For over a century, school systems in the U.S. have attempted to improve instructional quality by investing in the education and training of their teachers. Today, over 90% of teachers report participating in some form of professional development (PD). Practitioners have responded to critiques of PD by re-envisioning it in the form of individualized and sustained teacher coaching programs that provide tailored feedback to teachers about their classroom practices. In this paper, the authors evaluate the effect of a time-intensive, individualized coaching program MATCH Teacher Coaching (MTC) that focuses on improving teachers' classroom management and instructional practices, both of which are cited as important mechanisms behind improvements in student outcomes. In May of 2011, the authors recruited 59 teachers, working in Recovery School District charter schools across New Orleans, to participate in a randomized trial of the year-long coaching program. Study findings reported that that MTC was implemented with a high degree of fidelity and had a profound effect on teachers' instructional practices compared to control teachers who had access to standard professional development opportunities. Teachers' emails and coaches' logs were analyzed to assess the content and methods used during coaching sessions. Results indicate that teachers who received coaching are more effective than those who participated in the standard PD activities provided by their schools. Building the necessary evidentiary base and shifting longstanding norms about PD practices will take time, but the evidence-to-date suggests doing so will be a valuable investment. Tables and figures are appended.