Innovating for Equity: Schools Designed and Co-Created to Disrupt Institutionalized and Systemic Racism

Abstract

The current U.S. K-12 education system is antiquated, and it has consistently failed to serve our country’s most vulnerable populations. Despite the rapid transformation of our world community, technology, and the economy, and the soaring demand for highly skilled and educated workers, the industrial model of schooling used in our 21st-century classrooms remains virtually unchanged. Transcend’s mission—to inject and accelerate innovation into the core design of schools—is predicated on the belief that schools must become more equitable and exceedingly better at preparing all children for college, life, and career. We also know that innovation alone will not result in tangibly improved and equitable outcomes for our nation’s school children, unless the systems, beliefs, institutions and structures that uphold racism are disrupted in the innovation process. As a Transcend resident, I had the opportunity to lead the creation of a school design incubator pilot that addressed the following core questions: 1. What inputs and experiences promote the conviction to deliberately re-design schools to provide equity-centered outcomes? 2. What coaching supports help school founders independently leverage Transcend’s assets to design their schools’ visions? 3. What leadership skills and beliefs are required to innovate successfully?