About Waypoint
Who we are
We are...
a mission-driven education policy and communications firm working at the national, state, and local levels.
We have...
a proven track record of success – from national communications campaigns that move public opinion, to informing new legislation, to standing up advocacy organizations, to creating reports that change what the field knows and understands.
We represent...
deep expertise and complementary skill sets. Our lived experience includes state and federal agencies, school boards, foundation leadership, the White House, media, state legislatures and education agencies, and classroom teaching – adding up to a strategic whole.
Our superpower...
is our line of sight. We can see the problem and the solution from multiple angles. We believe in spending time at each waypoint and understanding the pros and the cons of policy, practice, and communications strategies before reaching a final destination. Our favorite scope of work is to “get in the boat and row.”
Our Approach
We believe in “I know” as opposed to “I think” and make every effort to promote and scale evidence-based practices, whether that be curriculum shifts, learning interventions, school delivery models, or communications tactics.
We start...
with our impact model. What is the change we want to see? How will it benefit students and families, particularly those who have been historically underserved? And finally, what is our unique contribution given our relationships, experience, and skill sets?
We view...
ourselves not as vendors on contract, but as extended members of our partners’ team with an aligned mission, shared goals, and equal passion for moving toward a better education system.
We collaborate...
to provide the best work. We know what we know – and who to tap for what we do not know. We consistently partner with a network of extraordinary experts to ensure we are knowledgeable, current, and connected.
We seek...
projects and partners where we are the right fit. We best serve organizations who have a high tolerance for honest feedback and who acknowledge the differences between what we know as education professionals and the lived experiences and perspectives of those we aim to serve.
We have a proven track record of success – from national communications campaigns that change public opinion, to informing new legislation, to standing up advocacy organizations, to creating reports that change what the field knows and understands.
We make education research work for real behavior change in real time. We believe in traditional longitudinal data, and we also know kids can’t wait a year or more for the education system to catch up and meet them where they are. We use our skills in understanding quantitative and qualitative research to help partners make positive changes efficiently and effectively.
Most importantly, we listen. To help our partners improve education delivery and outcomes, we talk to the people at the heart of the system: families and educators. Policymakers and leaders listen to us because we are not giving them our opinions. We are telling them what the people they are trying to serve actually say they want and need.
The Waypoint team is at our best with seemingly impossible challenges that require all of our skills and talents collectively. We think big and work hard and find it a huge privilege to be doing work we love with people we admire.
