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Summer is officially here and our partners continue putting in amazing work to center learners and learning by design!
The highlight of the week was Hampton Township School District`s Leadership Retreat facilitated by LCC`s Brittany Griffin:
"Dr Loughead kicked off a packed house at the HTSD leadership retreat, where district and school leaders have invited teachers to provide input to shape the SY 25-26 goals and the design team work across the district this year! Six Design Teams emerged (with a seventh in the works), each with a draft goal, a plan for an empathy phase to gather stakeholder input, draft success criteria, and clear roles and responsibilities for the work ahead. It is so exciting to see the HTSD team bring so many voices into this work!"
How is your team gearing up for the 2025-26 academic year?
From casting a community-crafted vision, mission, and values to school (re)design to teacher professional development cohorts, if the goal is learner-centered transformation, Learner-Centered Collaborative is ready to partner with you!
Reach out at collaborate@learnercentered.org
💡"Bright Spots are authentic, learner-centered stories, strategies, or practices that illuminate what’s possible when learners and learning are placed at the center—offering inspiration and practical insight for others on the journey."
Our Co-CEO, Katie Martin shares some of her favorites this school year. Read on at the link in our bio.
👋 We`re going to San Antonio, and we hope to see you there! If you`ll be at ISTE, the largest EdTech conference in the country, be sure to come say hi. More info about our sessions in the pictures!
Here`s what we learned from this year`s Competency-Based Community of Practice, a virtual group is made up of 45 teachers and leaders from nine schools and districts across the country who are currently implementing competency-based assessment and reporting practices.
1️⃣ Coherence and Documentation are Essential
2️⃣ Tech Tools Help, But There is Work To Be Done
3️⃣ Voice, Choice, and Time for Educators Make the Shift Possible
4️⃣ Doing the Work in Community Changes Everything
How we did it ➡️ link in bio!
Our Innovation Cohorts are yearlong professional development exercises, consisting of of learner-centered educators from one or multiple districts who collaborate, insights and challenges, and collectively improve their classroom practices.
One of our 2024 Learner-Centered Assessment Fellows, Anna Yinqi Zhang, Ph.D. Candidate at Pennsylvania State University took a deep five into our Innovation Cohorts.
Here are her top five takeaways:
💪Innovation Cohorts Enhance Educator Confidence.
Participation in Innovation Cohorts led to significant increases in educators` self-assessed confidence, particularly in developing learner agency and amplifying learner voice. The average confidence in developing learner agency rose from 5.5 to 8.4, and in amplifying learner voice from 5.2 to 8.4 on a 10-point scale.
🙋♀️ Innovation Cohorts Provide Personalized Professional Development.
Educators selected self-paced online courses aligned with their individual growth areas, allowing for tailored learning experiences that addressed specific classroom needs.
🤝 Innovation Cohorts Create Collaborative Learning Communities.
The cohorts fostered communities of practice through in-person workshops and virtual meetings, providing platforms for educators to share insights, reflect on practices, and build supportive networks.
👨🏫 Innovation Cohorts Help Educators Apply Learner-Centered Strategies.
Educators applied their learning by implementing strategies such as choice boards and integrating AI tools to enhance student engagement and personalize learning experiences.
❤️ Innovation Cohorts Foster Positive Feedback and Recommendations.
Participants reported overall positive experiences with the Innovation Cohorts, highlighting the value of reflective practices and exposure to new resources, while also providing suggestions for future improvements.
Read the full article at the link in our bio!
👀 Want to join a future Innovation Cohort!? That link is in our bio too.
Check out last week`s dose of learner-centered change... in action! This week, our team was on the ground with #EducationLeaders in Colorado and California. Here`s what we saw:
1. Education leaders from accross the country gathered at LCC’s Lone Rock Leadership Summit in the mountains in Colorado. This isn`t another professional development event—it`s an intentionally designed leadership experience where Superintendents and Executive Leaders can reconnect with their purpose, reimagine their impact, and find sustainable ways to lead with clarity and conviction.
2. Day 2 of Salinas Union High School District`s Leadership Institute hosted leadership teams to engage in 25-26 PD planning. The team made alignment between the Framework and their existing priorities explicit and practiced compelling storytelling to lead the shift at sites and across the system.
3. South San Francisco site leaders met for their final meeting of the 24-25 academic year to celebrate and carry key learnings forward. They went on a “reflective road trip” to revisit their journey over the course of the year.
4. A team of educators from Del Mar Union School District met for two days to launch their Assessment Philosophy and Reporting project. Full of positive energy, deep curiosity, and mutual respect, the team began drafting a philosophy statement that will shape the future of assessment, grading and reporting in DMUSD.
At LCC, we offer a plethora of resources beyond on-the-ground partnership support. For those looking to gain expertise and advance their knowledge of learner-centered practices, we`ve got you covered this summer and beyond with our expert led courses.
More info about #continuinged at the link in our bio.
💡 Are your systems designed for people to comply and implement your programs, or are they designed to empower people to learn, improve, and innovate?
Scroll through these graphics for some basic models we use at LCC to help our partners implement systemwide change.
"Every school or district change journey should start with establishing a vision and mission statement along with a core set of values. How we create these statements is the important question. Before we put pen to paper, we must also articulate a path—a theory of change—that brings the vision to life," writes Devin Vodicka, Co-CEO of LCC in his latest Catalyst blog post.
In addition to using these models, we’re drawing on lived experiences from across the country—stories of what’s working, what’s possible, and where traditional models fall short. We’re layering in frameworks that account for emotional readiness, community engagement, and systems coherence. And we’re co-constructing this model with the educators, leaders, and learners it’s designed to support.
Read Devin`s blog: https://learnercentered.org/blog/its-time-for-a-change-management-model-built-for-learner-centered-education/
#EducationLeadership #ChangeManagement #KottersModel #BridgersModel #DARCI
🌟 We want to hear from YOU! 🌟
🎓"As the school year winds down, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the incredible progress made in the journey toward learner-centered education. Across classrooms, schools, and districts, we witnessed bold steps, powerful moments of growth, and inspiring examples of what’s possible when we center learners by design," writes LCC Co-CEO, Katie Martin.
But what bright spots did you witness? We see a lot of positive change taking place, but as educators, administrators, and community members, we know you`re seeing even more very special moments behind the scenes. Let us know in the comments!
Read Katie`s full blog:
https://learnercentered.org/blog/celebrating-bright-spots-in-learner-centered-education
#Education #BrightSpots #Teachers #LearnerCentered #Reflections
At Hampton Street School, ask any kindergartener what happens in their brain when they learn something new, and they will confidently tell you, “Pop!” That’s new learning.
When they are grappling with a concept and engaged in the meaning-making of learning, that is “Buzz,” reflecting the neurons that are firing.
Finally, when they make it their own, when they build new neural networks, that’s “Zap.”
Those concepts are on the wall in every classroom, enabling students to point to them when needed.
As Superintendent Dr. Mike Nagler notes, “Kids need to know what they don’t know.”
Through a learning model that allows students to choose how they engage with their learning, requires them to collaborate and create together, and track their progress in a Badge Book, students understand where they are in their learning journey and what they need to do to move forward.
Learn more about @mineola_ufsd’s Badge Books and other schools’ approaches to Competency-Based Reporting in Learner-Centered Collaborative’s Competency-Based Reporting Playbook (link in bio).
It`s time for education to have its very own learner-centered change management model. More from Devin Vodicka (@learnercenteredleadership) :
"At Learner-Centered Collaborative, we believe every school or district change journey should start with establishing a vision and mission statement along with a core set of values. How we create these statements is the important question. Before we put pen to paper, we must also articulate a path—a theory of change—that brings the vision to life...
Public education is a uniquely complex ecosystem. Unlike corporate environments, education leaders are accountable not only to internal teams but to elected boards, local governments, state mandates, federal regulations, unions, parent coalitions, and advocacy organizations. Change in this context is never just technical—it’s relational, emotional, and political.
That’s why, at Learner-Centered Collaborative, we believe it’s time for something new.
We are building a change management model for education. One that is inspired by the best of what’s been developed in the change management field but grounded in the daily realities of those within K-12 systems. A model that doesn’t just acknowledge the political nature of education but equips leaders to navigate it with integrity. A model that doesn’t treat change as linear or top-down, but as a dynamic, community-centered process that prioritizes relational trust, collective efficacy, and a learner-centered mindset.
We’re not starting from scratch. We’re drawing on lived experiences from across the country—stories of what’s working, what’s possible, and where traditional models fall short. We’re layering in frameworks that account for emotional readiness, community engagement, and systems coherence. And we’re co-constructing this model with the educators, leaders, and learners it’s designed to support."
If you want to be among the first to access the framework when it’s ready and receive updates as we share insights along the way, sign up using the link in our bio! And, read Devin`s full blog on the topic on our website.
As an all-remote team, we treasure our time together during our semi-annual team retreats.
This week, we linked up in Colorado to refuel and relate.
From fire pit conversations and karaoke to whiteboard brainstorms and collaborative problem solving, we filled our cups to the brim with meaningful connection and an unwavering commitment to creating education ecosystems where all learners know who they are, thrive in community, and actively engage in the world as their best selves.
Later in the week, we were right back beside our partners in places like @suhsdofficial facilitating their Leadership Institute. Principals, APs, and central office leaders gathered to build their capacity to lead the vision of the Framework for the Future by developing clarity and coherence, and fostering connection!
In South San Francisco Unified School District, site leaders met for their final meeting of the 24-25 academic year. To celebrate and carry key learnings forward, they went on a “reflective road trip” to revisit their journey over the course of the year.
Learn more about how we partner with educators to define whole-learner outcomes, design meaningful learning experiences, and create enabling conditions for learner-centered education by visiting our website.
What does it look like when learning meets the real world?
12th grader Everest Orlikowski shares his unique, self-designed, learner-centered journey to Michigan`s Upper Peninsula filled with quirky characters, cultural immersion, and life skills development.
His reflection challenges us to consider:

✏️How can we intersect what we teach with our students` unique interests?

✏️How can we create spaces where curiosity, community, and the world beyond the classroom support and evaluate learners` individual journeys?
Read the full story at the link in our bio.
#LearnerCentered #StudentVoice #EducationLeadership #CommunityBasedLearning
What does the AI conversation currently look like in your school? Who is included in that conversation?
If we want learners to engage with the world through meaningful learning experiences, determining how, when, and why your class uses AI is an important conversation to have.
Take it from LCC Professional Learning Specialist Holly Stipe. In her classroom, she started a research project by showing Super Bowl advertisements about AI to her students and asked them to grapple with two essential questions:
🌟 What ethical considerations should we think about as we use AI responsibly?
🌟 What norms can we agree on as we use AI in our classroom? At our school?
These questions are great conversation starters with your students. Let us know if you try them out!
For more on this topic and Holly`s experience introducing AI into her classroom, check out her full blog post at the link in our bio.
We are so excited to announce our June Catalyzer of the Month!
Tina Meglich is a remarkable leader whose vision and heart have made @conway_eusd a shining example of what’s possible when learning is rooted in purpose, community, and belonging.
As Principal, Tina has cultivated a school culture grounded in the EPIC values—Excellence, Perseverance, Integrity, and Compassion—ensuring that every learner is seen, heard, and supported. Under her leadership, Conway has embraced the principles of expeditionary learning, creating authentic, inquiry-based experiences that connect students to their communities and empower them to explore meaningful, real-world challenges.
Tina’s commitment to learner-centered education has not only elevated the student experience but has also inspired educators across the region and beyond. Whether hosting visiting educators, facilitating professional learning, or engaging families as partners, Tina models the collaborative spirit and moral courage that define learner-centered leadership.
Her national recognition from @eleducation and local accolades reflect what those closest to her already know—Tina is a catalytic force for good in education. We are honored to celebrate her as this month’s Catalyzer and grateful for her enduring contributions to the learner-centered movement!
What happens when educators, researchers, and community partners come together to center learners and learning by design?
Last week, we invited participants from the SoCal LiNK partnership to talk about their lived experience doing just that!
SoCal LiNK is a Southern California regional network focused on advancing learner-centered education through collaboration, research, and community building.
Check out the webinar replay on our website to hear their stories from the first full year of working together.
