Back/TLA Receives $5M Grant to Build Evidence and Adoption of Core Learning Innovations

TLA Receives $5M Grant to Build Evidence and Adoption of Core Learning Innovations

Posted on December 08, 2023

Three-year investment from the Walton Family Foundation will enable The Learning Accelerator to advance understanding and scaling of evidence-based, virtually-supported learning acceleration approaches

December 8, 2023 — Today, The Learning Accelerator (TLA) announced a $5 million investment from the Walton Family Foundation to help education leaders understand and scale high-quality virtual and hybrid learning models to address widespread unfinished learning. This grant funding will support several new initiatives to accelerate evidence-based public education innovation and improvement in the face of continued funding uncertainties and public demand for more resilient and equitable learning systems.


“We must advance the adoption of learning approaches that prove to close gaps and create new opportunities for every kid,” according to Beth Rabbitt, TLA’s Chief Executive Officer. “This work can’t happen around or on top of the existing school day and models. We have to be willing to make and learn from changes at the core of students’ experiences, as well as leverage quality digital tools to increase the resources available for doing so. This funding will help us do just that.”

TLA will build on a decade of work focused on ensuring every child gets the education they need to reach their full and unique potential. Over the next six months, TLA will launch several new initiatives aimed at three goals: accelerating the adoption of virtually-supported learning acceleration models with proven impact, increasing the evidence base for high-quality virtual and hybrid education, and offering greater clarity on the policy conditions needed to make these programs successful.

Across all of the new program activities, which aim to impact over 1 million students, TLA will integrate lessons from sites and research, helping to advance a national learning agenda as well as offering free, openly licensed tools and resources that will support other communities in taking action. TLA will partner with other organizations and establish connections to other related initiatives across the U.S. Additional information on these opportunities will be announced in early 2024.

“This investment is a testament to the essential role TLA plays in building a stronger K-12 sector where practitioners, policymakers, researchers, and technologists can work and learn together to create more lasting change for the learners who need it most,” notes TLA Chairman Albert Motley. “The team and board are thankful for the Foundation’s support and belief in this critical work.”

Media Contact

Lacey Gonzales, Associate Director, Communications, The Learning Accelerator: lacey.gonzales@learningaccelerator.org