Blog
Family Partnerships: A Key Strategy for Supporting Whole-Learner Outcomes
The Mindset That Makes Family Partnerships Possible If we view school as a one-dimensional institution with a narrow purpose—primarily focused on delivering content and measuring student proficiency aligned to narrow metrics—then the idea of partnering with families may seem like an unnecessary distraction. But if we believe learning happens within a larger ecosystem, where…
Blog
3 Leadership Building Blocks for Meaningful Change in Education
Schools have operated like factories for too long, with top-down control and rigid structures. Real change happens when leaders embrace relationships, shared purpose, and deep collaboration, creating schools that function as dynamic, interconnected communities. When educators work together, trust each other, and share responsibility, small actions can lead to big, lasting improvements. If we…
Blog
Why Stepping Outside Your School Could Be Key to Learner-Centered Change
Culture is the foundation of any learner-centered ecosystem. The big blue outer circle, illustrated in Learner-Centered Collaborative’s Ecosystem model, is representative of a big blue body of water we are all swimming in—in our classrooms, schools, and districts. Culture is something we always feel but might not always recognize while we’re in it. We…
Blog
Building Relational Trust: Our Journey with Lamont Elementary School District
Contributions from Catina Hancock, Learner-Centered Collaborative and Dr. Lori González, Lamont Elementary School District In California’s Central Valley, Lamont Elementary School District is redefining what’s possible in education. Serving over 3,000 students, many from low-income backgrounds and a high percentage of English Language Learners, Lamont faced unique challenges. But under Superintendent Dr. Lori Gonzalez’s…
Blog
Prioritizing Educator Belonging for Successful Learner-Centered Instruction
By Dr. Jennifer Karnopp, Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership, San Diego State University, and Dr. Peter Bjorklund Jr., Lecturer and Research Assistant, UC San Diego Within the education landscape, it is widely agreed upon that supporting student growth and well-being is at the heart of learner-centered instruction, yet we often overlook the well-being of…
Blog
Slow Down to Go Fast: 6 Pillars to Prioritizing Community and Relationships
As educators, we understand that a classroom is more than just a place for academic instruction; it’s a vibrant community where every learner should feel valued and connected. The first weeks of school are essential for establishing this classroom culture, helping to smooth the transition back to school for both students and teachers. Embracing…
Blog
Why Mindset Matters in Cultivating Learner-Centered Change
Photo courtesy of Embark Education When we introduce new structures or practices in education, we often focus solely on implementing them correctly. However, this approach misses a crucial element: the mindset behind these changes. Our underlying intentions powerfully shape how others experience our designs. The way we think about school, learning, and learners (both…
Blog
12 Ways to Breathe Life into Your Portrait of a Learner
As the world evolves, the skills needed to thrive must go beyond narrow standards. Portraits of a Learner (also known as Portraits of a Graduate or Learner Profiles) are gaining popularity as they can help to expand the collective idea of success and elevate the essential competencies, along with foundational knowledge and content, for…
Blog
3 Key Elements for Cultivating a Learner-Centered Culture
In our pursuit of transforming education and centering learners by design, we must get the culture right. But, where do we begin? In our work with learning communities across the nation, the Learner-Centered Collaborative team has found three key elements that must be addressed, no matter the context, for a learner-centered culture to thrive:…
BlogWebinars
Leadership Forum: Reimagining the Learner Experience with Santa Ana Unified School District
Our Learner-Centered Leadership Forum series is an opportunity to gain timely, first-hand insights, examples, ideas, and lessons learned from learner-centered district leaders doing the work in the field with their teams, community, and learners. In this first event in the series in September 2023, Santa Ana Unified School District leaders, Superintendent Jerry Almendarez and…
Blog
4 Ways to Increase Inclusion and Engagement When Allocating Resources
If allocating resources is part of your job, keep these 4 learner-centered ways to increase inclusion and engagement in the process handy.
BlogWebinars
Webinar Recording: Flex This Superpower- A Learner-Centered Approach to Engaging Stakeholders
Devin Vodicka and Marlon Styles, both learner-centered leaders and former Superintendents, share 8 superpowers for engaging stakeholders as empowered agents of change.
Listening to Learners to Drive Districtwide Learner-Centered Innovation
Santa Ana Unified School District Listening to Learners to Drive Districtwide Learner-Centered Innovation Urban/Suburban public school district Second largest school district in Orange County, CA serving 45,000 students from early childhood through high school OUR SERVICES Framework for the Future, Guiding Coalition, Learning Walks, Student Forums, Personalized Learning Pathway, Leadership Coaching, Enabling Conditions GOAL…
Blog
The Four Elements of Trust
Research reveals that there are four elements of relational trust: consistency, compassion, competence, and communication. The balance of these four elements leads to relational trust. Every leader has to determine their own mix to develop the trust that is key for success in a community of change.
Blog
3 Ways to Include and Amplify Student Voice
What happens when we listen to our learners? Spoiler Alert! The path that is ahead of us becomes so much clearer. Access three tried and true practices districts, schools, and learner-centered leaders are using to give students a seat at the table to amplify their voices.
A Question of Trust: The Arcadia Unified Better Together Project
Arcadia Unified School District Superintendent, David Vanasdall, was visiting classrooms and noticed that every student in a kindergarten classroom had produced the exact same piece of artwork. It struck him in that moment how the learning experiences in many cases were at odds with the aspirations that they shared as a community.