About the Author

Douglas Fisher, Ph.D., is Professor and Chair of Educational Leadership at San Diego State University and a leader at Health Sciences High & Middle College having been an early intervention teacher and elementary school educator. He is the recipient of an International Reading Association William S. Grey citation of merit, an Exemplary Leader award from the Conference on English Leadership of NCTE, as well as a Christa McAuliffe award for excellence in teacher education. He has published numerous articles on reading and literacy, differentiated instruction, and curriculum design as well as books, such as PLC+: Better Decisions and Greater Impact by Design, Building Equity, and Assessment-capable Learners. He can be reached at dfisher@mail.sdsu.edu. Nancy Frey, Ph.D., is a Professor in Educational Leadership at San Diego State University and a leader at Health Sciences High and Middle College. She has been a special education teacher, reading specialist, and administrator in public schools. Nancy has engaged in Professional Learning Communities as a member and in designing schoolwide systems to improve teaching and learning for all students. She has published numerous books, including The Teacher Clarity Playbook and Rigorous Reading. Diane Lapp, EdD, is a Distinguished Professor of Education at San Diego State University, where her research and instruction focuses on issues related to struggling readers and writers, their families, and their teachers. An instructional coach at the Health Sciences High and Middle College in San Diego, she has recently returned to the classroom to teach sixth-grade English and Earth Science. Dr. Lapp is also a member of both the California and International Reading Halls of Fame for her dedication to reading instruction. A faculty member in teacher education at San Diego State University and an instructional coach in the San Diego Unified School District, Dr. Kelly Johnson devotes much of her work to the middle and secondary classrooms. She is interested in the teaching and learning connection that results from teacher modeling, productive group work, formative assessment, and student engagement.