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Deeper Learning for School Leaders

Improve student behavior, engagement, well-being, and achievement by leading the shift to deeper learning.

Every principal dreams of a school where students come eager to learn, classrooms run smoothly, and achievement keeps climbing.

The challenge is creating systems that make this vision a reality—systems that build teacher capacity and help all students become successful learners.

The Model of Instruction for Deeper Learning® was designed to do just that through a step-by-step process that shifts classrooms from teacher-directed methods to student-led teams.

By starting the shift with a small pilot team, principals can build momentum without overwhelming staff or budgets. Our coaches guide you through forming an excited group of volunteers and building strong teacher buy-in for lasting implementation.

With successful implementation, schools see:

  • Improved behavior
  • Higher engagement
  • Better well-being
  • Increased achievement
  • Greater student agency

These visible wins build faculty confidence and natural adoption, so you can expand the implementation organically, avoiding the typical compliance-driven rollout.

Bring Deeper Learning to Your School

Connect with an experienced educational leader to explore how Model of Instruction for Deeper Learning can improve your school.

“When we implemented the Model of Instruction, what I'm seeing now is we are catching kids that we did not catch.”

Principal Derien Latimer from Madison Elementary in Colorado Springs School District 11 shares how the Model of Instruction for Deeper Learning has allowed his school to successfully reach more students. The school is now seeing higher engagement and more students achieving grade level proficiency.

Students Outperformed District Achievement

McLaughlin Middle School students outperformed district averages by 13% in reading and 7% in math, while significantly closing performance gaps across student groups.

Discipline Referrals
Decreased

The year before implementing the Model of Instruction for Deeper Learning®, Lakewood Elementary School had 734 referrals. After one year of partnering, referrals dropped to 207.

Twice the Reduction in Chronic Absenteeism

A study of 76 schools implementing the Model of Instruction for Deeper Learning® found that 79% reduced chronic absenteeism, at a median rate of 5.6%—over twice as much as the national average (2%). 

Teacher Retention
Improved

Moseley Elementary created a culture of professional growth and improved morale as teachers implemeted the model. While they previously had a 56% turnover rate, they reduced teacher turnover to 17%.

What Principals, Teachers, and Students Are Saying

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Ali MoorePrincipal, Colerain Middle School, Northwest Local School District, OH

“IE's structure is better than a program because this is about true teaching. This is truly about how we look at teaching our students, how we get them to become independent learners.”

“
Rod FoleyPrincipal, Walnut Middle School, Grand Island, NE

“There was a huge decrease in referrals because our kids were just more engaged in class. They were doing things that were meaningful to them and they were happy to be there.”

“
Shelby BellamyTeacher, Moseley Elementary School, Palatka, FL

“Everything changed when we got the whole school behind student-led team learning.”

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Michelle WildsInstructional Coach, Moseley Elementary School, Palatka, FL

“Teachers started to see that when students had some control in a positive way over their own learning, they wanted to learn.”

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Ashley PailleTeacher, Bernon Heights Elementary School, Woonsocket, RI

“It's taught my students how to work together, it's taught my students how to be respectful, and it's taught my students how to have conversations with people and not just behind a screen.”

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High School StudentPalm Beach County School District, FL

“Helping someone else learn really makes me happy. It helps me with my leadership. I actually take most of the responsibility because it’s my life and control, it’s what I can do in the future.”

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4th Grade Elementary StudentPutnam County School District, FL

“I was very shy in 3rd grade. I didn’t get what was going on and everything was just really confusing, but now that teaming came into this school, I’ve been more confident in my work, and I’ve been making more progress than I was in 3rd grade.”

Why Deeper Learning, Rigor, and Agency Matter for Students

Deeper Learning

What it means: Students lead their own learning through rigorous, collaborative tasks that build both academic understanding and essential life skills like critical thinking, communication, and teamwork.

Why it matters: Deeper learning helps all students grow into confident, capable leaders who can transfer their knowledge to new situations, work effectively with others, and navigate a complex, changing world.

Rigor

What it means: Students are consistently challenged to think deeply, apply knowledge in new ways, and engage in complex tasks that stretch their cognitive abilities.

Why it matters: Rigor is not about doing more work—it’s about doing meaningful work that pushes students to analyze, evaluate, create, and persist through challenges.

Agency

What it means: Students take ownership of their learning by setting goals, making choices, and reflecting on progress.  They are active participants, not passive recipients. They make decisions, solve problems, and make meaningful contributions in the classroom.

Why it matters: When students own their learning, they become more motivated, self-aware, and prepared for the independence required in life and work beyond school. 

How Model of Instruction for Deeper Learning
Creates Measurable Student Impact

When you implement Model of Instruction for Deeper Learning, your team receives the resources, coaching, and structure to put deeper learning into practice and build a foundation for schoolwide adoption and success.

Why Schools Choose This Pilot Over Typical Professional Development:

Small, Focused Team: Up to five (5) teachers plus an instructional coach, if applicable, lead the way with a shared passion for deeper learning
Job-Embedded: The course is equivalent to six (6) hours. Educators are encouraged to engage an hour of learning a week with immediate application with their students. Continual return to the content for review and deeper reflection is recommended.
Impact-Focused: Teams measure the change in student evidence rather than focusing solely on course completion
Collaborative: Teams share practices, give feedback, and build a common language for deeper learning
Expert-Supported:  Every team is paired with an Instructional Empowerment coach (all former educators)
Results-Driven: Early wins are often visible in week 1, and classrooms typically experience a full transformation in weeks.

Proven Schoolwide Impact

Listen to teachers and students talk about the impact of adopting the Model of Instruction for Deeper Learning®. Video Credit: School District U-46, IL.

Hear how this high school increased student engagement and improved outcomes. Created in collaboration with Wyoming County Schools, West Virginia.

When classrooms are self-managed, student-led, and rigorous, everything changes—engagement rises, behavior challenges decrease, and teachers gain the confidence and capacity to focus on what matters most: student learning.

Talk to an Expert to Design Your Pilot

Connect with an experienced educational leader to explore how the School Pilot-to-Scale works, what it takes to implement effectively, and how it’s helping schools nationwide launch into deeper learning.