New year, website, work and managing partner

Happy new year to all of our readers! Thank you for being a valued member of the Education First family. We are looking forward to learning and working alongside you in 2024. In the spirit of “new,” we are kicking off the year with the launch of a completely redesigned website along with some exciting work.

New year, new website

We share your mission: improve public education for all young people and especially students of color and those experiencing poverty. In 2024, we resolve for all students to access high-quality, joyful instruction, led by skilled and enthusiastic teachers, in school systems that are reimagining how they staff and support educators. The updated Education First website has a completely fresh look and redesigned libraries of resources, tools and content designed to support these goals. We encourage you to take advantage of our expansive resource library, search our curated resources for helpful advice and read our perspectives.

View the new Education First Website

New work

While our work hasn’t changed, we have shifted the way we talk about it. Our solutions are the four ways in which we advance our mission: research for action; design equitable strategy; coach, convene and build capacity; and invest with impact. Our strategies are the core set of levers we believe are most critical to supporting change in our education system: accelerate academic success, transform the teaching profession, cultivate coherent and thriving systems and expand postsecondary options and success. 

A range of exciting new work is marking our start to 2024. For example, we have a team facilitating a task force on school accountability for Colorado, and other teams are advancing teacher apprenticeships in California, Texas and Indiana. We are designing a community of practice on mathematics instructional materials implementation in California and assisting a coalition of scientists to build a national education R&D agenda and infrastructure. 

New Managing Partner

We are thrilled to announce that Bill Horwath has become our next Managing Partner. Bill has been at Education First for over 11 years and assumes the role I previously held. I’m delighted to welcome Bill into this role and to focus more of my time on Education First’s support for each of you. 

Wishing you a peaceful and joyful 2024,

Jenn Vranek

Founding Partner, Education First