Validation Engine for Observational Protocols

In this article, Allan Golston highlights the work underway at P.S. 083 Donald Hertz Middle School in New York City, where teachers are supported by well-designed, tech-enabled tools that provide real-time insight into student learning and help them adjust instruction to better meet students’ needs. Rising math proficiency at the school reflects a combination of efforts and shows what’s possible when curriculum, assessment, professional learning, and technology are aligned around supporting teachers. The results point to a broader opportunity: investing in human-centered, tech-enabled tools that help teachers strengthen their lessons and keep more students on track for future opportunities.

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.