About Us

Bellwether is a national nonprofit that exists to transform education to ensure students furthest from opportunity achieve outcomes that lead to fulfilling lives and flourishing communities. We work hand in hand with education leaders and organizations to accelerate their impact, inform and influence policy and program design, and share what we learn along the way.
Our Mission In Action
We work across the sector to build educational opportunities that lead to robust outcomes for all. Our team’s and clients’ wide-ranging and collective expertise powers our ability to be an education field bellwether, partner with clients to accelerate their impact, and shape the national conversation on how to transform education, so that:
All young people have access to an excellent education and lives filled with opportunity.
There’s a dramatic increase in education stakeholders’ awareness, adoption, and implementation of evidence-based policies and practices that drive effectiveness.
Our clients improve their impact for young people furthest from opportunity, accelerate growth, build capacity, and improve sustainability.
Our Results
Trusted and Reliable Source of Information
We serve as a trusted and reliable source of information for local, state, and national education leaders and for the news media.
600+ Clients
Since 2010 we have worked in partnership with more than 600 leaders and organizations. We have industry-leading repeat client and satisfaction rates.
Robust Resources
We create robust resources to support leaders and drive organizational and systems-level change.
Evidence-based Policies
Featured In:
Viewpoint Diversity
At Bellwether, we believe that a free exchange of ideas across different perspectives and values leads to better solutions for our organization, our clients, and the education sector. Our team agrees that the country’s education system needs dramatic change to deliver on its promises to students — but we each have different ideas on the best strategies and policies to make it happen.Â
We foster a culture where team members think critically, ask questions, embrace empiricism, and welcome debate. Clients, leaders, and policymakers can trust that we’ve stress-tested our ideas from a variety of perspectives.Â
Our commitment to viewpoint diversity is why we have the most ideologically diverse network in the education sector. We partner with clients wherever we see opportunities to help students — especially those furthest from opportunity — regardless of the political or policy climate in their communities.
Our Approach to Partnerships
Our breadth of organizational experience and unwavering belief in all young people’s ability to succeed drives our work. Our team is uniquely positioned to anticipate trends and policy shifts that can transform what’s possible in education.
At the core of our work is a strong commitment ensuring all students have what they need to succeed, especially those furthest from opportunity. Our deep understanding of the evolving realities that educators face means we approach our work with:
The lens of an honest friend with deep context.
We develop solutions through a collaborative process, pushing clients’ thinking with an independent and informed perspective.
A proven strategic decision-making process.
We focus on rigorous analysis and proven approaches to engagement and decision-making — tailored to the cultural contexts of our clients and their communities.
An evidence-driven approach.
We produce work based on research and analysis informed by best practices and tailored to the unique operating environment of each client, which lends itself well to situations where significant internal differences in opinion hinder an organization’s ability to excel.
An unparalleled network across the education sector.
We work with the most diverse cross-section of education organizations of any consulting or nonprofit organization. Our deep network enables us to tap into varied expertise. Our exceptional insight into on-the-ground challenges of schools and service organizations allows us to understand and engage with broader trends shaping the field. The viewpoint diversity of our experts and those we work alongside makes us unique. We’re positioned to generate creative solutions to education’s most complex challenges.
Partner With Us
We partner with a wide range of clients — from large-scale foundations to school districts to nonprofits to mission-driven companies. Let's work together to transform education.