LEANLAB believes that the time to innovate is now. In 2020, we’ve seen first-hand that breakthroughs in teaching and learning require the collective expertise of our community. The sudden switch from in-person to virtual instruction required administrators, educators, students and parents to devote tremendous collaborative efforts toward reinventing school structures, while simultaneously navigating systemic barriers, such as the digital divide and the challenges at-home-school environments can present.
This context has informed some new features of our 2020-21 Pilot School Program that we are excited to share. We are looking to select a small cohort of Pilot School Partners that will complete a 9-month innovation and pilot process, inclusive of community voice. The pilot school program this year is, therefore, a longer, deeper and more inclusive process that we hope will yield more democratic participation in the design of solutions and decision-making. Schools will be designated a LEANLAB Pilot School Partner, a unique distinction for school communities finding breakthroughs in the field of education. LEANLAB Pilot Schools also receive a grant up to $25k as compensation for their time and contributions to the innovation process.