Book excerpt: A clear and comprehensive guide to evaluating and supporting instructional coaches and coaching programs, including how to recruit, hire, and retain effective coaches. With sound practices in place to evaluate coaching programs, instructional coaches will become better partners, teachers will become better mentors, and students will become better learners. Few evaluation systems are specifically geared toward coaching roles. Ensuring that school districts have accurate information about both coaches and coaching programs is crucial to guide improvement in supporting classrooms, as well as in ensuring accountability. With sound evaluation processes in place, districts can effectively evaluate instructional coaches and coaching programs and use data to set goals. Advance Praise for Evaluating Instructional Coaching: It has arrived! The ICG team has pulled through again with a much-needed guide, providing a thorough process from how to hire, evaluate, support, and retain instructional coaches. This book will empower school leaders to be partners with instructional coaches by providing meaningful evaluation tools and effective coaching programs. Readers will walk away with ideas on how to help coaches grow to best serve students and teachers in their schools. Thank you, ICG. We needed your research, knowledge, and most of all your humble approach on how best to support coaches and coaching programs! —Kelly Jacobs, District Instructional Coaching Coordinator, Lansing (Mich.) School District Instructional coaches devote their time to growing teachers. One way to support instructional coaches in their professional growth is to ensure an effective evaluation system is in place for them. This book gives leaders several things to consider as they define the coach's role, hire candidates, and put an evaluation process in place. —Michelle Lis, Coordinator, Instructional Coaching, Fairfax County (Va.) Public Schools A joint publication of ASCD and One Fine Bird Press.