Proof of Practice

I’m not a big fan of startups that, well, remain startups. We have too many examples of small learning organizations within the public space that do well in terms of getting kids to become smarter and stronger but never scale beyond what might be called a “boutique” enterprise.

Recently, Education Reimagined published a report titled “Seeds of Possibility,” focusing on eight relatively new learner ecosystems across America. Two happen to be traditional school districts, while the rest are a mixture of regional government organizations and non-profits.

Here’s a summary of some new ideas out there ready to grow:

Butler County School District – “Butler Area School District serves 6,000 learners in a community once defined by its strong steel industry.”

“In Butler, things have started to look different and for the better. Community members serve as educators, and learning extends far beyond school walls….”

“The district is transforming Main Street into a learning lab where students earn credentials or pursue real-world internships through partnerships with local businesses and municipal government.”

Embarc Chicago – “Embarc Chicago emerged from the recognition that students in large, under-resourced schools were isolated not only within the four walls of their buildings, but also from the broader opportunities with Chicago itself.”

“Embarc helps to connect Chicago schools with nearly 100 community partners, creating over 10,000 real-world learning experiences for students every year.”

Da Vinci RISE High School – “Da Vinci RISE emerged from a recognition that traditional schools often fail students experiencing complex trauma and systemic barriers limiting their ability to prioritize and access school.”

“RISE is a healing-centered learning ecosystem that integrates wraparound services directly into education by co-locating classrooms within community-based social service providers across Los Angeles.”

SparkNC – “SparkNC emerged to address the growing demand for skilled workers in high-tech fields, while confronting the reality that many students, particularly those from historically underrepresented groups, cannot envision themselves in technology careers.”

“SparkNC functions as a statewide learning ecosystem through its innovative network of  SparkLabs, which are physical collaborative spaces located in participating districts where students engage in hands-on, personalized learning experiences.”

Native American Community Academy (NACA) – “NACA emerged to address the reality that schools with high Native American populations have historically set ‘disconnected expectations’ for their students, rarely providing access to education that effectively supports Native identity, culture, language, college preparation, and community connection.”

“The school implements a comprehensive curriculum that weaves together Indigenous studies, storytelling, oral traditions, cultural history, Native languages, community presentations, and service learning within a rigorous Common Core-based college preparatory framework.”

Rock Tree Sky – “Rock Tree Sky (RTS) emerged from recognizing that traditional schooling often fails to develop the ‘capabilities that are far more durable and essential for creating a great life’: habits of mind like setting one’s own goals, fostering healthy relationships, and engaging the world with curiosity and a learning mindset.”

“The Rock Tree Sky learning community is able to partner with Ojai Unified School District as an independent Study enrichment provider, through the Summit Independent Study Program, enabling learners across the Ojai community to access self-directed learning experiences.”

Southwest Colorado Education Collaborative – “The Southwest Colorado Education Collaborative (SWCEC) emerged to address the challenge facing rural districts, where small schools struggle to provide comprehensive career pathway opportunities due to limited resources, capacity, and geographic isolation.”

“SWCEC functions as a regional learning ecosystem by operating as a formal nonprofit that facilitates shared resources, coordinates multi-district partnerships, and connects education directly with workforce development across southwestern Colorado.”

Tacoma Public Schools – “Tacoma Public Schools turns the entire city into a learner-centered ecosystem. Education is not confined to classrooms or bell schedules, but embedded in the life of the community.”

“Tacoma Public Schools prioritization of personalization and the learner experience is evident across the district with the ongoing expansion of innovative approaches to learning and partnerships.” An example of this would be Tacoma Public Schools’ partnership with the Port of Tacoma, creating the Maritime 253 Skills Center.

In May of 2024, a group of school administrators convened with leaders from Remake Learning, a Pittsburgh-based non-profit committed to building a network helping people connect, exchange knowledge and ideas, improve practice, and find funding to assist in creating more learner-centered programming. The school administrators agreed a new learning ecosystem should include learner agency, unwalled schools, a broader definition of an educator, and credit for out-of-school learning.

It will be interesting to see whether any of theses “seeds of possibility” and this promise from traditional school leaders makes a difference when it comes to scaling learner-centered programming and activity. It’s promising that traditional school districts, like Tacoma Public Schools, are doing the work right now to make kids smarter and stronger in a much different way. It’s promising to see non-profits and other community organizations partnering with traditional districts to create a new type of young learner. All of this is hopeful, but scaling hopeful practices has failed over and over when it comes to our traditional K-12 system.

Til tomorrow. SVB