November 6, 2025

Dear Educator,

Moving to a learner-centered paradigm begins with casting a vision that broadens success beyond test scores—one that reflects the knowledge, skills, and mindsets learners need to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

Turning that vision into reality requires transformational leadership—leaders who know how to communicate ideas that move people, align systems around shared goals, develop talent, and build authentic partnerships with their communities to sustain the work.

I’m grateful to work alongside some of the most inspiring leaders who lean into this challenge every day, creating better experiences and opportunities for their learners and communities.

With Gratitude,

Encinitas Scaling Student Success Study Tour

Encinitas Union School District recently hosted five districts from across California for a Scaling Student Success Study Tour. Drs. Andrée Grey and Amy Illingworth highlighted the strategic and thoughtful moves they made over the last three years to translate the district's Portrait of a Learner into daily practice—celebrating progress, surfacing challenges, and identifying opportunities to deepen impact. 

Throughout the day, participants saw students engaged in meaningful, authentic work that reflected the district’s learner-centered vision in action. From project-based learning experiences and exploratory programs like gardening and nutrition to student-led initiatives researching and sharing their inventions, the energy and intentionality were palpable.

The tour concluded with rich cross-district discussions about what it takes to sustain and scale this work—from aligning systems to supporting educators and amplifying student voice. It was inspiring to see the direct impact made when leaders commit to putting their district visions into practice, and how it is changing what school could be for learners, educators, and the community.

Seeing is believing! Just like young people need to be exposed to previously unknown interests and passions, educators need to see innovative ideas outside their learning community to evolve their practice. That's why Learner-Centered Collaborative, with its national network of learner-centered schools and districts, provides Inspiration Visits for teams that are ready to evolve education and learning. To learn more about Inspiration Visits like the Study Tour highlighted above, connect with us here.

Launched in conjunction with our School Redesign Playbook, the Forming a Strong School (Re)Design Team guide helps leaders intentionally build a group that represents the full school community, from leaders, educators, and learners to families and staff, who will guide the redesign process together. Access it here.

Resources to advance your learner-centered practice

📖 5 Tips for Building a Learner-Centered Culture for Educators. "Just as our Learner-Centered Ecosystem calls for designing systems around the needs of students, it’s equally critical that we design for the needs of adult learners. Shifting from professional development to Professional Learning means creating ecosystems that empower educators as learners, centered on purpose, agency, and growth." Start building.

🗣️ How to Communicate Your District's Vision. "By leveraging multiple communication mediums, your district can ensure that all learners, educators, classified staff, families, and community members understand and embody your vision." Create your communication plan.

🎥 How Districts Are Making Big Moves to Create Learner-Centered Systems. "Districts across the country are reimagining education through Big Moves: bold, systemic shifts that align policy, practice, and purpose to center learners. Join us for an engaging one-hour webinar as we explore how systems can embrace meaningful change grounded in agency and real-world learning." Register here.