Unlock the Potential of Your Professional Learning Community

VITAL Collaboration™ is a rigorous framework from WestEd for teachers and school leaders driving continuous improvement systemwide.

VITAL (Visibly Improving Teaching and Learning) Collaboration transforms professional learning communities to help educators grow and boost student success through four repeatable phases of collaborative inquiry:

  1. Prepare to Engage in Inquiry
  2. Engage in Teaching and Learning Cycles
  3. Study Impact on Student and Teacher Learning
  4. Take Action to Share Findings and Results
How We Transform PLCs

Real Classroom
Examples Make Every Session Count

Throughout the school year, participants

  • use structured agendas and powerful tools to analyze standards, lessons, classroom observations, student work, and assessment data to generate insights
  • gather feedback to make informed decisions and set clear goals
  • apply proven teaching strategies that lead to better student outcomes

VITAL Is WestEd’s Approach to Evidence-Driven Inquiry in PLCs

A departure from traditional models, VITAL Collaboration is based on research by WestEd’s Quality Schools and Districts Team. It integrates insights from research on teacher efficacy, improvement science, PLCs, and lesson study to foster a culture of continuous improvement in districts and schools.

Book for Leaders
Book for Teachers

Get Started Today

Let us help you embed the VITAL Collaboration framework and resources into your PLC! We offer personalized on-site training using the VITAL Facilitator’s Guide and practical tools like the VITAL Survey to assess needs and measure progress.

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“Recognizing the complexity of teaching and learning, the VITAL Collaboration process offers the roadmap to shared growth!”


— Jennifer Loftus, superintendent,
Paso Robles Joint Unified School District

“I have served as a school administrator and a district administrator, and I can affirm that Kevin Perks’s collaborative model offers an approach to school improvement that is as good as I have ever seen….I can almost guarantee that if school leaders follow the principles and steps in this Guide, they will see marked improvements in the quality of instruction and advances in student learning.”

— Thomas McCann, professor emeritus, 

Northern Illinois University

“These two books have it all: a clear pathway for principals, teachers, and students to work together and get results. Readers will benefit immeasurably by immersing their work in these inspiring companion books. VITAL Collaboration, indeed!”

— Michael Fullan, professor emeritus, and author of The New Meaning of Educational Change,
University of Toronto

“In a profession where many feel isolated, this book’s road-tested procedures can help teachers develop ways of working together to address the issues they face in their classrooms and schools.”

— Peter Smagorinsky, emeritus professor,
The University of Georgia

“Whether read individually or as a team, [A School Leader’s Guide to VITAL Collaboration] can serve as the catalyst school leaders need for meaningful change and sustained improvement.”

— Michael Middleton, provost and vice president for teaching, learning, and growth,
Ramapo College

“A School Leader’s Guide to VITAL Collaboration offers a practical framework and actionable strategies that empower leaders and educators to work together toward a shared vision for school success. [Kevin] Perks’s insights and practical advice are valuable for any school leader looking to foster a culture of continuous improvement through school-wide collaboration.”

— Christopher Hudson, lecturer in education, 

Federation University, Australia

“This terrific resource describes and synergizes collaboration among professionals within school structures and teams to maximize solutions. The practical approaches, resources, and tools are useful for impactful collaboration within our school teams.”

— Mary E. Little, professor and program coordinator, Exceptional Student Education, 

University of Central Florida

“By using concrete evidence from teacher practice and student learning, [the VITAL Collaboration model] provides clear strategies for fostering both teacher and student growth…. A valuable resource for anyone committed to continuous improvement in education, specifically scholarly practitioner researchers.”

— Juliann Sergi McBrayer, co-director, National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Research Center, and associate professor, educational leadership, 

Georgia Southern University