To address the need for improving instructional practice in literacy, this paper examines whole school, teacher uptake of a professional development initiative over a four-year project. The study takes place in an urban, PK-6 school in a predominantly Mexican-American community. Measuring and analyzing teacher enactment of a professional development innovation during coaching sessions was the basis for making informed decisions about tailored professional development direction and support. Using an observation instrument to analyze teachers' appropriation levels can reveal teacher learning transitions that provide opportunities to address barriers of understanding development. This study emphasizes the role that individualized and differentiated professional development plays within a community of learners, impacting both in the direction and uptake of whole-school initiatives.