What’s working well? What’s the greatest need for powerful learning in your district? ‍

These questions, posed by Dr. Katie Martin in our first TxLx Steering Committee meeting last week, led to open and honest conversation among educational leaders from throughout the state of Texas. We heard about successes and challenges related to devices, internet connectivity, social-emotional learning and student wellness, and many questions were surfaced to indicate areas in need of additional conversation:

• How do we evaluate success in distance learning?
• How do we get meaningful input from students? 
• How do we resolve staffing shortages given the enormity of the work?
• How do we address the differentiated needs of teachers?
• How do we promote real engagement?
  

This discussion illustrates both the need for these conversations while also providing glimpses into the power of community during these unprecedented times. This is why Educate Texas, an educational initiative of Communities Foundation of Texas, has engaged Altitude Learning and Getting Smart to work with Texas school districts to catalyze transformational change through the Texas Learning Exchange (TxLx) project. 

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In addition to convening educators to connect, collaborate, and accelerate collective learning, the TxLx project will include an operational guides and a curated list of Open Educational Resources, and will delve into new learning models with an attempt to elevate and spread effective options that will expand the range of learning opportunities for all students. Throughout, feedback and input from the TxLx Steering Committee will help to ground and guide the process. 

One of the most striking comments from the Steering Committee was an observation that “variability is accentuated in a virtual environment.” Given this truism, we should note that high variability presents significant risk and also incredible upside. I am hopeful that as a community we can share lessons learned to mitigate the downside and move through the change process to realize the abundant potential that is also revealed when we shift to new models. I look forward to learning together so that we can best serve students, families, staff, and our communities. 

Devin Vodicka

Chief Impact Officer and Chief Academic Officer

Altitude Learning 

Learn more about the Texas Learning Exchange here.

Get in touch to learn how the Moving Forward Together coalition can support work in your state or district.