Designing for the Future

How School Design Teams Shaped the Nevada Future of Learning Network

Key Insights

• Educators across Nevada collaboratively designed student-centered solutions rooted in personalized, competency-based learning and aligned with local community values.
  

• Through shared coaching, design sprints, and a statewide network, teams moved from isolated innovation to a connected movement for transforming learning in Nevada.

During the 2023–2024 school year, 100+ educators across Nevada came together in powerful new ways through the School Design Team initiative, a key effort of the Nevada Future of Learning Network. These teams, composed of teachers, school leaders, and district partners, collaborated to reimagine how schools can better serve all learners in alignment with the Portrait of a Nevada Learner.

CFL Co-founder and Chief Impact Officer, Jeanine Collins presenting to design teams at the Nevada Future of Learning Network Kick-off

Grounded in the principles of personalized, competency-based learning—including student agency, timely and relevant assessment and feedback, and a culture of learning and innovation—the Design Teams pursued solutions tailored to their local communities. Their goal was to bring student-centered relationships, experiences, and environments to life in ways that reflect each community’s values, aspirations, and needs.

Over the course of the year, each team engaged in a comprehensive learning journey that included virtual design sprints, team coaching, and a statewide exhibition of learning. These experiences were designed to build shared understanding, foster deep collaboration, and spark innovation. Importantly, the teams were not working in silos. They were part of the broader Nevada Future of Learning Network, learning from one another and supported by shared tools, coaching, and a growing library of strategies and examples. This approach ensured that their work remained locally grounded while contributing to a statewide movement for student-centered learning where every student gets what they need to thrive.

School Design Teams collaborating at the Nevada Future of Learning Network Kick-off

Each team created a case study capturing the evolution of their ideas and practices. Explore how their learning is shaping the ongoing development of the Network here.

This article, published in the Las Vegas Sun in June 2024, highlights the Network’s exhibition of learning, featuring School Design Teams,  and celebrates the broader contributions of Nevada educators.