Indiana Districts Utilize NIET Structures and Support to Navigate Virtual Schooling in First Two Years of Federal Grant

Oct 15, 2026

Research brief on how Indiana school districts applied NIET’s TAP System and NIET structures to support teachers and improve student academic success during the first two years of a federal Teacher and School Leader (TSL) Incentive Program grant. It explains the TAP System’s educator effectiveness model and how established structures, especially weekly virtual/hybrid professional learning community clusters, enabled consistent professional development, data-informed collaboration, and smoother transitions to online instruction. Includes focus-group themes, district snapshots, and educator and principal perspectives.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages7

Reading Time18 min

AccessFree to download

The Background

NIET Structures and Support Across Multiple Modalities of Teaching and Learning

Creating Virtual Professional Learning Communities

Spotlight on Brown County Schools

Indiana Districts Utilize NIET Structures and Support to Navigate Virtual Schooling in First Two Years of Federal Grant Research Brief The Background In 2019, NIET was awarded a grant through the federal Teacher and School Leader (TSL) Incentive Program to expand and sustain work to support teachers and improve students’ academic success in three Indiana school districts. TSL grants support districts’ human capital management systems, specifically those that include performancebased compensation as a primary component, like the TAP System for Teacher and Student Advancement. The TAP System launched in 1999 as a comprehensive educator effectiveness model to offer career advancement and leadership opportunities for educators, a fair and transparent evaluation process linked to job-embedded professional development and performancebased compensation, which culminate in improved instructional practices and student achievement. In spring 2020, as schools faced the dilemma of moving wholly or partially to an online teaching and learning environment, the TAP System provided a consistent structure to rely on for many NIET partners, including Indiana TSL partners. In late fall 2020, NIET conducted seven focus groups with principals and district administrators from the Indiana TSL grant partners about their experiences with the TAP System and NIET’s support as they transitioned among various modes of instruction. Focus groups were coded for common themes and topically organized. The four most frequently occurring themes are presented below. NIET Structures and Support Across Multiple Modalities of Teaching and Learning As NIET partners moved from the traditional face-to-face modes of instruction to virtual or hybrid modes, NIET and the TAP System kept the focus on instruction through established structures. 1. Creating Virtual Professional Learning Communities. One element of the TAP System that provides structure is the weekly professional learning community “cluster” meetings. Led by mentor and master teachers, cluster meetings are built into teachers’ weekly schedules. During cluster meetings, teachers examine student data, engage in collaborative planning, and learn instructional strategies that have been field-tested in their respective schools. This locally centered and delivered training is a benefit of the TAP System greatly appreciated by the school leaders: “We’ve sent teachers out to professional development before...And then what happens over time is that they may or may not come Indiana TSL Incentive Program At-a-glance The TSL districts use the TAP System to improve their human capital management systems, increase equitable access to effective educators, and improve retention of a diverse workforce for the benefit of high-need students. Start: 2019-20 school year Districts: 3 Schools: 32 Educators: 1,815 Students: 25,418 Brown County Schools Brown County Schools used 2019- 20 as a planning year and began full implementation of the TAP System in 2020-21. Schools: 6 Educators: 139 Students: 1,858 Goshen Community Schools Goshen Community Schools has implemented the TAP System in all schools since 2012. Schools: 9 Educators: 562 Students: 6,622 Perry Township Schools Perry Township Schools has been an NIET partner since 2012. The TSL grant allows Perry to expand the TAP System to all district schools. Schools: 17 Educators: 1,114 Students: 16,938 back with something decent. And when they don’t, it’s frustrating that you spent those dollars and sent a teacher away from the kids. In this case, that’s not happening. We’re able to use our own people to train from within. And it creates a team atmosphere We’re getting quality training, not only for one or two or three... Everybody’s in this together and going through the same training and that’s what’s been so awesome about this.” – Brown County Principal Professional development continues into each classroom as

FAQs

What federal grant supported NIET’s work in Indiana districts starting in 2019?

NIET received a grant through the federal Teacher and School Leader (TSL) Incentive Program to expand work supporting teachers and improving students’ academic success in three Indiana districts.

How did the TAP System help districts transition when instruction moved online in 2020?

When schools shifted to virtual or hybrid instruction, the TAP System provided established structures, particularly weekly cluster meetings, to keep attention on instruction, support collaboration, and translate effective strategies into the virtual environment.

What were weekly cluster meetings used for in the virtual setting?

Cluster meetings, led by mentor and master teachers, were built into teachers’ schedules to review student data, support collaborative planning, and model instructional strategies so teachers could teach effectively in virtual environments.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Alex Sinclair