The Learning Accelerator Blog/TLA's Hopes for 2020

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TLA's Hopes for 2020

by The Learning Accelerator Team on January 31 2020

TLA heads into 2020 working towards a world in which each student receives the effective, equitable, and engaging education they need to reach their full and unique potential. As we connect educators, and the people that support them, with the knowledge, tools, and networks they need to make this vision a reality, we asked our TLA team members to share some of their specific hopes for our top goals for the new year. Check out their answers below!

Driving Equitable Access to the Knowledge Needed to Improve Schools and Systems

Juliana Finegan: In 2020, I am excited to provide educators and leaders with actionable resources for implementing innovative teaching and learning in their schools. For example, we will launch an Insight, two Problems of Practice guides, and over 10 new strategies (that were built with the support of some amazing educators!) focused on how to strategically support students who are English Learners within a personalized/blended classroom.

Nithi Thomas: In the new year, I’m looking forward to continuing to provide free access to high-quality strategies and resources that support innovation in education, and to learning from all the amazing educators who are making the ‘potential’ possible for ALL students.

Samantha Artukovich: 2020 is an exciting number – and an exciting time for TLA. I’ve had the opportunity to see the TLA team in action, working on a number of releases that we’ll be unveiling throughout the new year, and I’m excited to hear about the ways in which educators and leaders across the country use these innovative resources in their own schools.

Supporting Efficient and Effective Implementation of Practices

Bianca Davila: In 2020, I'm looking forward to seeing TLA continue to grow our network and collaborate with more amazing school systems. There is so much we can learn from each other and with each other to become more efficient and effective!


Jeremy Jones: As we mark the new year and generate resolve for new beginnings, I am hopeful about the prospect that more students across this country are able to attend world-class schools and learn from inspirational and innovative teachers and principals who are putting creative ideas into practice.

Nate Kellogg: For 2020, I'm excited to build on our conditions for success and scale work by highlighting fantastic schools around the country and sharing even more of the lessons we’ve learned with others. I'm hopeful that young people will continue to generate solutions to the challenges facing our world.



Learning Together 
at and for Scale


Beth Holland: For 2020, I am so excited to be joining this team as the new Partner for Research and Measurement! As the newest member of TLA, I am looking forward to learning more about how I can best support the research needs of our partners – whether that be through the design and execution of measurement programs or serving as a thought partner.

Beth Rabbitt: There is so much incredible work happening across classrooms in America. In 2020, I’m looking forward to pushing for nuanced conversations about successes, the progress being made, and the challenges collectively experienced. It’ll also be more important than ever that we build better bridges between movement silos, ensuring we’re connecting field and practice-level learning about personalization, competency-based learning, comprehensive student development, and the learning sciences to get better, actionable advice into the hands of educators and students.

Kira Keane: I am hopeful that in 2020 we will see greater connection and collaboration among all of us in the education field. In my work, I will focus on sharing the remarkable evolution we see happening in schools, the growing research base on innovative teaching practices, as well as the hard-learned lessons of what has not worked well. It is imperative that we share this knowledge with educators across the country, who work in incredibly diverse environments and face varied challenges so that all students benefit.

Becoming the Best TLA We Can Be

Ashley Sandvi: In 2020, I look forward to growing the TLA team so that we can be an even more powerful "learning engine" to bring new learnings and helpful resources to the field of education.


Nana Udoyen: I’m looking forward to seeing how TLA works throughout the year to continue to articulate our story. We have several “North Stars” guiding our work, and I’m excited to see us find a way to further our goals and priorities in a way that is clear and compelling.


Stephen Pham: I'm excited to continue digging into the intersections of diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), and innovation, codifying knowledge through a new initiative connecting organizations working on DEI in a virtual space, as well as exploring what DEI looks like for our organization. I'm eager to see more sector-wide coordination (through our networks and others’) around important efforts, such as innovation, DEI, educator professional learning, data-use, and more. I am also hopeful that there will be more positive, productive narratives and mindsets around education innovation and reform, including with personalized learning/whole-child learning.

What are you excited for in 2020? Tweet us your response @LearningAccel! Sign up for our mailing list on our website to keep up to date on TLA news.

About the Author

The Learning Accelerator team consists of 12 people passionate about education from across the country.