We help equity-focused groups plan and organize their efforts to advance impactful change at scale. Co-development is an important component of our strategic advising services. We:

• are transparent about our shared goals and our respective roles in advancing towards those goals

• are honest about actual progress made toward our benchmarks 

• actively co-construct agendas and informational materials related to our work

• build capacity among groups and leaders to advance equity through civic, social, and administrative processes and policymaking.

We develop and deliver credit-bearing professional development classes for teachers and school district administrators. We also design and facilitate listening sessions and trainings for advocates and community members across the country on a variety of issues.

Our partners in this work include: universities, school districts, labor unions, traditional civil rights organizations, community-based advocacy groups.

We provide our clients with: direct technical assistance to better understand the practical impact of federal laws and policies; curated and adapted resources from experts in the field; frameworks for evaluating state and federal policies; advice on working effectively within legal and regulatory requirements; suggestions for ways to embed conversations about equity, excellence, and access throughout broader policy discussions.

These are the key conditions we have found that foster more equitable policy development:

• People know what the law actually does and does not say

• Work at a local level is strategically connected to broader statewide policy efforts

• Advocacy around funding includes attention to high-impact policies and effective implementation

• Shared learning is occurring among political leaders, system-level leaders, and advocates on the technical and adaptive work that is necessary to advance equity

• A broad range of local and state stakeholders are able to speak specifically on the impact and sustainability of current policies

We strive to advance equity through the alignment of policy, practice, and the science of learning and development. Often a good first step is to stop doing things that are obviously contrary to science and evidence.

Our core beliefs align with the following key findings from SoLD:

• All young people have the capacity to learn and thrive, given supportive environments and access to necessary resources.

• The brain is highly malleable and grows stronger with the right kinds of experiences and sustained engagement.

• The integration of social, emotional, mental, and physical well-being, along with support for cognitive development, is essential to learning and thriving.

• Positive experiences, relationships, and culture are more important to thriving than genetics.