Expanding Circles of Change: From Individual Healing to Community Transformation

Learner-Centered Education and Learning Differences

Learning differences are a natural part of human diversity. Through our work, we’ve observed how learner-centered education—an approach that starts with each young person’s strengths, needs, and interests—creates environments where learners can thrive.

In learner-centered environments, young people are deeply known through various relationships, relevant learning experiences, and educators who can recognize and nurture their brilliance. For young people with learning differences in particular, this approach provides the guidance and conditions for their strengths to emerge and be developed through responsive, community-connected learning.

Over several months, we conducted a collaborative multi-case study, drawing on the collective expertise of learner-centered professionals serving as co-researchers in a community of inquiry. Together, we examined the approaches of three learner-centered environments: Avalon School, LaFayette Big Picture School, and Norris School District.

This series of publications highlights evidence-based insights and actionable strategies to show how these learner-centered environments systematically support youth with learning differences and create expanding circles of positive transformation.

This project was conducted with funding provided in part by Oak Foundation. We’d like to extend special thanks to our learning partners who helped uncover these rich insights:

• Site leaders and co-researchers: Carrie Bakken (Avalon School); Susan Hart (LaFayette Big Picture High School); Kristofer Koneazny (Norris School District); Johnna Noll (Norris School District); Tim Quealy (Avalon School)
• Co-researchers: Scott Bain (King-Murphy Mountain School); Sarah Bishop-Root (Education Reimagined); Kim Carter (Q.E.D. Foundation); Catayah Clark (Palmetto Pathways Academy); Eddie Fuentes (Education Reimagined); Emily Liebtag (Education Reimagined); Liz Masters (Lab School of Memphis); Lindsy Ogawa (Education Reimagined); Khara Schonfeld-Karan (Education Reimagined); Ayana Verdi (Verdi EcoSchool); Lela Wesley (Big Thought Institute)

Research Overview: A Collaborative Multi-Case Study of Learner-Centered Education and Learning Differences

This overview describes our collaborative multi-case study, detailing the research methodology, the three participating sites, and the preliminary findings from the investigation. READ MORE

Navigating Policies and Conditions: Supporting Youth with Learning Differences in Learner-Centered Environments

This brief investigates how policies and conditions affect the studied environments, examining how these sites navigate constraints and leverage flexibility to serve youth with learning differences. READ MORE

Addressing Specific Learning Differences Through Learner-Centered Education: Evidence from Practice and Literature

This brief examines how the participating sites address specific types of learning differences (e.g., ADHD, dyslexia, autism) and aligns findings with scholarly research on evidence-based approaches. COMING SOON

Coming Soon!

We’re excited to share even more research about how learner-centered environments engage young people with learning differences in early 2026! Sign up for our email list or check back here to stay in the loop.