Bellwether

We are a national nonprofit founded in 2010. We work to transform education, helping young people—especially those furthest from opportunity—achieve fulfilling lives and thrive in their communities. We support mission-driven clients like school systems, public agencies, nonprofits, and philanthropies, helping them increase their impact.

We also contribute to the education field by sharing our insights and ideas, and by convening leaders to drive sector-wide progress. Our services include strategic and growth planning, financial modeling, program evaluation, policy development and analysis, and facilitation. We help partners make decisions, identify growth opportunities, build capacity, and understand the education landscape to further their missions.

Our work covers early childhood through postsecondary and career pathways, and we explore new approaches in the sector. We also publish analysis and insights on important education issues for leaders and policymakers.

Our mission is to transform education. We want all young people, especially those furthest from opportunity, to achieve fulfilling lives and thrive in their communities. We do this by supporting mission-driven clients, sharing insights with the field, and bringing leaders together to drive change.

Our core values are:

• Mission Mindset: We guide all our actions, from hiring to client support, to design systems that work for everyone.
• Tailored Excellence: We develop customized, practical solutions. We focus on quality by listening first, assessing evidence, and tailoring our approach.
• Flexibility: We believe flexibility and excellence go together, trusting our colleagues’ judgment in achieving outcomes.
• Synergy: We believe our collective strength is greater than individual parts, leveraging our team’s diverse experience and expertise.
• Integrity: We uphold high ethical standards, protect client confidentiality, and are transparent.
• Curiosity: We drive learning and insights by asking questions, engaging with diverse perspectives, and seeking input from colleagues, partners, and communities.
• Candor With Care: We practice open, honest conversations, built on trusting relationships, to respectfully and proactively address disagreements or challenges.

We are a remote-first organization, allowing us to hire talented individuals regardless of where they live. Our team of nearly 100 experts comes from various public and private sectors, with experience in all levels of education policy. Many of us have worked as teachers, school and district leaders, policymakers, government officials, and even founders.

Our culture is built on a shared commitment to transforming education and a deep respect for one another. We strive to create a thriving, sustainable workplace. We’re also exploring how AI can help us advance education opportunities.

We offer health care coverage and a 401(k) plan with employer matching contributions. Employees are also eligible for a performance bonus based on their individual contributions and our overall success.