What is Instructional Consultant

This chapter showcases a teacher preparation program (TPP) targeting early career, in-service teachers who are most vulnerable to early attrition and was created to support district efforts to retain and develop an effective workforce. The chapter focuses and puts a spotlight on the role of the instructional consultant, which is the most innovative aspect of this district-based teacher preparation program. These instructional consultants are embedded in the design and delivery of program coursework. This instructional consultant role was innovated to provide a conduit for teacher leadership in this ongoing partnership. This chapter recounts how this partnership began, how instructional consultants have become a conduit for leveraging and growing teacher leadership for all stakeholders involved in this school-university partnership, and the ongoing impact of this program in terms of teacher retention and improving instructional effectiveness.