guidance and support

High schoolers at Capital City Public Charter School work together to assemble a circuit kit in the school’s makerspace.

New Pathways

Preparing Rising Talent: How K–12 Can Unlock a Lifetime of Learning

Guest Author

Sep 30, 2025

Leadership

Your Power Beyond the Polls: Ways Families Can Shape School Communities

Aarika Guerrero, Caroline Vander Ark, Jordan Luster

Nov 4, 2024

Equity & Access

Empowering Student Voice to Drive Change

Guest Author

Oct 14, 2024

A group of students and educators work together to create a Portrait of a Graduate.

Competency-Based Education

Kindling the Spark: How the Portrait of a Graduate Becomes the Catalyst for Transformation

Guest Author

Sep 26, 2024

Learning Design

Here are our design principles. What do you think?

Getting Smart Staff

Aug 13, 2024

Writing. Close up of african-american male hands, working in office. Concept of business, finance, job, online shopping or sales. Copyspace for advertising. Education, communication and freelance.

Equity & Access

To My Children: Letters From An Educator and Parent

Guest Author

Jul 8, 2024

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This podcast highlights developing trends in K-12 education, postsecondary and lifelong learning. Each week, Getting Smart team members interview students, leading authors, experts and practitioners in research, tech, entrepreneurship and leadership to bring listeners innovative and actionable strategies in education leadership.

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Equity & Access

Jeffco Open School: A Journey of Six Learner-Designed Passages

Tom Vander Ark

Jun 17, 2024

Students at the Open School work closely with their advisors to develop a personalized course of study and take personal, social, and intellectual risks to discover the joy of lifelong learning.

Ed Policy

6 Ways State Policymakers Can Build More Future-Focused Education Systems

Guest Author

Jun 4, 2024

State policymakers can play a key role in shifting education systems to be more learner-centered and future-focused. Here are six ways they can get started.

Difference Making

Learner-Centered Ecosystems: Nurturing Connections, Fostering Belonging, and Engaging in Place

Guest Author

May 28, 2024

Learner-centered ecosystems aren’t new, but they are offering a fresh take on education transformation. From creating more connection, belonging, and a sense of place, read more about communities across the country embracing this approach.

Equity & Access

What is Belonging, and Why Does it Matter in Schools?

Guest Author

May 23, 2024

Explore the importance of cultivating belonging in education. Discover the challenges and opportunities of demographic change in the United States.

	Beginning	Piloting	Implementing
From Fixed Standards to Competency-Based Mastery	BeginningFrom Fixed Standards to Competency-Based Mastery Beginning	PilotingFrom Fixed Standards to Competency-Based Mastery Piloting	ImplementingFrom Fixed Standards to Competency-Based Mastery Implementing
From One-Size-Fits-All to Adaptive Learning	BeginningFrom One-Size-Fits-All to Adaptive Learning Beginning	PilotingFrom One-Size-Fits-All to Adaptive Learning Piloting	ImplementingFrom One-Size-Fits-All to Adaptive Learning Implementing
From Prescribed Knowledge to Innovation & Inquiry	BeginningFrom Prescribed Knowledge to Innovation & Inquiry Beginning	PilotingFrom Prescribed Knowledge to Innovation & Inquiry Piloting	ImplementingFrom Prescribed Knowledge to Innovation & Inquiry Implementing
From Subjects as Silos to Transdisciplinary, Real-World Learning	BeginningFrom Subjects as Silos to Transdisciplinary, Real-World Learning Beginning	PilotingFrom Subjects as Silos to Transdisciplinary, Real-World Learning Piloting	ImplementingFrom Subjects as Silos to Transdisciplinary, Real-World Learning Implementing
From Schools as Self-Contained to Schools as Embedded in Communities	BeginningFrom Schools as Self-Contained to Schools as Embedded in Communities Beginning	PilotingFrom Schools as Self-Contained to Schools as Embedded in Communities Piloting	ImplementingFrom Schools as Self-Contained to Schools as Embedded in Communities Implementing
From Standardized Testing to Meaningful Assessment	BeginningFrom Standardized Testing to Meaningful Assessment Beginning	PilotingFrom Standardized Testing to Meaningful Assessment Piloting	ImplementingFrom Standardized Testing to Meaningful Assessment Implementing
From Institutional Ownership of Student Data to Student-Controlled Learning Wallets	BeginningFrom Institutional Ownership of Student Data to Student-Controlled Learning Wallets Beginning	PilotingFrom Institutional Ownership of Student Data to Student-Controlled Learning Wallets Piloting	ImplementingFrom Institutional Ownership of Student Data to Student-Controlled Learning Wallets Implementing

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