Which action research topic fits?

     In completing my action research, I proposed the following three questions for consideration to my site supervisor:

1. How does the process of instructional coaching versus intervention pullout, impact student learning?
2. How can I use professional learning communities (PLCs) as a tool for our teachers to develop the reading program at our school?
3. What actions can our faculty take to improve the reading of our lowest quartile students?

     After discussing my possible topics with my site supervisor, she agreed that each of these would provide valuable information that would support student success.  The topic of coaching versus pullout is not only a controversial topic in our district, but also on our campus.  The traditional role of intervention teacher, pulling children in small groups, has been challenged this year by a new superintendent who feels that there is more benefit to coaching teachers to work with their tier II students and developing teacher’s ability to intervene in their own classrooms.  While the concept seems good, the application of coaching teachers on our campus has been met with quite a bit of push back.  To conduct this action research, am I going to have enough support and buy in from teachers to make the research data valid?  The idea of PLCs in our district is also new this year.  Administrators and teachers do not yet know how these times will be structured and how much input individual campuses will have towards the content of these meetings, however, it is very likely that reading strategies across the school could be affected by the collaboration and dialogue from these meetings.  The third option felt broader and more encompassing, although that may be wrong for an action research plan unless divided into sub questions.  The use of PLCs, as well as coaching could both easily play into this topic.  I could specify the grade level to study, making the topic narrower and data to collect more finite.  Ultimately, my site supervisor and I agreed that the third topic would be most suitable for our school given the circumstances and that narrowing down the parameters of the topic with sub-questions could help make the action research more beneficial towards the development of reading on our campus.