Centering Learners By Design

We are educators, administrators, and change-makers committed to supporting educators, schools, districts, and states realize their vision for learner-centered education.

Why learner-centered education?

In a learner-centered paradigm young people are prepared to embrace challenges, navigate complex situations, leverage technology to solve problems, create efficiencies, and learn how to learn as the world and workplace evolve.

How do we get there?

✔️ Define whole-learner outcomes that take into account skills, habits, knowledge to thrive in a modern world.

✔️ Design meaningful learning experiences to achieve your desired outcomes.

✔️ Create enabling conditions and systems that support the desired outcomes and learning experiences.

Our learner-centered footprint

150+ Partners • 30 States • 2 million students • 150,000 educators

It’s Your Journey

Where would you like to explore next?

PARTNERSHIPS

Schools, districts, states

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COURSES

Teachers & administrators

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CONNECTIONS

Regional & national networks

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RESOURCES

Free tools, strategies, frameworks and more

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2024-25 Learner-Centered Connections applications are open. Apply now!

“Learner-Centered Collaborative has created a learning environment for site leaders and their teams to plan with intent, focus keenly on how improvement efforts align and support instructional areas of focus, and find common points of interest with other sites to ensure quality collaboration.”

– Rachel Gil, Instructional Coach, Santa Ana Unified School District

“Having a clear and aligned Framework for the Future has been so positive for our district—and the true payoff is walking through classes and seeing our learning model in action with students and teachers as we reimagine learning.”

– Kim Kuklensi, Principal, Mesa Union School District

“I used to think I had to design all of the instruction, but if it’s learner centered, there’s no reason why students cannot be part of that process as well.”

– Teacher, Middlesboro Independent Schools, Kentucky

“Learner-Centered Collaborative has been instrumental in the transformative journey that we are on in Santa Ana Unified School District….We’ve taken a multi-pronged approach to the work, with Learner-Centered Collaborative serving as thought partners for district leadership, supporting and facilitating principals meetings as well as instructional learning walks at school sites across the district.”

– Dr. Lorraine Perez, Deputy Superintendent Educational Services, Santa Ana Unified School District

“Materials provided were very engaging and relevant, and there were plenty of opportunities given to engage in meaningful ways, both alone and in small groups, to brainstorm and explore how they can be used in our own classroom environments.”

– Teacher, Colorado Springs School District, Colorado

“I am really enjoying our sessions! You do a nice job of breaking things up so it moves quickly enough to keep everyone’s attention. You seem to be genuinely excited about the work, which is infectious.”

– District participant, Learner-Centered Leadership Pathway, Laguna Beach Unified School District

Explore our growing partner network and impact.

Learner-centered is taking hold across the country. See who’s leading the way and how they’re doing it.

Explore Now

Check out our learner-centered framework.

From whole-learner outcomes to the learning experiences that support them to the enabling conditions for success.

View framework

Discover the next step
in your learner-centered journey!

Our 5-minute diagnostic will help you choose the path that’s right for you.

Take Diagnostic

Join the Conversation on Social

🍝 Who wants seconds?

@bry_hansonedu is back with the second post in her exploration of the why, what, and how of competency-based learning.

As she explores the competency-based landscape (research and practice), there are three clear shifts she knows we must make to transition away from traditional grading and into an assessment system that honors the whole learner.

Discover why these transitions are necessary and who is already integrating them into their daily practice: https://learnercentered.org/blog/traditional-grading-to-competency-based-assessment/

As the name implies, Learning Walks are an opportunity for learning. Using a school or district’s Learning Model as an anchor, Learning Walks bring us beyond our own classrooms and schools to observe learner-centered practices and bright spots in classroom environments, celebrate strengths, and identify trends to inform future support—all in a non-evaluative way.

Learning Walks are a signature learner-centered practice—one of our favorites at Learner-Centered Collaborative. They provide an opportunity to view learning in a classroom without an evaluation or judgment mindset. Visiting classrooms to see learning in action is not only a best practice but also critical to a learner-centered approach. Observing learning puts learners at the center, which enables schools to celebrate meaningful learning experiences and create the enabling conditions to support them.

This tool serves as a guide for Learning Walks. It is designed to be completed collaboratively before conducting Learning Walks to gain alignment on “look fors” and language among team members and can serve as an outline to frame reflection discussions during and after Learning Walks.

Head over to our website to access this free tool!

What does a classroom where everyone knows they belong look, sound, and feel like? And, how do you create that type of learning space?

✅ We must be able to describe what inclusive & equitable learning is, why it is important, and how to cultivate a sense of belonging to create more inclusive & equitable learning environments.

✅ We must honor learner cultures and practice culturally responsive teaching to center learners’ cultural diversity as an asset,

✅ We must address systemic inequities by auditing our policies and routines and revising them.

✅ We must curate inclusive curriculum intentionally by auditing our current curriculum & instructional resources and revise as needed.

✅ Last but not least, we must reflect on our practices on a regular basis to maintain alignment with our commitment to inclusion and equity.

🤝 If this feels like a lot, why not start with a step-by-step guide that shows you how to tackle each of these actions with confidence? Check out our course on Cultivating a Sense of Belonging.

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If you’re ready to put learners at the center, you’ve come to the right place.

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