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Abstract
Rural students deserve a high-quality literacy education comparable to their non-rural counterparts. As rural teachers and leaders face multiple roles and responsibilities, professional learning focused on instructional improvement can lack priority. This study aimed to examine how leaders within a rural, public elementary school setting supported third- and fourth-grade reading teachers by developing and implementing a PLC to improve reading instruction. A total of eight findings and three themes emerged from thorough data analysis. The following themes emerged from the study’s findings: 1) improved collaboration, 2) increased instructional knowledge, and 3) differentiated leader support. Leaders can facilitate context-based and differentiated professional learning to best meet the needs of rural teachers and students by establishing defined learning structures through shared leadership practices and continual professional learning to establish a culture of continuous improvement.