This article features an overview of two case studies, each featuring a successful literacy coach and the context of the urban elementary school in which she worked. The article describes improvements in reading and writing instruction and improvements in overall school culture that study participants attributed to the influence of these coaches. Then two categories of information are presented. The first is a description of the coaches' beliefs and practices considered by study participants to have had a positive impact on teachers and that helped teachers to improve classroom instruction and change school culture. The second is an overview of the school leadership and management decisions that were enabling to the coaches, providing the time and resources needed to sustain improvements. The article concludes with a summary of characteristics of school culture, management decisions, and coaching practices that were common to both case studies. (Contains 1 table.)