Strategies for Systems Change: Lessons Learned from the Transforming Early Educator Lead Teacher Preparation Programs Through Multi-Partner Innovation Grant Program

In 2021–22, The Collaborative awarded eight grants in support of partnerships between institutions of higher education (IHEs) and states/territories/tribal nations to transform their preparation programs for early educators. To support our grantees in their work, The Collaborative engaged School Readiness Consulting (SRC) to develop a learning community to foster peer learning and collective problem-solving.Two years into this work, The Collaborative and SRC provided grantees with an opportunity to reflect on their experiences through the lens of an overarching question: How have the IHEs and their partners made meaningful, systemic changes to address barriers on their campuses, in their communities, and in the field at large?This report describes the strategies grantees used for systems change, as well as their reflections on next steps and sustainability.Key insights from the report include:Grantees readily leveraged policies, practices, and resources to create immediate and measurable impacts on their institutions and their students. Strategies include centering equity in student recruitment and retention, enhancing coursework offerings and strengthening classes related to culturally relevant practices, and investing in resources driven by the actual needs of their students.In addition, grantees identified strategies to create the conditions needed to maintain progress and enable further changes to best support their students. These strategies include strengthening and creating connections, shifting power dynamics, and changing mental models