We are a Minnesota-based nonprofit, nonpartisan organization driving transformational designs for learning, larger professional roles for educators, and policies that catalyze community-led innovation.
Our Vision: Equitable, Student-Centered Learning for All
The one-size-fits-all model of school prevalent today was never designed to truly serve all students, nor to prepare them for a changing 21st century world.
Learning must be more student-centered. It must honor each student’s unique assets, interests, identities, and aspirations—and be designed with students’ ideas and voices at the table.
» What we mean by student-centered learning
» How we define educational equity
How to Get There: Our Theory of Change
If equitable, student-centered learning is the goal, education needs a new theory of change:
- School decisions must be made closer to students, by teams of educators working collaboratively and sharing power with the students, families, and communities they serve.
- Policy must seek to catalyze innovation rather than mandating change from above. It must clear barriers, offer support, and provide space and autonomy for school communities to lead change.
We advance this theory of change through three strategies: thought leadership to shift hearts and minds; advocacy to shift policies and institutions; and educator support to shift practices and prove change is possible.
» More on our theory of change and strategies
Where We’re Focusing: Our Current Issues
We’re currently focused on changing the design of learning experiences; where and how decisions are made; how success is defined and measured; and how teachers are recruited, prepared, and retained.
» More about our work and focus issues
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» Read more about our work in our most recent annual report