
Our goal: Improve teacher effectiveness and the sustainability of the teaching role so that all children across K-9 experience rigorous, engaging, and accessible instruction that enables them to learn and thrive.
We know teachers are the most impactful in-school factor driving student outcomes. Yet they often work in systems that lack the supports, training, or resources needed to help them unlock student academic achievement and foster a sense of belonging and engagement in their classrooms. As a result, too few students have consistent access to educators who can motivate learning and provide engaging and rigorous instruction to close academic gaps.
Our Exceptional Educators portfolio seeks to improve the teacher experience by funding direct impact and ecosystem grantees that support educators across kindergarten through ninth grade with high-quality professional learning and aligned instructional materials; effective coaching based on research-backed pedagogy; and flexible, team-based strategic staffing models shown to improve teacher efficacy and student outcomes.
Our Learnings
Teachers are the biggest within-school factor impacting student achievement, but they face mounting pressures.
Staffing challenges continue to negatively impact both students and teachers.
High-quality instructional materials, and educators’ ability to use them with all learners, remain critically important to student achievement.
Teachers reported that the number one activity they would like to spend more time on is collaborating with their colleagues.
Teacher adoption and interest in artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tools are increasing, but support for implementation is limited.
Grantee Spotlight
Learn more about some of the work funded by the Exceptional Educators portfolio.

Leading Educators
Partnering with system and school leaders to make professional learning more actionable and relevant.

Next Education Workforce
Reimagining the teaching profession to increase educator satisfaction and retention.

Public Impact’s Opportunity Culture
Scaling an innovative professional learning and staffing model across America’s public schools.
Our Questions
What impact do different approaches to improve teacher and student experiences have on students’ academic performance?
Which design features and implementation conditions of curriculum-based professional learning are most strongly associated with the impacts of professional learning on teacher practice and student outcomes?
To what extent do instructional tools and approaches that integrate targeted supports for learners with particular needs boost academic outcomes?
To what extent can AI-enabled coaching tools improve teaching and learning in kindergarten through eighth grade classrooms? Which types and modes of feedback are most impactful?
Which features of strategic staffing are most effective for supporting the implementation of high-quality instructional materials (HQIM)? And to what extent does strategic staffing enhance the impact of HQIM on student outcomes?