Coaching & Consultation
At Kent ISD, our coaching model is designed to strengthen the capacity of educators, related service providers, and IEP teams. We believe that when adults are supported in their professional growth, students benefit. Coaching is never about “fixing” a student — it is about partnering with the adults who support them every day.
Our Coaching Values
- Collaborative Partnership: We work hand-in-hand with educators, respecting their knowledge and experience while offering support and guidance to enhance practice. Coaches bring expertise in facilitating growth and change; educators bring expertise in their own classrooms and professional lives.
- Empowering Potential: We believe educators already possess the resources and strengths needed for success. Coaching draws out those strengths, priorities, and values to help educators reach their goals.
- Respectful Understanding: We approach coaching with empathy and respect, seeking to understand the educator’s perspective and honoring their right to make informed choices about their professional development.
- Compassionate Support: We prioritize the well-being and professional growth of educators, fostering a nurturing environment where they feel supported, valued, and equipped to thrive.
Areas of Coaching & Consultation
- Autism Coaching support for staff working with students in Autism and ECSE programming.
- Behavior Coaching support for staff working with students in EI and ECSE programming.
- Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) Coaching support for staff in Resource and CI programming.
- Functional Communication / AAC / AT Coaching support for staff across all levels of programming.
Coaching & Consultation Services
Coaching
Coaching is an ongoing partnership designed to build the capacity of educators and teams. Grounded in implementation science, coaching addresses the well-documented gap between attending training and achieving successful implementation in daily practice. It provides sustained, job-embedded support that helps educators apply strategies with fidelity and confidence.
Coaching requires director/supervisor approval and includes the development of collaborative goals and identified outcomes. Coaching targets are aligned to the Kent ISD High-Quality Programming Guide, ensuring that growth is connected to clear indicators of effective practice and consistent across programs.
Coaching may occur at multiple levels:
- Individual Staff Member or Role-Specific Support – one-on-one coaching tailored to an individual’s role, responsibilities, and growth goals.
- Team or Classroom-Based Support – coaching with a classroom team or group of educators working together with shared students.
- Program, Department, or Systems-Level Support – coaching that supports larger programmatic, departmental, or district-wide priorities and practices.
Consultation
Short-term support for a specific question or situation. Typically 1–3 meetings and/or observations with a summary of recommendations and resources.
Professional Development
Coaches and consultants provide professional learning opportunities across a variety of special education topics.
IEP Facilitation
Neutral facilitation to help IEP teams navigate conversations and ensure a smooth, collaborative process for creating effective IEPs.
Educational Benefit Review (EBR) Facilitation
Structured facilitation to help IEP teams analyze student progress and ensure programming decisions reflect educational benefit.
To see the Member District Action Planning and Capacity Building description in full, see this document.
