Rooted, Recharged, and Reconnected for Greater Impact

Four Takeaways from our Org-Wide Retreat Connection and purpose fuel successful movements. In a society that’s becoming increasingly complex and more dispersed, alignment around purpose requires intention. That’s why we recently convened our team of nearly 100 career educators and leaders, strategists, designers, and advocates from across the country in the home of our newest … Continued

Growing the Evidence Base for Professional Learning

Proving What’s Possible Few educators receive adequate professional learning on grade-level standards and the curricular materials they use with students, hindering students’ access to lessons that meet their full potential. The evidence is evolving on which types of professional development models show improvements in teacher practice and student learning, with more work to be done … Continued

4 Classroom Challenges That Teacher PL Can Fix in 2023

Dr. Stacey Alicea on the State of Professional Learning For many teachers, the school year so far may feel rife with challenges and increasingly complex paths to navigate. The question before those of us dedicated to advancing professional learning under these circumstances is a simple one: how can we help? With the challenges teachers face … Continued

Make 2023 the Year of the Education Advocate

The Work Required for a More Perfect Union American democracy is a radical notion. On July 4, 1776, our nation’s founders declared a vision for rule by the people that changed the course of the modern world. This group of men didn’t see women or people of color holding power in this new society, but … Continued

Warm Wishes for Winter Break

Reflections on 2022 You’ve made it: it’s winter break. Take a deep breath. Enjoy those warm sips of apple cider or hot cocoa, the laughter of holiday festivities, the crackle of a warm fire, or whatever else brings you joy. This time of year, we hear calls to look ahead—and we will in due time—but … Continued

Give Voice to New Possibilities and a Fairer Future this GivingTuesday

At this time of great change, GivingTuesday is a powerful reminder of our interdependence, our shared hopes, and the possibilities that collective action can unearth. GivingTuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Since then, it has become a way to elevate groundbreaking work in communities … Continued

Reframing Challenges: From Rut to River

Building Teacher Efficacy Here in Grand Rapids, Michigan, rivers have special significance. The major tributaries are critically important to life in the entire Great Lakes region. They also mirror a metaphor offered by Elena Aguilar that has become a central focus for our Equity in Literacy Fellowship this year. What are Rut and River Stories? … Continued

Podcast Feature: Unlocking the Science of Reading

Leading with the Head and the Heart “My calling is so that children can one day stand on their own without scaffolds, that children will one day reap the benefits that literacy is liberty, that children will one day be able to teach someone else the power that only literacy can bring.” In recent years, … Continued

Latinx Voices: I Am Many Things

Ariana Audisio on What Latina Identity Means to Her as a Person, Mother, and Advocate When Ariana Audisio’s children entered the public school system in one of the most highly-rated districts in the United States, she was surprised by what she saw. “I felt the joy and belonging part of school missing for my kids,” … Continued

Latinx Voices: Living in Two Worlds

Ana Luis on What Latina Identity Means to Her “I lived part-time in another country, spoke a different language at home, ate different foods, and was very immersed in this native culture from my family. But then, I would go out into other spaces within the United States and be received with the privilege of … Continued