School of One

December 14, 2009
Joel Rose | New York City Department of Education

Over the last 200 years, technology has transformed nearly every other industry across the globe except for one: our schools. They function largely as they always have – with one expert delivering instruction to a class of 25-35 students at a time. In 1983, the National Commission on Educational Excellence Released A Nation At Risk, a report that sounded a national alarm bell to improve our nation’s schools. Since then, we have increased per pupil expense, reduced class size, spent billions of dollars on instructional technology, and implemented statewide standards and accountability frameworks. And still, results on the most recent NAEP test show scores have barely moved. We need a new playbook.
The School of One is an initiative designed to dramatically change this paradigm. It begins with the notion that the best way to dramatically improve student outcomes is one student at a time – through a mass customization model that provides individualized instruction to students based on their academic needs and learning styles. In this model, live teacher-led instruction is one way – perhaps the best way – but by no means the only way that instruction can be delivered.
Joel’s talk will focus on the origins of School of One, what has been accomplished so far, and where it will ultimately go. He will also touch upon where he sees how companies such as Microsoft can play a more meaningful role in reshaping the future of education with an agenda focused on personalized learning.

Speaker Details

Joel Rose is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of School of One, a New York City Department of Education initiative that re-imagines the traditional classroom model of teacher-led instruction to one where learning begins and ends with the needs of each individual student. This approach offers students’ access to a range of learning experiences – including live instruction, small group instruction, virtual learning, and online tutoring – that all map to a student’s specific academic needs and learning preferences. Previously, Joel served as Chief Executive for Human Capital at the NYC Department of Education, an organization with over 130,000 employees and a $23 billion budget. Prior to joining the department, he served as a general manager at Edison Schools, where he was responsible for overseeing the development, operations, product design, and overall performance of Edison‘s after-school division. Rose has been involved in education for more than 14 years, first as a Teach For America corps member in Houston and later as a senior executive at Edison where he also served as the company‘s associate general counsel, chief of staff and vice president for school operations. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Tufts University and a law degree from the University of Miami School of Law.