From Policy to Practice: Examining the Implementation and Impact of Michigan’s Early Literacy Coaching Initiative

This study examined the implementation and impact of literacy coaching under Michigan's Read by Grade Three law. Drawing on 1,330 coaching logs, 318 hours of classroom video, and 900 minutes of interviews, we investigated (a) whether coaching improved K–3 teachers’ use of research-aligned literacy practices relative to a waitlist control group; (b) how coaches described the processes, content, and structure of their work; and (c) the opportunities and constraints they faced while implementing coaching within a statewide policy. Findings indicate that coaching supported teachers’ instructional improvement and that high fidelity to research-aligned practices was achievable at scale, although shaped by local conditions—highlighting the need for policies that attend to context to maximize the impact of large-scale coaching initiatives.