Generation Schools Network

Background Statement

Generation Schools Network (GSN) launched in 2005 with support from the Ford Foundation and an Echoing Green Prize. The focus was designing and implementing a school model that radically reorganized student time and teacher talent around a more cost-effective resource management structure. This facilitated overcoming traditional constraints to equitably meet student, teacher, and community needs (i.e., reduced class size, integrated curriculum, additional learning time, and college and career preparation).

The work came to life in two urban turnaround schools— the first was in 2007 Brooklyn, NY at Brooklyn Generation School (grades 9-12).

At Brooklyn Generation School, the first three graduating classes (2011, 2012, 2013) dramatically increased the graduation rate, doubling the percentage of students receiving a NY State Regents diploma with a 90% college acceptance rate. The model elements scaled to other schools in New York City’s Innovation Zone.

The second urban turnaround school was West Generation Academy (grades 6-12) in Denver, CO.

At West Generation Academy (WGA) early results showed 76% of juniors earned college credit, 1.5 years growth in ELA, ranking second in Denver Public Schools’ student engagement index, and justice referrals dropping from 13% to 2%. WGA was the first ever turnaround replacement school in the State of Colorado with an innovation plan. It was approved by the Denver School Board with a 7 – 0 vote.

After a decade of turnaround work, GSN made a strategic shift from starting turnaround replacement schools to coming alongside existing schools struggling to achieve desired outcomes and becoming an approved improvement provider in several states. Through partnership, GSN came alongside schools and districts helping them to implement innovative and evidence-based strategies to better fulfill their missions in the areas of Leadership & Improvement, Health & Wellness, Redesign & Innovation, and College & Career Readiness.

In 2015, GSN, with the help of Battelle for Kids, brought together key stakeholders in rural education to form the Colorado Rural Education Collaborative (CREC). The CREC’s purpose is to meet pressing needs of rural schools and districts who were often left out of conversations and were less likely to receive resources. Today, the CREC has over 80 member districts and more than 42 million has been raised to solve rural challenges.

During the COVID pandemic, GSN adapted to offering more virtual supports for schools and districts including curriculum, coaching and professional development allowing for seamless hybrid support options. Two different organizations merged into GSN at this time bringing their valuable knowledge and resources: Empowering Education and Alternative Roadmap.

On-going innovation has seen GSN’s footprint grow substantially in the number of students (from 2,700 to 135,000 per year), schools (from 7 to 195 per year), and districts (from 2 to 70 per year) we're able to support each year.

In 2023, we wrapped up a 2-year study, supported by a grant from the Colorado Attorney General’s office, to connect with students who have been involved with the justice system, as well as educators and families, and collect meaningful data on school disruption and it's connection to persistent gaps in academic achievement for justice-engaged students. The results were compelling and our Justice Engaged Students - Colorado initiative was born.

Today, GSN is a resilient women-led nonprofit with a diverse board and leadership team of passionate and capable leaders from a myriad of cultures, professional disciplines, and community settings.

Our combined expertise ranges from the classroom, traditional and alternative school, district, educational agency, university, business, policy think tank, and grassroots activism.

We see each school as a living system reliant on sustainable partnerships to deal with change as they strive to meet their mission and create access, opportunity, and agency for all learners.