The Center for Inspired Teaching & Exceptional Learning (CITEL)
We work to ensure every student experiences rigorous, grade-level, and affirming learning every day, surrounded by dedicated, thriving educators.
Rigorous and affirming instruction for students. A high-impact and sustainable career for teachers.
We believe that achieving these goals starts with a coherent academic strategy — grounded in high-quality instructional materials (HQIM), aligned professional learning and strategic use of technology, including AI. This strategy should be centered within community-connected teacher teams — working with a shared purpose, led by a highly effective teacher-leader, with structures, planning routines, and protected time for collaboration.
Seeding and Learning from Innovative School Models
CITEL facilitates a Community of Practice for technical assistance providers and their school system partners who are seeding innovation that merges HQIM implementation with team-based staffing models. Each pilot strives to ensure all students experience exceptional, HQIM-aligned teaching and strong, affirming relationships with their educators.
Our Learning Agenda
We are partnering with Mathematica Research to assess the three-year impact of pilots, focusing on the following research questions:
- How did schools and service providers implement their strategy?
- To what extent did implementation impact student outcomes and contribute to teacher outcomes? To what extent is implementing as intended related to student and teacher outcomes?
- What strategies used by service providers did school staff perceive as most effective in establishing, implementing, and scaling the strategy?
- From the perspective of school staff, district staff, and service provider staff, what lessons were learned about successfully establishing, implementing, and scaling the strategy? What enabling or disabling conditions were identified for effective implementation?
Our expert partners are collaborating with forward-thinking leaders across the country to reimagine teaching and learning.
Coalition to Reimagine the Teaching Role
The Coalition works to create the conditions to ensure that every student experiences rigorous, grade-level, and affirming learning every day—surrounded by dedicated, thriving educators.
What the research says: Team-based staffing
Six Conditions for Successful HQIM Implementation
How two districts are financially sustaining innovation
Perspectives from the Field
The science of reading revolution has the right science—but the wrong system
- Thomas B. Fordham Institute
The Six-Strand Strategy for Educator Excellence
- New America
Up to 3X Rate of High Learning Growth with Opportunity Culture Designs—New Data
- Public Impact
What the Research Says About Team-Based Staffing
Six Conditions for Success in HQIM Implementation
Financially Sustainable Team-Based Staffing Strategies
Meet the CITEL Leaders
Kira Orange Jones
Chief Executive Officer
Email Kira
Lindsay Sobel
Chief of Policy, Planning
and External Affairs
Email Lindsay
Dottie Smith
Leader-in-Residence
Email Dottie
David Rosenberg
Leader-in-Residence
Email David
About Teach Plus
Teach Plus empowers teacher leaders to drive equity and excellence in education. Learn how we’re shaping policy, building community, and creating lasting change—led by teachers, for students.
Contact CITEL
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