Working with Teachers to Develop Fair and Reliable Measures of Effective Teaching

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.

In this article, Allan Golston reflects on a pivotal moment for education as the Gates Foundation sharpens its focus and accelerates its work toward 2045, bringing greater urgency to improving student outcomes. He outlines how advances in AI, when used responsibly to support teachers and grounded in evidence, can help transform learning, while emphasizing a renewed commitment to key milestones that drive long-term success, from early math achievement to postsecondary completion, and ultimately, economic mobility for all students.

This first installment in our Digital Holistic Student Supports series explores a core challenge facing colleges today: disconnected data. When systems don’t talk to each other, students struggle to find answers and advisors lack a full picture of how to help. We highlight how institutions are working to build more connected, student-centered systems—making it easier to access timely support and enabling staff to focus on what matters most: meaningful, human-centered guidance.