Bush Foundation SDI

The What

With support from the Bush Foundation, Longview Education is currently offering grants to support school teams that are interested in implementing student-centered learning models within Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and the 23 Native nations that share the same geography. Interested teams will have the opportunity to participate in a free, self-paced course that guides them through the process of dreaming up a new learning model. They will then have the opportunity to apply for funding and coaching to bring their design to life. In recent years, 40 design teams have been funded through this process!

The Why
Education is critical to making our world better for everyone. Our education system should help all children reach their full potential. We believe this requires a more student-centered approach to learning, one that makes education more relevant for all students in terms of:

• Cultural Relevance (“Who students are”) Create learning environments that welcome and support students from all cultures and backgrounds.
• Instructional Relevance (“How students learn”) Customize learning to help students learn in a manner and at a pace that meets their individual needs.
• Future Relevance (“Where students want to go”) Help students imagine their future and provide them with supports tailored to get them there.

As part of its goal to make our region the national leader in student-centered education, the Bush Foundation is now offering grants to support school teams interested in implementing student-centered learning models.

The Who
Existing schools or soon-to-be new schools (public, public charter, or independent schools) operating or intending to operate within Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and 23 Native nations that share the same geography are eligible to apply through this process. School systems in this region are also eligible to apply for funding.

The How
Longview Education has created a School Design Institute course to guide teams through the process of dreaming up a new student-centered learning model. The course can be taken collaboratively on a flexible time frame. It is designed to help teams generate an innovative student-centered design, iterate on their design, and prepare a compelling application for potential implementation support.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and must be submitted electronically using an online application form. Decisions for applications received will be given within 90 days from the date of submission.

For further information about this initiative and the grant process, please contact Ben Rayer at ben@longvieweducation.org.