Colorado Springs D11

Executive Summary

Colorado Springs School District 11 (D11) serves as the central school district in Colorado Springs, covering 56 campuses and educating 23,000 students. Facing a lack of system-wide consistency in instructional coaching and professional learning, D11 needed a solution that would unify data collection, streamline coaching efforts, and provide real-time insights into instructional practices.

By implementing KickUp, D11 was able to move from gut-based decision-making to a structured, data-driven approach. KickUp’s flexible platform has allowed the district to scale its coaching model rapidly, build trust among teachers and administrators, and create an agile system for professional development that directly impacts classroom instruction.

Today, D11 is leading the way in aligning instructional coaching with student outcomes, providing real-time data that informs professional learning decisions at the district and school levels.

The Challenge

Before partnering with KickUp, D11 faced several challenges in supporting its educators effectively:

• Decentralized Coaching Models: Each campus had its own approach to instructional coaching, leading to inconsistent experiences for teachers across the district.
• Lack of System-Wide Data: Without a unified data collection platform, instructional decisions were often made based on anecdotal feedback rather than data-driven insights.
• Limited Visibility into Teacher Support: School and district leaders had no structured way to track the frequency or effectiveness of coaching interactions.
• Difficulty in Building a Culture of Adult Learning: Many instructional coaches were not yet consistently present in classrooms, and some schools lacked a structure for providing feedback to teachers.

The Solution

D11 adopted KickUp to create a streamlined, flexible system for coaching, walkthroughs, and professional learning. Through KickUp, the district was able to:

• Standardize Coaching Practices: With over 60 instructional coaches across the district, D11 built structured coaching tools that provided consistency in feedback and support.
• Increase Classroom Visibility: By implementing real-time classroom walkthroughs, school leaders and district administrators could track trends and identify areas for improvement.
• Offer Flexible Entry Points for Schools: D11 designed a phased rollout, allowing schools to choose different levels of engagement with KickUp based on their readiness.
• Improve Trust and Culture: Instead of overwhelming schools with a one-size-fits-all model, D11 allowed schools to ease into coaching structures, helping to build a culture where feedback was seen as a tool for growth rather than evaluation.

“We needed to rebuild trust and shift how people saw coaching. KickUp helped us do that without forcing everyone into the same box," says Carole Frye, Interim Director of Coaching and Development.

Impact & Results

With KickUp, Colorado Springs School District 11 has seen transformational changes in its professional learning approach:

• From Zero to 2,000 Walkthroughs: In just a few months, D11 went from no structured coaching observations to conducting over 2,000 classroom walkthroughs, providing unprecedented visibility into instructional practices.
• ‍95% Adoption Across Schools: Nearly all 56 schools in the district are actively using a structured approach to coaching.
• More Effective Coaching Relationships: Coaches, principals, and teachers are now aligned in their goals, with a clear structure for tracking and improving instructional strategies.
• Real-Time Data for Instructional Decisions: Principals and instructional leaders now have immediate access to coaching and observation data, allowing them to adjust professional learning plans dynamically.

The Future

Looking ahead, D11 is focused on further refining its instructional coaching model with KickUp by:

• Calibrating Walkthroughs Across Leadership Teams: The district’s executive team is working to ensure alignment in how instructional practices are observed and supported.
• Expanding Coaching Documentation: Schools are beginning to use KickUp’s coaching tools to track one-on-one coaching conversations, enhancing personalized teacher support.
• Leveraging AI for Data Analysis: D11 aims to integrate AI-driven insights to synthesize qualitative coaching data, helping instructional leaders make even more informed decisions.

Conclusion

Colorado Springs School District 11 has transformed its approach to instructional coaching and professional learning through KickUp. By moving away from fragmented, inconsistent coaching practices and embracing a data-driven model, the district has built a system that prioritizes teacher growth, aligns professional learning with classroom needs, and fosters a culture of continuous improvement.

For districts looking to strengthen their professional learning models, D11’s success demonstrates the power of a structured, scalable approach that meets educators where they are while driving systemic change.