Professional Learning Communities (PLC)
Collaborative Culture, Unified Vision
Fort Smith Public Schools utilizes the Professional Learning Communities (PLC) program, an ongoing process where educators work collaboratively in recurring cycles of collective inquiry and action research to achieve better results for the students they serve. In a PLC, collaboration is a systematic process in which teachers work together interdependently to impact their classroom practices. The PLC program helps school staff become better educators with the goal of improving student performance. For certified staff, PLC prioritizes:
- Ongoing learning
- Collective responsibility
- Collaborative culture
- Shared mission and vision
- Reflective practices
- Data-informed decision-making
Excellence in Action
Model PLC Schools demonstrate a commitment to PLC concepts implemented for at least three years, clear evidence of improved student learning, the culture, practices, and structures of the schools, and continued progress in meeting the 'PLC at Work' criteria. Since adopting the PLC program from the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, several FSPS schools have achieved Model PLC School certification, including:
