Practices of Effective K-2 Teacher Teams with Dr. Jake Downs

Guest host Dr. Kristin Conradi Smith interviews Dr. Jake Downs about the ‘secret soup’ of highly effective K-2 teacher teams.

Link to Jake’s Study: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/2/259

Downs, J., Martz, K., & Mohr, K. (2025). Exploring the Instructional Effectiveness of High-Growth K-2 Teacher Teams in Foundational Reading. Education Sciences, 15(2), https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15020259

Link to ULEAD Report: https://schools.utah.gov/ulead/uleadfiles/reports/ipr/Instructional%20Clarity%20Early%20Lit%20IPR.pdf

Please write a short impact statement for Jake’s USU review packet (and thank you!): https://forms.gle/QcUs8ciMcAy2yG6L6

Episode Outline & Show Notes

• 00:00 — Host Introduction & Listener Call-to-Action
  Jake asks listeners for impact statements to support his third-year review.
• 01:23 — Guest Host Introduction
  Kristin Conradi Smith introduces herself and the episode’s focus on effective K-2 teacher teams.
• 01:44 — Introducing Jake & Study Overview
  Kristin introduces Jake as the guest, outlines his research on high-growth teacher teams.
• 02:20 — Defining Teacher Effectiveness
  Jake discusses different ways to define “effectiveness” and the study’s focus on student growth.
• 04:07 — Why Study Teams?
  Jake explains the importance of studying effective teams, not just individual teachers.
• 06:32 — District Background
  Jake describes the “Lincoln School District,” its shift in reading instruction, and its reputation for growth.
• 09:00 — Study Methods: Quantitative Data
  Jake explains how teams were identified using ACADIS data and effect sizes.
• 11:32 — Student Growth Results
  Jake shares impressive proficiency gains by grade level and discusses effect sizes.
• 13:43 — Mixed Methods & Qualitative Interviews
  Transition to focus group interviews with teacher teams and how themes were identified.
• 16:36 — Theme 1: Collaboration
  Teams engage in active, data-driven collaborative planning and shared student ownership.
• 21:23 — Theme 2: Affordances for Instruction
  Teachers describe autonomy, flexibility, and supportive professional development.
• 28:59 — Theme 3: Data Practices & Goal Setting
  Regular data meetings, intentional goal setting at team/class/student levels, and actionable use of data.
• 41:29 — Theme 4: Teacher Factors
  Discussion of teacher knowledge, beliefs, and collective efficacy.
• 44:57 — Key Takeaways & Reflections
  Jake and Kristin reflect on the “secret soup” of effective teams, the importance of systems, and actionable insights for schools.
• 53:21 — Assessment & Goal Setting in Practice
  How effective teams use assessment and goal setting to drive instruction.
• 57:20 — Teacher Development
  The value of both top-down and bottom-up professional learning.
• 1:00:26 — Final Thoughts & Optimism
  Jake and Kristin discuss optimism for the future of reading research and practice.
• 1:04:02 — Closing & Kristin’s Take
  Kristin summarizes the study’s impact and calls for more collaborative, teacher-centered research.