Core Values

ERS strives to incorporate our core values into everything we do: our work with our partner districts and fellow reform organizations, as well as within our organization.

IMPACT

We are passionate about transforming school systems so that every child—especially those furthest from opportunity—attends a school where they can learn and thrive. Potential for lasting impact guides our work and priorities. We accelerate our impact by leveraging research and building from the experience and expertise of the ERS team and our school system partners.

SERVICE

We approach our work with humility, respect, and an acknowledgment of the broader context we are stepping into. We center the wisdom of those closest to the challenge. We accept responsibility in sharing challenging insights to advance excellence and equity.

TEAMWORK

We collaborate in and across teams to maximize impact. We organize to optimize our time and create inclusive spaces that honor our diverse knowledge, skills, perspectives, and lived experiences to ensure that together, we are greater than the sum of our parts.

PEOPLE FIRST

We engage with each other as “people first,” valuing each other’s contributions, identities, and lived experiences in service of our mission. We prioritize work-life balance and flexibility as foundational to sustaining our energy and maximizing our collective impact.

LEARNING

We learn from every experience. We organize to capture and share our learning with each other and our partners in the field. We invest in practices and relationships that enable us to approach our work with curiosity and openness to new understanding, approaches, and feedback.