That’s the story Michelle Lis shared on The Best of Us, KickUp’s podcast about elevating professional learning leadership in K–12 education. When Michelle joined Fairfax County Public Schools' instructional coaching program in 2005, it was just taking root: 24 coaches supporting 25 schools. Today, that program has grown to over 100 coaches, touching every corner of the tenth-largest district in the country.

This didn’t happen by chance. It was the result of intentional choices about how to support teachers—and how to define coaching itself.

As Michelle described it, the work of a coach isn't about delivering answers. It’s about partnership. “The goal of instructional coaching is really to impact student achievement. And the work of that is done by working side by side with teachers,” she explained.

Fairfax built a coaching culture by:

• Centering around relationships: Coaches and principals worked hand-in-hand to define goals for the year, ensuring the coach’s work aligned with the building’s vision.
  
• Building a deep bench of leaders: Recruitment wasn’t left to chance. Coaches were encouraged to tap potential in their colleagues—sometimes before teachers even saw it in themselves.
  
• Focusing on impact, not just activity: Every coach tracked the shifts they supported, documenting how changes in practice led to changes in student achievement.
  
• Sustaining the culture through leadership transitions: Many coaches eventually moved into administrative roles, bringing a coaching mindset to broader leadership—and expanding the culture district-wide.
  

There wasn’t one turning point when coaching "took off" in Fairfax. Instead, momentum grew year after year, fueled by shared vision, real results, and a relentless focus on partnership.

"We've really moved from ‘Why instructional coaching?’ to ‘How can we get more instructional coaches in our schools?’” Michelle reflected.

Today, Fairfax’s journey offers a powerful reminder: lasting change comes from investing in people, clarifying purpose, and giving educators the partnerships they need to grow.

Want to hear the full conversation?

Listen to Michelle Lis on The Best of Us podcast here.

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