Creating Common Assignments: The Impact of Teacher Designed Instructional Units

This year brought major progress in making students’ pathways clearer and more connected—from new tools that simplify credit transfer to stronger, more student-centered advising models. Partners across the field are showing how technology and innovation can work together to remove barriers, expand opportunity, and ensure every learner has the support they need to move from high school to college and career.

Higher ed is facing real challenges—from shifting demographics to rising skepticism about value—but signs of progress are emerging. Institutions are rethinking who they serve and how, with flexible pathways, better alignment to careers, expanded FAFSA access, and dual enrollment driving gains in enrollment, persistence, and completion.

In this article, Allan Golston shares the story of Jason, a student in Newark, New Jersey, whose confidence and love for math were unlocked through the support of a caring teacher and the use of Khan Academy with Khanmigo, an AI-powered tutor. Jason’s transformation illustrates how thoughtful innovation when paired with strong teaching and supportive systems, can help more students succeed and shows why the Gates Foundation is investing in tech-enabled tools to improve math outcomes nationwide.