.
Afterward, principals who are inspired volunteer to launch implementation in their schools. A small group of equally motivated teachers joins them—forming the coalition of the willing. It is critical that these are not “voluntold” participants, but individuals committed to doing the work because they believe it is right for their students. They will set the bar and prepare the path for others to replicate their success.
Building School Capacity in Phase 1
Only the initial cohort receives professional development, expert implementation coaching, and resources from Instructional Empowerment. This focused approach allows schools to build deep capacity without overwhelming the system.
As teachers begin implementing the Model of Instruction for Deeper Learning, they often see early signs of increased student engagement and stronger collaboration within the first week. With continued support, classrooms typically experience a full transformation—where student-led teams consistently drive rigorous learning—within approximately 16 weeks.
During this time, principals gain clarity and confidence as they learn to lead the work with this small group, guided by Instructional Empowerment’s coaching support. Cohort teachers observe each other’s classrooms, share best practices, and form a community of practice that accelerates learning across the school. Their success stories are shared at faculty meetings and district events, generating grassroots momentum for the next wave of volunteers.
Building District Capacity in Phase 1
While school teams transform instruction, district leaders also develop capacity as they participate in select professional development sessions and visit schools to better understand the model and its impact. They receive executive coaching from Instructional Empowerment that emphasizes how to scale success using clear metrics and intentional system-building.
District and school leaders from the first cohort form a leadership community of practice to share insights and problem-solve together. The most successful principals are invited to share their results with peers across the district, inspiring others to join the next cohort. We strongly encourage principals and teachers to share their success stories with the school board and for district communications to highlight pilot classrooms. These stories build momentum, demonstrate early progress, increase community support, and deepen commitment to the district’s bold instructional vision.
Phase 2: Expanding the Coalition of the Willing with Additional Volunteer Teachers and Schools
Key Outcomes of Phase 2
- Increased number of teachers and schools implementing effectively
- Internal expertise grows at both the school and district level
- Demonstration classrooms emerge as models of excellence
- District leaders gain the tools to drive consistency and quality through districtwide systems
In Phase 2, the principals from the first cohort begin cultivating a second group of volunteer teachers. These teachers—often called pragmatists in adoption science—may have been interested from the start but preferred to wait and see results before jumping in. To build momentum, non-implementing teachers are invited to visit classrooms and hear directly from their colleagues. Seeing students in action builds excitement and trust, helping the second wave of volunteers take shape.
Building School Capacity in Phase 2
The second cohort of teachers receives the same professional learning, resources, and expert coaching from Instructional Empowerment—now with the added benefit of mentorship from the first cohort. With experienced teachers modeling success, implementation accelerates and deepens.
The principal, supported by a leadership coach, begins aligning school systems to support the growing coalition. This includes:
- Expanding the community of practice
- Aligning common planning and PLCs to the work
- Ensuring all implementing teachers receive feedback from school leaders, coaches, and peer teachers
While the second cohort is just beginning, first-cohort classrooms are evolving to more advanced levels of the model, with students gaining more agency and ownership over their learning.
Building District Capacity in Phase 2
District leaders continue to showcase powerful success stories from implementing schools and begin hosting principal meetings in those buildings. Walking classrooms and hearing from students and teachers first-hand builds confidence and clarity for other principals.
A second cohort of volunteer principals begins implementation with their own volunteer teachers. This time, they step into a well-established community of practice—gaining mentorship, best practices, and shared resources from their peers. Over time, this creates a deep bench of principal expertise across the district.
Volunteer teachers from these newly implementing schools visit the highest performing classrooms from the first cohort to see what success looks like and jumpstart their own practice. At the same time, some classrooms in the first cohort—especially those progressing at an ambitious pace—begin working toward achieving certification as Demonstration Classrooms for Deeper Learning. This rigorous process sets the bar for quality and provides clear models for others to replicate.
Finally, Instructional Empowerment’s executive coaches work closely with district leaders to build long-term capacity and ensure quality through monitoring metrics. Together, they:
- Facilitate the district community of practice
- Accurately measure implementation integrity using the provided metrics and dashboards
- Troubleshoot challenges, with support from Instructional Empowerment’s national experts and Applied Research Center
- Align district systems to support rigorous, student-led instruction
- Institutionalize the model in systems such as new teacher induction, leadership development pipelines, and alternative certification
Phase 3 and Beyond: District-Led, Self-Sustaining Implementation
Key Outcomes of Phase 3 and Beyond
- Expert principal mentors and teacher leaders across schools
- Quality-control systems to ensure rigor and student agency
- Aligned district systems that outlast leadership transitions
- The ability to onboard new schools and staff without external facilitation
By Phase 3, the district is ready to start leading the work—scaling beyond initial pilot schools and embedding the Model of Instruction for Deeper Learning into districtwide systems. Instructional Empowerment shifts to a strategic support role, coaching for sustainability, coherence, and continuous improvement.
At this stage, systems are in place not just to maintain momentum, but to expand it. School leaders continue to onboard additional teachers until every classroom is implementing the model, and central office teams align the systems to support them.
Ultimate Outcome: A districtwide system where ALL students experience deeper learning.
Schedule a Consultation with Subject Matter Experts Today
Connect with an experienced educational leader to explore how the District Pilot-to-Scale model works, what it takes to implement effectively, and how it’s helping districts build stronger systems for deeper learning.
