Too often, kids are asked to be something they're not. Tests measure the wrong things. Teachers aren't given credit for their passion. And, families are left without hope.

That's why the Stand Together community works with educators, families, and students to transform our nation's K-12 system to create an environment that reflects the individuality of every student – and every educator. Because the purpose of education isn't to create the "average student," or measure success based on a test score. The purpose of education is to empower every kid to discover, develop, and apply their unique abilities and to live a life they find rewarding.

What does that look like in practice?

Stand Together invests in partners who support every kid and educators who have a passion for each student. We support more than 90 programs that bring new ideas and resources to the fore to supplement current offerings in traditional schools.

Some of these programs include:

• Invention Convention, which serves 15,000 educators and 500,000 students with invention-based education experiences. Are you an interested educator? Access Invention Convention's project-based learning curriculum today.
• Youth Entrepreneurs, which in just the past four years, the Stand Together community has helped expand from 50 programs in three states to almost 300 programs in 19 states, working alongside teachers in public and private schools to provide educational resources, material, and training around entrepreneurial curriculum for students.
  • "I knew that being a teacher was my calling, allowing me to be able to transmit knowledge to my kids so that they can go out and make this world better – that's why I do it." - Tish Ware, learn more about Tish and how YE helps her reach her students.
• Bill of Rights Institute, which with support from the Stand Together community, empowers more than 50,000 educators with civic and social studies material. Watch one of their educational videos, "Homework Help: How Fred Korematsu never gave up his fight against the unjust Japanese-American internment camps during World War II."

In each of these examples, the Stand Together community works within the traditional K-12 system and outside of it to help students receive the individualized education they deserve and help educators access the resources they need.

Better serving students and creating a more just and open K-12 education system requires all of us to be open to change, embrace innovation, and seek out new ways of creating an education system focused on the individual child. That's why Stand Together also supports 4.0 Schools, a K-12 incubator that helps teachers, principals, and innovators launch new K-12 ideas like Uncommon Construction and Electric Girls – education models that reach outside the classroom to educate students in unconventional ways.

Transforming K-12 education so that it serves every student and educator requires a new way of thinking about reform—and abandoning the us vs. them debate that's dominated the conversation about K-12 education for the past 30 years, and instead working with all stakeholders - educators, parents, and students - to find common ground around shared values about the purpose of education.

Our goal is simple: Ignite a learning revolution that taps into the talents of educators and unlocks the gifts of every student.

Learn more about Stand Together's education efforts and explore ways you can partner with us.