our work
what we do
Training
Improvement Science Coaching Course
Improvement Science Coaching is an exciting opportunity for school districts, schools and other educational organizations interested in being at the forefront of what is known about applying improvement science to educational settings. This year-long course will help build these organizations’ improvement capacity by preparing select individuals to become improvement coaches who support district and school teams in using improvement science to tackle persistent educational inequities in their local contexts.
This course will prepare participants to:
Understand the foundations of equity-focused improvement science
Apply the tools of improvement science in helping district or school-level teams identify specific problems of practice and strategically focus improvement efforts
Develop the coaching skills necessary to guide district and school-level teams through an improvement journey from understanding the problem to moving to action to getting to results
Take on the role of improvement coach in their organizations
Learn with and from a cohort of improvers from other educators across the country
2024-2025 Cohort Applications Are now open!
Apply by May 1st
Review an overview of the course here: Improvement Science Coaching Course Overview
Improvement Science Basics
Improvement Science Basics is a three-month project-based course designed to provide teams with a hands-on introduction to the tools and principles of improvement science.
By the end of the course, participants will:
Understand fundamental improvement science concepts
Gain hands-on experience using improvement science methods and tools
Understand how improvement science could be applied in an educational context
Advance Fellowship
Advanced Improvement Methods for the Social Sector
The Advance Fellowship brings together experienced improvement practitioners from across the nation to dig into advanced methods. The year-long learning experience includes exploration of:
Analyzing variation
Developing a strong theory
Building a measurement system
Designing a testing strategy
Planned experimentation and factorial thinking
Introduction to spread and scale
Each module will weave together the personal, relational and technical aspects of these methods and their application to pursuing equitable systems. Fellows will learn through case-based examples and hands-on applications. They will apply the methods to their current work, creating a portfolio to demonstrate mastery.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
The Advance Fellowship is for individuals who design, coach and build capability for continuous improvement within their organization or for the networks they lead.
These are people interested in digging deeper into the more advanced methods of Improvement Science while developing relationships with other like minded people in the field.
Prospective fellows are people with significant experience leading and coaching improvement projects. Examples may include graduates of the Improvement Science Coaching Course offered through the Improvement Collective or significant project based experience combined with other equivalent methodological training.
This year’s course details can be found at this link.
who we help
Advising
Arizona Meta Network for School Improvement
The Meta Network for School Improvement seeks to increase well-matched postsecondary enrollment rates for Black, Latino and low-income students in Phoenix, AZ. It is a partnership between Arizona State University (ASU) Access and Be a Leader Foundation, which serves as the network’s hub, and 24 schools across Phoenix Union High School District, Mesa Public Schools and Tolleson Union High School District.
IC serves as improvement advisors for the network hub. It supports the design and execution of the network’s improvement strategy and builds the improvement capacity of the hub and coaches.
High Tech High Improvement for Equity by Design
IExD supports the Networks for School Improvement (NSIs) funded by the Gates Foundation. IExD seeks “to build the capacity of adults in and around schools to improve the experience and outcomes for kids. This entails moving past the one-time equity workshop toward a learning culture driven by a common aim, engaging adults in both the inner work and the structural change needed to remake our schools into spaces where all children flourish.”
IC serves as strategic partners in the effort. It advises on the overall strategy of support, and designs and runs workshops and improvement reviews for IExD.
Central Valley Networked Improvement Community
CVNIC (Central Valley Networked Improvement Community): College Ready seeks to significantly increase the number of Black, Latinx, and low-income students who are “college-ready, on-track” as determined by acceptance into a four-year university, with a six-year graduation rate of 50% or higher.
IC serves as improvement advisors for the network hub. It advises on the network’s improvement strategy.