Community schools are a powerful, long-term strategy for rethinking how schools support students, families, and communities. This article breaks down the model, clears up common misconceptions, and offers practical guidance for implementation.

Leading transformation in schools takes a different kind of leader. Learn how our Change Agent Framework supports educators in leading with purpose and advancing equity in lasting, practical ways.

Jenay Enna, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services at Oak Grove School District, leads with collaboration, empathy, and equity to drive sustainable improvements in education. Learn how her work is transforming student success.

Effective school leadership is the foundation of meaningful educational change, especially in underserved communities. In a recent episode of Principal Matters: The School Leaders Podcast, our very own Dr. Derek Mitchell, shared his insights on how equity-centered strategies can drive lasting improvements in education. Drawing from his diverse career—spanning education, technology, and even professional dance—Dr. Mitchell discussed the power of shifting from a scarcity mindset to one of abundance, recognizing the brilliance within communities, and using the 'Skill, Will, and Way' framework to tackle challenges.

Principal Sakia Beard of Wright Elementary leads with empathy, equity, and determination. From improving school performance by 9% to fostering equitable learning environments, her journey is rooted in advocacy and care. Learn all about her transformational leadership strategies and advice for aspiring change agents dedicated to student success.

Learn how a Theory of Action (ToA) can support educators with connecting goals to outcomes and read about real examples from Partners in School Innovation Director of Program Design and Development Amanda Bachelor on how schools and districts we’ve worked with have used ToAs.

In "Sometimes The Bias You Need to Disrupt is Your Own" in Unboxed’s Issue 27: Fall 2024, Partners in School Innovation coach Paula Espinoza describes how undertaking antiracist and anti-bias work with schools resulted in site leaders learning strategies that challenged prior beliefs. She shares insights from the journey in this article.

Read about how Partners in School Innovation’s Managing Design Partner Sarah May and Senior Improvement Partner Jesse Roe presented a session titled “Data for Liberation: Moving Beyond the Numbers” at Learning Forward 2024 which was attended by district-level professional development leaders, principals, assistant principals, and teacher leaders.

Learn more about Principal Anthony Alvarado, Ed.D., who uses his experience as a teacher, assistant principal, and now principal to drive equity in education and build strong relationships with students. He shares a resource for educators to freely use to help them in their school transformation journey.

Results-Oriented Change Agents are leaders who handle the complexities of under-resourced schools and commit to the success of every student. Read about how Principal Marie Mabanag embodies the mindset and actions of a Change Agent at her school and district.

Discover how disaggregated data empowers educators to uncover hidden inequities and make targeted, impactful decisions, including a real-world example.

Learn more about how Partners in School Innovation continues to invest in its commitment to advancing educational improvement by being a key contributor to the establishment of the National Coalition for Improvement in Education (NCIE).

Delve into the critical role of Change Agents in modern schools and districts to forward goals of equity in education. Read more to understand the Partners In School Innovation framework for driving impactful change in schools and districts.

In the “Totems, Talent & Teaching the World to Change with Derek Mitchell” Coffee & Change podcast episode, Bill Kirst speaks to Partners in School Innovation CEO Derek Mitchell about his origin story, how teachers and parents change children’s worlds, and what it means to be a Change Agent.

In the “The Centrality of Operations Leaders in Transformational Change” article for AASA’s School Administrator magazine, the authors elaborate on why you can’t overlook a district’s bus drivers, nurses, custodians, accountants and others if you seek to cultivate academic excellence. They offer strategic approaches to involving and developing support staff further.

Storytelling is crucial to the process of introducing and pulling people into the vision and mission of work to achieve equity in education. Learn about four ways that you can sustain school transformation efforts through creative approaches to revealing stories that matter most to your community.

In the “Derek Mitchell and Scott Sampson on Regenerative Education” HTH Unboxed podcast episode, Alec Patton speaks to Partners in School Innovation CEO Derek Mitchell and Executive Director of California Academy of Sciences Scott Sampson about what “regenerative education” is and why the world needs it right now.

Find the greatest effectiveness in surfacing stories that matter by highlighting learning and celebrating success among students, teachers, and parents. Learn about six ways that you can bring forth these stories to catalyze change and sustainable school transformation.

Partners in School Innovation is very proud to have supported collective action to improve on-track outcomes for students through the East Side Alliance (ESA) Transformation Network. Read about their end-of-year celebration event.

Make it clear to educators, students, community members, and other constituents what your greater vision is for school transformation. Here are three collaborative ways that teams can clarify impact and better surface stories that matter and catalyze change.