In New Bedford Public Schools, Building-Based Early Literacy Leaders (BBELLs) are helping bring instructional coherence to life. Rather than approaching early literacy as another initiative, New Bedford district leaders are intentionally aligning their work so that every action reinforces a clear vision for teaching and learning. This focus on coherence is helping schools move beyond implementation toward deeper, more sustainable instructional and systems improvement.
Through a structured professional learning series, the BBELLs have built a shared understanding of what strong, evidence-based instruction looks like in practice, grounded in the DESE Early Literacy Classrooms Observation Look-For Tool. Leaders regularly apply their learning by observing instruction, calibrating with peers, and providing tool-aligned feedback to teachers. Here’s what leaders have said about their learning:
“The more practice I get with the tool, the more confident I will be with implementing it and using it for feedback to educators.”
“I am grateful to be a part of this process. It is very helpful to have the opportunity to talk with others to work toward alignment.”
This consistent, coherent approach is strengthening how leaders support instruction across schools. The BBELLs report high confidence in their understanding of foundational skills instruction and describe the opportunity to participate in collaborative learning as a key driver of their growth. Leaders consistently highlight the value of calibrating to refine their perspectives. As a result, feedback to teachers is becoming more specific, actionable, and grounded in a shared instructional vision.
Most importantly, this investment in coherence is translating into improved classroom experiences for students. By the end of the school year, a majority of K-3 classrooms demonstrated evidence-based, inclusive, and culturally and linguistically sustaining practices.
This progress reflects more than an isolated improvement. It signals a shift toward a more coherent instructional system. Professional development, observation tools, coaching, and district communication are increasingly aligned, ensuring that leaders and teachers are working toward the same vision of high-quality early literacy instruction.
As highlighted in the recent Bright by Design publication Coherence by Design, students learn best when every layer of instruction reinforces grade-level expectations. In New Bedford, the BBELLs are helping make that a reality. As New Bedford looks ahead, the focus will remain on sustaining this momentum by continuing to invest in leadership capacity and maintaining coherence across all aspects of the work. These efforts position New Bedford not only to accelerate student learning but also to build a strong, lasting foundation for early literacy success.