Creating Common Assignments: The Impact of Teacher Designed Instructional Units

In this blog post, we share learnings from the Networks for School Improvement (NSI) initiative, which brought nearly 800 schools together from 2018–2026 to improve student outcomes—especially at key transition points like entering high school and moving into postsecondary education—by learning and problem‑solving collectively. Through structured networks, coaching, and improvement methods, educators used data and student feedback to test, refine, and share strategies. A rigorous evaluation found that when well implemented, this networked approach built schools’ capacity to improve and led to meaningful gains in student outcomes such as course completion, GPA, and FAFSA completion, even during COVID‑19. The initiative shows that while results vary, sustained improvement is more likely when schools work together with clear aims, strong leadership, and protected time for collaborative learning.

Connecting data in higher e dis what makes insight possible and designing better experiences helps make that insight actionable. When these pieces come together, institutions can move toward connected, proactive support, expanding access to support, turning insights into action, and delivering more responsive, connected experiences for students and the communities they serve.

In this article, Allan Golston highlights how career-connected education pathways can transform the high school experience by helping students see a clear connection between what they learn and their future opportunities. Drawing on a visit to Hawthorne High School in California, he shows how aligned systems—combining rigorous coursework, dual enrollment, hands-on learning, and strong partnerships with colleges and employers—can build real momentum for students before they graduate.