Bright Spots: Centering students, families, and community-connected learning

Explore More Topics

Blog

A New Bill in California Could Expand Career Pathways for Thousands of Students. The Bigger Opportunity Is What It Invites Us to Rethink.

Co-authored by Dr. J. César Morales (Partner, Learner-Centered Collaborative) and Javier Guzman (CEO, Center for Powerful Public Schools) California’s AB 542 gives continuation high schools more scheduling room for workforce learning. The deeper question it raises is what we choose to count as learning in the first place. What actually counts as learning? Not…

Blog

Meaningful Learning Is Not a Race: Lessons From the Slow Food Movement

When fast food first arrived in Italy promising a burger in two minutes, a countermovement for “slow food” quickly grew. The movement’s founder, Carlo Petrini, believed food should be “good, clean and fair.” He believed good food takes the time it takes, and that making a meal faster doesn’t automatically make it better. The…

Tools

Liftoff Models Reflection Tool

In December 2025, a group of young people, school leaders, technologists, researchers, and nonprofit leaders came together to explore what new learning models for ages 13–22 could look like at the Liftoff Design Sprint (read more about the gathering here). This tool is designed for you to explore the 10 innovative models that came…