Relay in the Media

Henderson Collegiate, a public charter school in North Carolina, serves as a model for both instructional practices and leadership. The school, led by Relay Leverage Leadership Institute Alum Carice Sanchez, drives student success through a system of real-time instructional coaching and a relentless focus on continuous improvement.

Artificial intelligence is shaping a new era of teaching. Dr. Alice Waldron, senior vice president of teacher and leader preparation at Relay, writes about four ways AI is being used to support and empower the next generation of teachers, from scaling high-quality feedback to embracing a growth mindset. Relay recently partnered with TeachFX to pilot a program that uses AI-powered feedback tools to drive innovation.

National education nonprofits Teaching Lab and Relay Graduate School of Education (Relay) today announce plans to join together as one organization. This integration, pending regulatory approvals, is a proactive, strategic step taken to strengthen how both organizations invest in and support educators nationwide.

Texas is tackling a growing teacher shortage by limiting how many uncertified educators can lead classrooms. Under House Bill 2, signed into law earlier this summer, districts must steadily reduce their reliance on unlicensed teachers until only 5% remain by 2029. The move reflects a broader push to treat teaching as a true profession, with rigorous preparation, continuous learning and clear career pathways comparable to fields like medicine or law.

North Carolina has approved a new educator preparation program designed to help aspiring teachers build classroom skills while earning licensure. The “Want More? Do More!” Teacher Readiness Program, founded by leaders of Henderson Collegiate, offers a practice-based model where residents apply what they learn directly in their classrooms. The program includes coursework aligned to state standards, ongoing coaching and competency-based assessments, with the goal of preparing teachers more effectively and quickly than traditional pathways.

A simple shift in teacher language, replacing “Tell me” with “Tell us”, can transform how students experience classroom learning. By signaling that student contributions matter to the whole group rather than just the teacher, this change helps build community, elevate diverse voices and foster collective responsibility for learning. Educators who have adopted the practice report greater student engagement and stronger peer-to-peer dialogue, showing how small, intentional moves can create a more inclusive and collaborative classroom culture.