In our fifth year partnering with Houston ISD, we are collaborating with a small but mighty team of district coaches and school support managers to co-create, test, and tweak their coaching model. The goal? Employ authentic student experience data and human-centered design as the primary lever for improving teaching practice.

M-DCPS initiated a suite of grow your own educator pathways several years ago to improve the demographic match between teachers and students in the district, increase teacher retention, and address staffing shortages.

Each month, we connect with change-makers, thought leaders, practitioners, and artists to get their takes on three key questions. We’re excited to connect with: Kari Nelsestuen, Genavieve Koenigshofer, and Dana Mitra.

The affirming support NTC mentors provide to fellows — encouraging them to embrace their identities as educators of color — allows them to authentically connect to young people in all their diversity.

Each month we sit down for a rich and meaningful conversation. NTC dives beneath the surface to learn more about ourselves, about others, and make deeper connections to things that really matter.

We must evolve what we do in touch with the truth: our people-driven coaching can only support and co-create thriving school communities if they're safe. The uneasiness and fear that sit on the shoulders of our teachers and students make education's possibilities unattainable. No one can pursue a life of opportunity, joy, and curiosity when uncertain of their security.

The grant from the State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) will support a partnership between the Niswonger Foundation and NTC to advance educational equity in pursuit of our shared vision for inclusive and thriving school communities.