Episode 64: How to Build a Real PLC Culture: Dr. Chad Dumas on Collaboration, the 4 PLC Questions, and Guaranteed Learning

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What if the reason your PLCs feel flat is because they’re treated like a calendar event, not a culture? We sit down with Dr. Chad Dumas, former music teacher, principal, director of learning, author, and Solution Tree PLC at Work associate, to unpack how schools move from working hard to getting results. Chad’s story arcs from the band room to building leadership to district systems and national consulting, and along the way he reveals the practices that turn collaboration into guaranteed learning for every student.

We dig into the mindset shift that changes everything: from “what do we want students to learn?” to “what will we guarantee every student learns in this unit?” That single promise forces clarity on power essentials, tightens common assessments, shortens feedback cycles, and demands targeted interventions and extensions. Chad explains why the most effective PLC work is owned at the building level, supported by the district but driven by course-alike teams close to the kids. He shares how Hastings Public Schools flipped district-led meetings into school-based collaboration and how distributed leadership made the work endure beyond any one person.

You’ll hear practical moves you can use this week: crafting unit guarantees, aligning quick common checks, grouping students by target for interventions, and keeping agendas focused on the four questions. For aspiring leaders, Chad offers candid advice on scaling your impact, building trust, and leaving a legacy measured by how many leaders you grow. The conversation is hopeful and grounded, celebrating the daily excellence of educators while giving you concrete steps to make your PLCs more than a time slot.

If this conversation helps you see leadership and collaboration in a new light, share it with a teammate, subscribe for more, and leave a review with one thing your PLC will guarantee next unit.

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