Breakthrough Models in Education Grants

This third NGLC grant competition (no longer accepting submissions at this time) supports educators and innovators who have a vision for highly engaging, technology-enabled learning pathways that a) span secondary school through postsecondary completion and b) prepare students for economic, social, and civic success.

This wave sought approaches that could help all students—but especially low-income students and students of color—develop the skills and knowledge they need to lead successful lives. Models that have a clear, sustainable expansion or adoption plan to meet the need rose to the top of our list.

The October 2011 RFPs focused on the development of new, personalized, competency-based, blended learning models at the postsecondary and secondary level (grades 6-12). More information about the Breakthrough Models for College Readiness (K-12) investments can be found here; you can learn more about the Breakthrough Models for College Completion (postsecondary) investments can be found here. Click here for the actual Wave IIIa RFP and Wave IIIb RFP (now closed)

Application Process:

Applicants were asked to submit the following in lieu of traditional application materials:

Two minute video introducing the team, the application or the school model
12 slide PowerPoint presentation deck with voiceover
Financial model using provided template
Brief online form based application

The presentation decks, with comprised the bulk of the application, served as summary business plans and addressed the following subjects:

Mission
Founding, planning and management team
What is the problem and need that your school model will address?
How does your model’s design differ from, contribute to or complement related work in the field? Where does it sit in the broader landscape?
Academic model - how does your model personalize learning for all students and prepare them for college and career readiness?
Assessment of primary risks and mitigation strategies
What is the status of work to date?
Organization structure and capacity to implement and administer the proposed work
Start-up strategy
Cost efficiency and sustainability of model
Growth plan and development roadmap

Those selected as finalists were asked to respond to questions posed by reviewers after reviewing initial application materials. Finalists submitted:

Revised narrated presentation deck
Narrative explicitly responding to specific reviewer questions and general questions around personalization, competency framework and scheduling
Extended financial model and description of financial assumptions using templates provided