Instructional Specialist | Educational Consultant | Author | National Speaker

Carri A. Meek is an instructional specialist, educational consultant, author of Sustainable Systems: Practical Tools for Instructional Leaders, and national speaker with more than 30 years of experience in education. Her experience spans classroom teaching, administration, curriculum and instructional leadership, consulting, coaching, and professional development.

As the founder and CEO of Instructional Growth LLC, Carri helps instructional leaders, coaches, and educators turn goals, improvement plans, initiatives, and data into clear actions, measurable progress, and sustainable systems.

Her work is grounded in a simple belief: Schools don’t need another initiative. They need systems and support to make the work they already have work.

Carri customizes professional development and coaching to the needs of each school or district. She helps teams assess current needs, prioritize the work, establish measurable checkpoints, build instructional capacity, respond to staff needs, sustain support, and create accountability for change.

Her practical approach connects professional learning to implementation through reusable tools, adaptable resources, differentiated coaching, and follow-up support that continue to serve schools long after professional development ends.

• Aligning district and building priorities with instructional action
• Building systems to implement improvement goals and initiatives
• Establishing measurable actions and checkpoints aligned with district goals
• Developing reusable problem-solving tools, processes, and improvement frameworks
• Establishing structures for continuous improvement and accountability
• Using assessment data to monitor progress and improve student outcomes

• Developing instructional leadership skills and providing administrative coaching
• Strengthening instructional coaching practices and teacher support
• Establishing effective professional learning communities and Teacher-Based Teams (TBTs)
• Building educator capacity, ownership, and professional growth
• Facilitating collaborative problem-solving and data-informed decision-making
• Supporting implementation and instructional improvement across teams and initiatives

• Strengthening standards-based instruction, instructional rigor, and student outcomes
• Developing standards planning, mapping, and monitoring tools
• Establishing clear learning targets, success criteria, and mastery-monitoring practices
• Creating grade-level and subject-specific digital progress-monitoring tools
• Using formative assessment and student data to guide instructional decisions
• Strengthening differentiation, small-group instruction, and intervention practices
• Supporting growth mindset, student engagement, and learning outcomes
• Developing attendance improvement strategies and systems

• Establishing instructional systems and structures for new schools
• Developing foundational procedures, protocols, and implementation plans
• Defining staff roles, collaborative structures, and professional learning systems
• Aligning curriculum, standards, assessment, and instructional expectations
• Creating systems for progress monitoring, intervention, and student support
• Helping school leaders move from start-up priorities to sustainable implementation

AUTHORED WORKS AND INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES 

Sustainable Systems: Practical Tools for Instructional Leaders
Solution Tree | December 2026
A book containing a practical framework and collection of adaptable tools designed to help instructional leaders turn priorities and initiatives into clear actions, measurable goals, staff capacity, and sustainable systems for ongoing improvement.

Digital Progress Monitoring Web App | 2024
Co-developed with Virtual Learning Academy and Central Ohio ESC to support digital progress monitoring and instructional decision making.

Guide to Sustainable Change | 2022
Developed a resource supporting implementation of improvement priorities and development of sustainable systems.

Instructional Growth Framework | 2021
Developed a framework for assessing needs, prioritizing work, setting measurables, building instructional capacity, responding to feedback, sustaining support, and creating accountability.

Standard Maps and Standard Checklists | 2016
Developed tools to clarify academic expectations, support instructional alignment, and connect standards with planning and progress monitoring.

Instructional Growth Video Series | 2015
Developed professional learning resources focused on instructional growth and improvement.

Carri holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Kent State University and Ashland University. Her Ohio credentials include K–8 educator licensure, K–8 principal licensure, K–12 curriculum specialist licensure, and assistant superintendent licensure.

Her experience includes working with schools and districts across Ohio and nationally through keynote speaking, professional development, customized school support, instructional audits, leadership development, goal setting, classroom support, instructional coaching, and school improvement planning.

Carri has supported districts with diverse needs, from rural and Appalachian communities to large urban systems. Her work includes supporting instructional improvement, curriculum implementation, collaborative team practices, and MTSS at all tiers.

Carri's approach is practical, flexible, and responsive to the needs of each school or district. Professional development and coaching can be designed around existing district priorities, professional growth plans, school improvement plans, grant priorities, or identified instructional needs, without requiring schools to add another initiative. Services may include leadership seminars, staff professional development, instructional coaching, classroom modeling, collaborative planning, data analysis, goal setting, progress monitoring, and follow-up support.

The impact of this work is reflected in documented changes in classroom instruction, teacher practice, and student growth. Testimonials from educators and school leaders highlight the value of connecting professional learning to clear expectations, practical strategies, measurable actions, and sustained support.

Instructional Growth works with schools to make the most of available time and funding. 

Professional development and coaching can be scheduled with or without staff release days, with flexible approaches designed to leverage existing meeting times, professional learning days, and other available resources.