New report, “Out of the Box,” offers promising path to increasing educational equity and opportunity

Explores ways to make community-based, student-centered innovation possible through practical, sustainable and scalable recommendations

New York, NY, October 13, 2022 – A new report, released today by New Classrooms Innovation Partners and Transcend, highlights the role innovative learning models can play in modernizing K-12 education.

“While sectors such as energy, healthcare, and transportation have undergone fundamental transformations over the last two decades, the K-12 sector has remained centered on a delivery model patterned after the American factory,” said Joel Rose, CEO of New Classrooms and co-author of the report. “It is time to support an overdue transition from an industrial paradigm of schooling to a student-centered one — especially for students in the most marginalized communities.”

Out of the Box: How Innovative Learning Models Can Transform K-12 Education, which explores strategies and recommendations to drive collaboration among policymakers, advocates, funders, and educators in order to modernize our educational delivery model, was funded by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The report’s title, Out of the Box, was inspired by Malcolm McLean’s breakthrough idea from the 1950s — bypassing the increasingly congested interstate highways and instead put shipping containers from trucks directly onto ships. Despite meeting sharp resistance, McLean’s out of the box idea and commitment to his vision would ultimately bring about a new level of standardization and interoperability to the sector. Today, an estimated $14 trillion in goods spend some time inside of a big metal box.

“The story of Malcolm McClean is not only about the impact of a physical box. It is about the importance of thinking outside of one,” said Jenee Henry Wood, Head of Learning at Transcend and co-author of the report. “Innovative Learning Models enable the actualization of a student-centered approach and are designed to help move us to learning that is equitable and responsive to the needs of the 21st century.”

As part of the release, New Classrooms and Transcend invite education influencers, advocates, funders, educators, administrators, and policymakers to attend Out of the Box: A Conversation about the Future of School Thursday, October 13 at 2 p.m. ET. Registration is free and features some of the most important and influential voices in K-12 education. 

The paper comes on the heels of Transcend’s launch of the Innovative Models Exchange, a free, searchable, and shareable library of adoptable, innovative learning models.

“Despite innovation across nearly every sector of society, a one-size-fits all approach has governed mainstream schooling in America for more than a century. This platform was launched to put tools for redesign in the hands of more school communities,” shares Jeff Wetzler, Transcend co-founder. “The Models Exchange is a free resource for those inspired to reimagine schools but who don’t want to start from scratch. The Exchange helps them find, learn, and borrow from innovative programs created by others across the country.”

About New Classrooms

Founded in 2011, New Classrooms Innovation Partners is a national nonprofit on a mission to personalize education by redesigning how a classroom works – from the use of technology, time, and physical space to the instruction and content that engages each student. The founders of New Classrooms were the leaders of an initiative within NYC Public Schools called School of One, which TIME named as one of the Best Inventions of the Year. New Classrooms’ innovative learning solutions, Teach to One 360 and Teach to One Roadmaps, ensures each student is learning the right math lesson, at the right time, and in the right way that best meets their strengths and needs. It is used by thousands of students in schools nationwide. For more information, visit our website or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter.

About Transcend

Transcend is a national nonprofit that supports school communities to create and spread extraordinary, equitable learning environments. The organization was founded on a belief that we must reimagine schooling, using a community-driven approach, so all children can realize their infinite potential. Transcend pursues its mission by partnering directly with schools on design journeys while also sharing powerful models, tools and insights across the sector. To date, Transcend has worked directly with hundreds of schools and leaders in over 30 states, and has influenced thousands more. Ultimately, Transcend strives to fuel significant leaps in education so all young people can thrive in and transform the world. For more information, visit our website or follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter.