K-12 education has long been a passion of mine – as a student, a tutor, a researcher, a board member for leading nonprofits and as part of the Walton Family Foundation. My passion is fueled by what I learn from students, parents, teachers, community leaders and academics. It is my privilege to introduce you to some of these individuals through Innovations in Education, a video series that explores first-hand groundbreaking work taking place across the country.

Innovations in Education

The Walton Family Foundation’s involvement in efforts to improve K-12 education spans nearly three decades. We look to brave leaders including the individuals featured in this series to find solutions that improve education for all students. Through Innovations in Education, a video series with Carrie Walton Penner that explores first-hand groundbreaking work taking place across the country, we will introduce you to some of these leaders.

From Philadelphia to Oakland and stops in between, I’ve had the opportunity to talk with some of our country’s boldest innovators in education. Over the course of this series, you’ll meet:

• Susanna Loeb, a Stanford University researcher, who explains the achievement gap and why it matters, as well as pioneering educators at an Oakland high school who are changing the lives of the students they serve;
• Michael Cordell and Nicole Abera from The Learning Center in Washington, D.C., who are using a new approach to educate high-needs special education students;
• Kanitra Reed, a New Orleans mom whose employment benefits include a new kind of one-on-one counseling that helps her make informed education decisions for her kids;
• Papa Dia, who is leading a community of African immigrants in Colorado to push for more high-quality educational opportunities;
• Members of the McConduit family, who helped pioneer OneApp, allowing all New Orleans families to access educational opportunities; and
• Renowned character researcher Angela Duckworth, who teaches us how successful lifelong learners make decisions.

Our involvement in efforts to improve K-12 education spans nearly three decades. We’ve learned a lot in that time – most notably that we don’t have all the answers. So we look to brave leaders, such as the individuals featured in this series, to find solutions that improve education for all students. I invite you to join us on this journey and hope that together we can learn about these exciting innovations and how to make a positive difference in the lives of all children.