We live in a fast-moving world driven by knowledge, innovation and creativity. Our nation’s schools are adapting to these changes—but much remains to be done. We need a culture change in public education to transform the way we teach, lead and learn.
Education First can help. We are a mission-driven strategy and policy organization with unique and deep expertise in education improvement. We partner with practitioners, policymakers, funders and advocates to design and accelerate policies and plans that help all young people— particularly students in poverty and students of color—succeed in college, careers and life.
Our Latest Thinking
From Our Blog
What’s Next for Innovative Schools?
For decades, the US has largely relied on a one-size-fits-all approach to schooling. After over three decades of reform and a growing body of research on the science of learning, we still have too many students attending static schools that rely on traditional modes of schooling to meet the needs of diverse learners. Students continue to advance—or not—after a fixed,...
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Meet Our People
Kevin has dedicated his professional career to ensuring that each child has greater opportunities and success. Before joining Education First, Kevin served as a senior policy analyst for the Ohio Department of Education. In that role, he worked with Ohio’s governor, legislature and State Board of Education to craft and implement major policies. During his time at the Ohio Department...
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Helpful Resources
Reimagining the Classroom to Support Students
This is the second in a series of posts written by teacher awardees of the NoVo Social Emotional Learning Innovation Fund. You can read the...
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State Teacher Leadership Toolkit
State education agencies have a unique opportunity through the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to access the funding and support needed to advance their approach...
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Social & Emotional Learning: Looking Back, Aiming Forward
Social emotional learning (SEL) holds great potential for improving learning and college and career-ready outcomes for all students. But there is much work to do...
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A New Resource for Advocates for High-Quality Assessments
By design, the Common Core standards and other college- and career-ready expectations states have established recently were designed to have a ripple effect throughout the...
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