PLC Late Starts

Lenski PLC Information

What are Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)?
PLCs provide time for teachers to meet together in teams to analyze data, solve student learning challenges, and improve instruction. During these meetings, teachers discuss:

  1.  What is essential for students to learn?
  2. How will we know when each student has learned it?
  3. How will we respond when a student experiences difficulty in learning?
  4. How will we respond when a student already knows it?

Why does the District have PLCs?
Professional Learning Communities are proven to increase student achievement and are commonly in place in school districts locally and across the nation.  When PLCs were first implemented districtwide in Littleton Public Schools during the 2007-2008 school year, time was built into the calendar so that no instructional time would be lost. Non-student time was restructured, and seven minutes were added to every school day. This makes the two-hour late start on the 10 PLC days possible.

Are PLCs making a difference?
Yes!!!  LPS students maintain high achievement over time because PLCs provide teachers the opportunity to collaborate, share best practices, and make data-driven decisions that help address the learning needs of individual students.

  • LPS students continue to significantly outscore the state average on state assessment tests.
  • LPS is the only Denver metro area school district to be Accredited with Distinction – the highest academic accreditation rating given by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) – five years running!  
  • LPS high schools have one of the highest graduation rates and lowest dropout rates of any high schools in the Denver metro area.
  • Principals report that classroom instruction continuously improves because teachers use PLCs to share best practices with one another, which strengthens everyone’s efforts.

Why do students have to be out of school during this time?
Because all instructional staff members participate in PLCs, student supervision is an issue. Elementary parents may choose to enroll their children in the tuition-based School Age Child Care program at their elementary school on late start mornings.  District transportation is also provided on PLC days; buses run two hours later.