Great Teachers Make Innovative Solutions Possible

Portrait of a LearnerChange ManagementLearner-Centered LeadershipPersonalized Learning

Guest Author:
Dr. Cory Steiner, Superintendent of Northern Cass School District (ND), Learner-Centered Collaborative Advisory Council member
Northern Cass is a mentor school district in the 2023-24 Learner-Centered Connections program

Several years ago Northern Cass School District in North Dakota acknowledged that despite traditional markers indicating things were “good” across the district they wanted “great”—a personalized, competency-based student learning experience that tended to whole learner-outcomes.

Under the leadership of Superintendent Cory Steiner, PhD, the district reinvented what school could be by taking a learner-centered approach that eliminated percentage grades, honored student interests, and put the focus of learning on the district’s Portrait of a Learner. In addition to improving the experience for students, the transformation has also created the conditions for teachers to be the great teachers they set out to be.

Read Dr. Cory Steiner’s story here: Great Teachers Make Innovative Solutions Possible

Blog

Measuring Impact: How Surveys Promote Learner-Centered Change

Measuring what matters and listening to learners, educators and community members are cornerstones of our work at Learner-Centered Collaborative, and in any learner-centered ecosystem. From feedback surveys in our workshops and sessions to more robust, research-backed survey processes with partners to measure specific outcomes, we have been leveraging surveys for years to help schools…

BlogWebinars

Webinar Recording: How to Leverage AI in Your Learner-Centered Classroom

In this webinar, Cherry Moore from Escondido Union School District and Shannon Roos from Hampton Township School District share how they are leveraging AI to supercharge learner-centered classrooms. With perspectives as both a principal and district leader and a teacher/coach, they illustrate how AI can serve as a thought partner for educators and students…

Blog

From Vision to Action: How Hampton Township’s School Design Teams Brought the Portrait of a Talbot to Life

By Brittany Griffin, Director Collective Learning at Learner-Centered Collaborative and Dr. John Thornton, Director of Student Services at Hampton Township School District A Clear Vision with Distributed Leadership Hampton Township School District in Pennsylvania co-created its Portrait of a Talbot: a bold, inclusive vision for the competencies all learners need to thrive, developed with…

Publications

Pathways to Possibility: Reimagining CTE in California’s Continuation High Schools

Across California, continuation high schools are creating more personalized, purposeful learning experiences for students who have often been underserved by traditional systems. These schools support young people navigating poverty, housing instability, and other complex life challenges, yet too often these students are left out of education redesign efforts. Career Technical Education (CTE) is a…

Explore More Topics

Blog

Measuring Impact: How Surveys Promote Learner-Centered Change

Blog

Big Moves: How to Create a Strategic Plan That Leads to Real Change in Your District

One of the most inspiring aspects of working with school systems across the country is seeing how deeply educators care about their learners. In every community I visit, I encounter dedicated, well-intentioned people doing everything they can to help students succeed. Yet, too often, these efforts occur in isolation—teachers working within their classrooms, principals…

BlogWebinars