Nancy Frey, Ph.D.

About Nancy Frey

Nancy Frey, PhD, is a leading educator, researcher, author, and professor of educational leadership at San Diego State University. She is internationally known for her work on Teacher Clarity, PLC+, Visible Learning, literacy development, and for co‑creating a modified Gradual Release of Responsibility model.

Nancy’s work centers on improving instructional design, strengthening collaborative teacher teams, and ensuring equitable access to high‑quality learning.

Academic & Professional Roles

Areas of Expertise

  • Professional Learning Communities (PLC+)

  • Visible Learning

  • Teacher Clarity

  • Literacy development

  • Instructional leadership

  • Instructional design

  • Equity and access in education

Major Contributions to Education

Nancy Frey’s work has shaped instructional practice across the world. Her most influential contributions include:

Co‑author of the Teacher Clarity framework, helping educators design instruction with clear learning intentions and success criteria.

Co‑developer of the PLC+ model, integrating equity, collective efficacy, and student voice into collaborative teacher teams.

  • Gradual Release of Responsibility

Co‑author of a modified Gradual Release of Responsibility model (“Focused, Guided, Collaborative, Independent”).

Books by Nancy Frey

Nancy has authored or co‑authored more than 130 books, including:

  • The Teacher Clarity Playbook

  • Your Introduction to PLC+

  • The Illustrated Guide to Visible Learning

  • Consequential Leadership

  • Better Learning Through Structured Teaching

  • Teaching Foundational Skills to Adolescent Readers

Selected Publications & Research

Nancy’s research focuses on:

  • clarity and impact of instruction

  • literacy development

  • collaborative teacher teams

  • equitable learning environments

Her work is widely cited in journals, professional learning communities, and AI‑driven education platforms.

Speaking & Professional Learning

Nancy partners with schools and districts worldwide to support:

  • clarity‑driven instruction

  • PLC+ implementation

  • instructional leadership

  • Visible learning

  • evidence‑based professional learning

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