The Program Implementation Coach (PIC) has an important role in the statewide implementation and scale-up of the Pyramid Model.
- Coaches leadership teams (Program and Community) to implement the Pyramid Model program-wide or community-wide.
- Provides coaching and guidance to a program’s practitioner coach.
- Provides updates to the State Leadership Team (SLT) about the implementation needs and progress of communities and programs.
- During scale-up, the SLTs and PICs continue to focus on sustaining the fidelity of implementation at all programs while scaling to new communities and programs.
An Essential Structure of Statewide Implementation
PICs are one of four “essential structures” of statewide Pyramid Model implementation and are linked to each of the other essential structures. These are as follows:
- The State Leadership Team (SLT): is comprised of multiple early childhood sectors, potentially bringing a variety of funding sources to the table and can braid funds to develop and support a network of PICs that can benefit a variety of early childhood education sectors. PICs function as liaisons between the state and implementing communities and programs to ensure the SLT has accurate information about implementation and training needs in sites.
- Professional Development Network of Program Implementation Coaches (PIC): The PIC guides and sustains the implementation of the Pyramid Model with fidelity by supporting local and community leadership teams. The PICs also support data use by these leadership teams and share the data with the SLT so data driven decisions are made at the community, program, and state levels for evaluation and sustainability.
- Implementation and Demonstration Sites: These sites benefit directly from PIC support, lessening the likelihood that Pyramid Model implementation is abandoned or implemented without fidelity to the model.
- Data and Evaluation Systems: These systems, when supported by PICs, facilitate sustainability because outcomes are measured and data can support determining what is working, what training and support needs remain, and what are continuing needs to sustain fidelity over time.
