March 2026

March brings the first signs of transition — longer days, subtle shifts, and clearer evidence that growth is underway. Change does not happen all at once. It reveals itself through patterns.

In education, those patterns matter. At this stage of the year, leadership is less about launching and more about examining. When we pause to review our data thoughtfully, we begin to see where growth is taking hold — and where intentional support can accelerate progress.

This month’s focus centers on using data to strengthen professional learning and instructional coherence. Across SST impact surveys, Learning Walk reflections, DTGSS teacher sessions, and Professional Growth Goal trends, clear signals are emerging. Educators are refining questioning, strengthening checks for understanding, elevating feedback, and designing more intentional learning experiences.

Effective systems do not collect data for compliance. They use it for clarity. When professional learning, observation practices, and educator-identified growth goals align, instructional improvement becomes focused, strategic, and sustainable.

Across Delaware, leadership teams are modeling this disciplined approach to improvement. This month, we proudly spotlight the New Castle County Vo-Tech administrative team for their strategic use of professional learning and observation data to guide instructional focus across their schools.

In this issue, you’ll find:

Educator Excellence Spotlight: New Castle County Vo-Tech Administrative Leadership

This Month’s Focus: What Our Data Is Signaling

Leader Action Hub: Turning Trends into Targeted Support

Professional Opportunities: Upcoming DTGSS Support Sessions

Resource Spotlight: Tools for Learning-Focused Supervision

This month, we spotlight the New Castle County Vo-Tech administrative team for their commitment to strengthening precision in instructional supervision under the leadership of Joseph Jones.

Jones’ transformative leadership has consistently reflected a deep understanding of those he serves and leads. By fostering a culture grounded in clarity, alignment, and instructional focus, he has paved the way for disciplined calibration and coherent supervision practices across the district.

As instructional trends emerged across our data, this leadership team engaged in focused calibration work centered on distinguishing levels of instruction within Performance Areas 2 and 3 when instructional practice did not align neatly to a single performance level. By closely analyzing framework descriptors and grounding decisions in evidence, the team strengthened consistency across evaluators and improved the accuracy of feedback provided to teachers.

This intentional approach ensured that instructional trends—particularly in checks for understanding, questioning, and learning experiences—translated into precise levels, aligned action steps, and targeted professional learning.

Know an educator doing great work? Nominate them to be spotlighted in a future issue by completing this nomination form. 

When viewed collectively, our data sources are not isolated reports. They are indicators of system alignment.

Across SST impact surveys, Learning Walk reflections, DTGSS teacher sessions, and Professional Growth Goal selections, consistent patterns are emerging about instructional focus and leadership practice.

These patterns matter.

Since 2021, 933 Delaware educators have completed the Studying Skillful Teaching (SST) course. SST is a 12-week, research-based professional learning course featuring weekly two-hour sessions focused on strengthening instructional decision-making, formative assessment practices, and high-leverage teaching strategies. The course aligns to the DTGSS framework and supports sustained improvements in classroom practice. 

This year, 146 educators responded to the SST Impact Survey, providing insight into long-term instructional application. Survey results indicated that 100% of respondents reported moderate to transformational long-term impact, with 63% identifying the impact as significant or transformational.

Teachers reported sustained growth in the following areas:

These shifts directly align with DTGSS expectations around instructional clarity and formative assessment.

Mid-year Learning Walk data reflects growing precision in observation and feedback practices:

This progression — improved observation → improved evidence → stronger CEI feedback — signals movement toward learning-focused supervision rather than procedural evaluation.

Collaborative calibration continues to be the highest-value lever.

Across DTGSS Teacher-by-Teacher sessions, participants expressed strong interest in deepening student-to-student discourse, strengthening instructional data use, and refining classroom management practices that support rigorous learning.

At the same time, Professional Growth Goal data reveals this year’s most selected focus areas:

These trends reflect a clear emphasis on student thinking, formative assessment, and the design of rigorous learning experiences.

When teachers identify growth areas that match professional learning and classroom evidence, improvement efforts become more targeted and effective.

This data revealed increasing alignment around formative assessment, student discourse, and more accurate, framework-aligned instructional feedback within Performance Areas 2 and 3. It also reinforced collaborative calibration as a high-leverage practice for strengthening consistency in observation and feedback.

Leader Action Hub

These data patterns provide clarity for system leaders. They signal the importance of:

This is not about increasing initiatives. It is about increasing precision.

Leadership Lift 2025: Sharpening observation and feedback
Principals, strengthen your observation and feedback practice with our new 30-minute quick learning series designed specifically for administrators! These virtual sessions build your skills step-by-step, culminating in a personalized Leader Action Plan to drive teacher growth For more information, view the flyer.

DTGSS sessions for teachers by teachers 
The Delaware Department of Education is offering virtual DTGSS sessions (4:30–5:30 PM) to support educators in strengthening their instructional practices and understanding of the DTGSS process. Each month features a focused theme, with special sessions dedicated to Early Childhood and Special Populations. Participants will earn clock hours toward re-licensure. For more information, view the flyer: DTGSS sessions for teachers by teachers.

DTGSS office hours – Monthly support for observation and feedback
School and district staff are invited to join DTGSS Office Hours, held the third Wednesday of each month from 9:00–10:00 AM, beginning August 20, 2025, through May 20, 2026. These informal, one-on-one support sessions offer space to analyze evidence, refine debrief questions, ask questions about DSC, and strengthen your use of the DTGSS framework. Whether you’re looking to think through feedback or clarify next steps, we’re here to help. Drop in as needed.  Let’s strengthen your DTGSS practice—one thoughtful conversation at a time. We’re here to support you! Join Zoom Meeting here. Contact Angela Socorso.

As leaders refine instructional focus, access to high-quality research and practical tools becomes essential. The following organizations provide resources aligned to questioning, formative assessment, instructional coherence, and learning-focused supervision.

Research for Better Teaching (RBT)

Explore RBT’s videos and professional learning resources focused on instructional decision-making, formative assessment, and supervision practices aligned to the DTGSS framework. Create a free account to access videos and instructional resources.
https://www.rbteach.com

Learning Forward

Explore professional learning standards and resources that support sustained, job-embedded educator growth.

https://learningforward.org

Data Wise Project – Harvard Graduate School of Education

Access structured protocols and tools for collaborative data inquiry and school-wide improvement planning.

https://datawise.gse.harvard.edu