Why I’m Doubling Down on PLCs and What’s Coming Next
Over the past year, I’ve had the opportunity to work as an Education Program Manager at an edtech company focused on building an AI platform for students. My role centered on supporting the implementation of this tool in public schools by collaborating closely with teachers, school leaders, and district teams across a range of contexts.
What I learned during that time only deepened a belief I’ve held for years:
Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) are one of the most effective structures we have for meaningful, lasting change in schools.
Implementation is Hard. PLCs Can Make It Easier.
Most school leaders understand that implementation isn’t just about launching a new tool or strategy—it’s about ensuring that it sticks. It’s about making space for learning, adjusting, and improving along the way.
During this past year, I watched educators engage with an unfamiliar AI platform, some with excitement, others with hesitation. I saw how crucial it was to have protected time, shared language, and leadership support when navigating change. And every time I saw it work, there was a well-run PLC behind it.
PLCs gave teachers a space to ask questions, try new strategies, reflect on what worked (or didn’t), and build on each other’s learning. They became a natural structure for change management, not just for adopting AI, but for making any instructional shift feel possible.
The Mindset Shift is Bigger Than the Tool
What often gets overlooked in AI rollouts is that we’re not just asking teachers to learn a tool. We’re asking them to shift how they think about their role, their planning, and even their relationship to instruction.
That kind of change doesn’t happen because someone sits through a one-hour PD. It happens because there’s space to process, to experiment, to fail safely, and to grow. That space is what well-designed PLCs offer.
And frankly, neither schools nor edtech companies are adequately prepared for that kind of support.
Too many technology rollouts assume that a quick demo and a handful of help articles are enough. They’re not. Teachers need more than access. They need trust. They need time. And they need support structures that are embedded in their daily work, not just tacked on at the end.
On the other side, schools are often handed a new tool without a clear plan for implementation. There's no time built in for collaborative planning. No shift in expectations. No acknowledgement of the real learning curve.
Both sides want impact, but very few are prepared for the mindset shift required to get there.
This is where PLCs come in. Not as a checkbox, but as a vehicle for real, supported change.
The Problem: Most PLCs Don’t Get the Support They Need
Despite their potential, many PLCs underperform, not because educators aren’t committed, but because the support systems around them are missing. The expectations are often high, but the guidance is limited. Leadership teams are told to “support PLCs,” but rarely given training or tools to do so effectively.
That’s why I created VOYAGE Horizons, a professional development model designed to help school and district leaders strengthen their PLCs with intention, strategy, and alignment to real-world instructional goals.
Where to Start: Module 1 (Free)
The first course in the VOYAGE Horizons series is now live and free to access.
It’s called Module 1: The Source of the Issue, and it’s built for leadership teams ready to look closely at what’s working—and what’s not—in their current PLCs.
Inside the module, teams will learn how to:
Identify the root causes behind ineffective PLCs
Use staff surveys and structured protocols to uncover gaps in skill, knowledge, and motivation
Build a strategic, responsive roadmap based on actual teacher needs
You can take it for free here.
What’s Coming Next: PLCs + AI Integration
As I transition away from my work with the AI company, I’m now developing a new course that merges two areas I care deeply about: instructional leadership and responsible AI integration.
This upcoming module will focus on how schools can use PLCs to support teachers in exploring and implementing AI tools starting with NotebookLM, a free, low-risk platform with real instructional potential.
Why NotebookLM? Because it’s designed to help teachers and students organize, synthesize, and interact with information in a way that feels manageable, even for those new to AI.
But more importantly, introducing AI into schools requires ongoing support and space to reflect. That doesn’t come from a top-down rollout. It comes from trusted teams of educators working together, having honest conversations, and learning side by side.
PLCs are the natural place for this work to happen.
Final Thoughts
Over the last year, I’ve seen firsthand how hard change can be, and how much more successful it becomes when educators are given the time, structure, and support to navigate it together.
PLCs aren’t just another meeting on the calendar. At their best, they’re the engine of professional growth, school improvement, and real instructional change.
I’m excited to keep building tools and resources that help make that possible.
If you're looking for a place to start, Module 1 is free and built to help leadership teams lay the groundwork for meaningful PLC improvement.
Let’s build something better together.
