Bridging practice and policy: a school-university partnership model for reading instruction professional development

Purpose This study examined the impact of a university–school partnership professional development (PD) model designed to help Florida K–12 educators meet the state's new 40-h reading instruction requirement for recertification. The initiative aimed to deliver accessible, evidence-based, and discipline-relevant PD through a fully asynchronous online course focused on differentiated reading instruction. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-methods design integrated quantitative and qualitative data from 22 participants (14 matched pre/post) in a large Florida district. Quantitative data from Likert-scale surveys were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Qualitative responses were thematically coded to identify participants' experiences of relevance, flexibility, and credibility of partnership. Findings Results showed statistically significant improvements in understanding differentiated reading instruction (p = 0.001), awareness of reading strategies (p = 0.002), confidence in implementation (p = 0.003), preparedness to integrate strategies (p = 0.004), and knowledge of assessing reading needs (p = 0.018). Qualitative findings highlighted the PD's relevance, time flexibility, and perceived university credibility. Research limitations/implications The small sample size and single-district context limit generalizability. Participation was voluntary, introducing potential self-selection bias among teachers already motivated or comfortable with online learning. Findings rely on self-reported survey data, which may be influenced by response bias. Because the PD was fully asynchronous, the study could not account for variations in participant engagement or implementation. Additionally, the short pre/post timeframe did not allow examination of long-term changes in instructional practice or student outcomes. These limitations suggest caution in extending the results beyond similar district contexts and short-term professional learning experiences. Practical implications The findings suggest that asynchronous, collaborative PD is a scalable and cost-effective approach for fulfilling mandated professional learning without compromising quality or teacher autonomy. Originality/value This study demonstrates how asynchronous, partnership-based PD can effectively meet policy mandates while supporting authentic professional learning. The model underscores the potential of university–district collaborations to enhance accessibility, teacher engagement, and instructional capacity in literacy.