224 Copyright © 2017, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited. Chapter 12 DOI: 10.4018/978-1-5225-0669-0.ch012 ABSTRACT This chapter focuses on teacher leaders’ coaching practice that fosters collaborative, inquiry-based, professional learning among classroom teachers to improve P-12 literacy assessment. The chapter re- ports on a research study that examines classroom teachers’ leadership and coaching experience as a required assignment of the graduate level course in the M.Ed. in Literacy program. Based on the research findings, the chapter offers strategies for initiating, implementing, and evaluating collaborative inquiries on classroom or school-wide literacy assessment. The chapter includes suggestions for effective ways to implement and evaluate coaching to improve literacy assessment. Further, an implementation model and checklist for the effective collaboration and literacy coaching created based on the study suggests step-by-step processes and techniques to be used in urban and suburban P-12 schools. INTRODUCTION Teacher leadership is one of the significant topics in teacher education for effective literacy instruction (Bean, 2009; Vogt & Shearer, 2011). As literacy remains at the center of many educational reforms and policy initiatives (e.g., the Common Core State Standards), leadership roles of literacy professionals to accurately assess student needs and provide appropriate literacy instruction are keys to fulfilling students’ learning potential. The International Literacy Association (formerly IRA) asserts that the preparation of literacy professionals needs to focus on their leadership roles as teacher leaders by working with and supporting classroom teachers (IRA, 2010). The IRA Standards describe distinct roles for literacy Exploring Literacy Assessment through Teacher Leader Collaborative Inquiry Carrie E. Hong William Paterson University, USA Geraldine Mongillo William Paterson University, USA Noreen Moore William Paterson University, USA