It has been a summer like no other that has redefined our definitions of rest, relaxation, and restoration. It has tested our limitations and inspired new forms of creativity in our families, hobbies, personal lives, and professional ones. All the while, schools have been making progress by leaps and bounds to refine instruction for the […]

For many educators, the necessary demand for racial justice in how we police our communities has been inextricably tied to how we educate our Black youth. In our role as educators serving a diverse group of students in urban areas of Los Angeles, Boston, and Milwaukee, we have grappled with the question of how we […]

On July 13, LAUSD announced students will be distance learning when school resumes next month. Last month, a group of Los Angeles teacher-powered educators and leaders gathered for a virtual meeting to reflect on what they learned after schools abruptly closed their physical doors last spring and transitioned to distance learning. The gathering became a […]

Photo by Lorie Shaull. The events of the past week and a half—the murder of George Floyd by police like countless others before him and the subsequent demonstrations against police brutality in Minneapolis and across the country—have been harrowing and painful. Like you, we feel deep sadness and anger. We know the biases, policies, practices, […]

Anna Robinson is a social studies teacher and leadership team member at Laura Jeffrey Academy in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Laura Jeffrey Academy (LJA) opened its doors in 2007, offering Saint Paul (and Minnesota) its first girl-focused, STEM-focused middle school. At LJA’s inception, it followed a traditional administrative model led by an executive director. Over the […]

“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” —Alice Walker You have power. Power as a teacher, power as a team of educators, power as a community. Rethinking power in education is healthy, necessary, and an important step towards a more equitable system—which is why we have […]

The beginning of the teacher-powered movement in Minnesota came with the passing of the nation’s first charter law in 1991. With teachers taking on the roles of founders, board members, and administrators—as well as teachers—the shift began. At that point, teachers had the power to control the school environment. With the seventh charter school in […]

Mission Hill School, a Boston Public Pilot School, is entering an exciting new chapter as a Teacher-Powered School. After thirteen years with Ayla Gavins as principal, the school community has transitioned to a new leadership model with two Co-Teacher Leaders. After a thorough hiring process, the Governance Board selected Geralyn Bywater McLaughlin and Jenerra Williams […]

They say that there’s nothing more powerful than a good story. A protagonist with a clear and honorable motive. A setting that’s familiar, yet unique in its own way. And a plot that’s filled with joy, sadness, and even some laughter. In my experience as a teacher, I have always found it difficult to get […]

Five years ago the Teacher-Powered Schools Initiative (TPSI) was launched with the goals of highlighting the successes of teacher-powered schools across the country, and inspiring other teacher teams to either take charge in their schools or design and run new schools. Teacher-powered schools flip the traditional leadership hierarchy and entrust those closest to the students—the […]