§ 6-1103

(a) (1) The Department shall develop criteria for the selection of instructional coaches.

(2) At a minimum the selection criteria shall include:

(i) Methods to identify highly qualified educators with expertise in the instructional topic and grade level for which the educator will be providing coaching; and

(ii) A means to assess the potential of an educator for leadership and professional development through coaching.

(3) A regional program manager, in coordination with a participating county board, shall use the Department’s criteria to select instructional coaches.

(b) (1) The Department shall establish a training plan for instructional coaches that provides each instructional coach with the tools to support educators using research–based strategies tailored to the needs of each educator and the educator’s students.

(2) Each instructional coach shall be trained using the Department’s training plan.

(c) An instructional coach shall oversee educators at two to four different public schools in the local school system in which the coach works.

(d) An instructional coach shall support educators by providing job–embedded feedback designed to:

(1) Lead to long–term instructional improvement;

(2) Assist an educator in creating a pedagogy that is individually tailored to meet the needs of each student, regardless of the student’s linguistic status, disability status, or background; and

(3) Close student achievement gaps.