Building the future of learning for all.

This publication addresses the “experience gap” by proposing a common language of Autonomy, Complexity, and Contribution to better design and validate real-world learning. It offers a structured framework to help learners articulate their value and provides employers with a high-fidelity signal of talent.

This culminating report explores the rising K-12 movement toward intentionally small, personalized learning environments that prioritize learner agency, mastery-based progression, and student wellbeing. It advocates for policy changes and expansion of public microschools to bridge the gaps left by traditional industrial-era education systems.

The modern world demands learner agency—the intrinsic power for students to direct their own education and develop skills like critical thinking and self-direction. Microschools are presented as a compelling solution, as their small, flexible, and personalized environments are uniquely structured to cultivate this agency through tailored curricula, real-world projects, and greater student choice.

Standardized tests and other industrial-era metrics fail to capture the full scope of student growth and the emphasis microschools place on skills like critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration. As a result, holistic and authentic assessment practice are necessary, this includes portfolios, observation-based reports, mastery tracking, and a focus on social-emotional learning (SEL). At the same time, governments are expanding access to microschools through programs like Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) while simultaneously voicing concerns about a lack of traditional oversight.

Type: Playbook

At this pivotal moment in American education, public microschools provide a transformative approach to meet the evolving needs of learners and the rapidly changing demands of the workforce.

This playbook from Getting Smart Collective, Learner-Centered Collaborative and Transcend covers the What, How and the Why Now?

Type: Guide

Starting a microschool means assuming a lot of new responsibilities in communications, marketing, branding and building culture. We’ve put together a guide of some of the most important (and often overlooked) aspects of marketing skills and techniques that will help get your microschool’s communications strategy off on the right foot.

Type: Case Study

Traditional public school systems can be slow to evolve, but public microschools offer small, nimble learning communities, enabling districts to pilot flexible, more student-driven education models. Districts unlock access to low-risk innovation, where successes can inform wider system reforms and have a feasible chance at reshaping public K-12 education from within. This case study highlights three exemplars.

Type: Case Study

This resource from Getting Smart explores how microschools across the U.S. are effectively meeting the needs of students who are often underserved in traditional school settings. It highlights examples of microschools serving students with disabilities, those in foster care, students recovering from trauma, and others needing flexible, personalized learning environments. The report showcases innovative approaches to education, such as trauma-informed instruction, individualized pacing, and family-centered support.

Type: Digital Publication

America’s education system was a groundbreaking effort to help a growing nation thrive in the 19th century. Now, 200 years later, the world has changed; the horizon looks drastically different. Collectively, we need to redesign our education system to enable all of our children — and, by extension, our nation — to thrive today and tomorrow. This publication tells the stories of schools, districts and organizations who are leading this effort.

Type: Publication

This paper describes a policy opportunity in three interlocking areas:

• New goals for learners,
• New learning experiences aligned with those goals, and
• New signals that track progress and mastery of those goals

Type: Publication

In an era where skills and competencies are at the forefront of educational success, the transition from traditional transcripts to Learning and Employment Records (LERs) is pivotal. This analysis provides key insights and practical frameworks to help educational institutions and organizations implement equitable and transparent credentialing systems.

Type: Publication

Over the last few years, we’ve shared hundreds of pathways stories through our blog, podcast, and various publications. To synthesize these key learnings, we compiled the New Pathways Handbook, a great jumping-off point to our numerous resources and launchpad for getting started with pathways.

Type: Publication

Climate change and massive funding support has created new  demand for rapid infrastructure building and greening our economy. This publication focuses on identifying the many opportunities for developing a purpose-driven and skillful workforce via Green Pathways.

The goal of Green Pathways is to generate quality jobs, which will happen through the introduction and nurturing of green skills.

Type: Publication

This publication answers the “how,” “what,” “why,” and “who” of credentialing learning experiences. Through video, diagrams and countless examples, we explore what an education system that empowers learners with transparent, portable learner records could look like and addresses the many benefits of a credentialed approach.

We’ve been doing this for over a decade and have authored and co-authored tons of great resources. Check them out!