Inclusive Innovation is a research and development (R&D) model that improves education by supporting communities and schools in co-designing innovative solutions. Inclusive Innovation starts by ensuring those closest to the challenge—including students, parents, families, and organizers—are at the table with district leaders, educators, researchers, and solution developers and intentionally involved in co-research and co-creation.
Inclusive Innovation is an investment in your community and an opportunity to unlock bold new ideas.
Our model results in education solutions that have been co-researched and co-developed by the community—students, parents, community members—in partnership with educators, solution developers, and researchers. This approach ensures solutions are relevant for all the people participating in education systems, especially students.
Additionally, Inclusive Innovation solutions are designed for eventual scale. The phased approach provides a roadmap for mutual partnership, rooted in a deep understanding of the community, so solutions can be effectively implemented in similar contexts.
Community members are at the table as:
Holding positions of shared power and decision-making
Guiding the research, design, and creation of solutions
Defining outcomes that are of value to both communities and schools
The process of Inclusive Innovation moves through intersecting stages. Our model emphasizes the importance of readiness and preparation to engage, the value of building trust upfront and throughout the process, and the progression from understanding the challenge to implementing and scaling a solution.
The foundation for Inclusive Innovation is anchored in a set of six tenets. These tenets guide school district and community teams collaborating with researchers and solution developers in building an inclusive approach to understanding education challenges and developing solutions, ultimately leading to powerful learning experiences for students.
Center for Inclusive Innovation