The TAP System for Teacher and Student Advancement is implemented in school districts
across the country, affecting approximately 15,000 teachers and 200,000 students.46 With support from the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching, school districts create
multiple career paths for teachers, including career, mentor, and master teacher.47 Teacher leaders participate in school leadership teams with administrators, provide colleagues with regular professional learning opportunities and individualized coaching, observe and provide feedback for instructional improvement, and are compensated for these additional responsibilities.48 Trained teacher leaders in schools using the TAP System have demonstrated an ability to evaluate
classroom instruction with accuracy and consistency, and their
observations are closely aligned to student learning gains in
classrooms.49 According to Lori Johnson, a participating TAP master teacher in Phoenix, «It was the best decision I ever made professionally.