UnboundEd Celebrates 10 Years of Nationwide Classroom Impact

With grade-level, engaging, affirming, and meaningful — GLEAM^® — instruction a reality in classrooms across 45 states, UnboundEd marks a decade of impact in schools and districts nationwide.

NEW YORK, May 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- UnboundEd, a nonprofit that empowers educators to meet the needs of every single student through grade-level, engaging, affirming, and meaningful — GLEAM^® — instruction, celebrates its 10th anniversary with the release of its "A Decade of UnboundEd Impact" report. The site's collection of stories, photos, and videos celebrates a decade of working shoulder to shoulder with educators and leaders to improve instruction at scale — and in doing so, improving outcomes for millions of students.

Over the past decade, UnboundEd has significantly expanded its reach and impact. The organization has partnered with 852 schools, districts, and education agencies across 45 states, supporting over 13 million students. Thousands of educators have participated in UnboundEd's Standards Institute, cultivating the mindsets, skill sets, and tools needed to implement effective, standards-aligned practices in their classrooms.

Schools across the country are seeing measurable progress through advancing GLEAM^® Instruction:

In Des Moines Public Schools, GLEAM^® Instruction is driving measurable gains across classrooms and grade levels. Roosevelt High School saw a 7% increase in students earning As and Bs, while McCombs Middle School reported double-digit growth on benchmark assessments and fewer student removals from class for behavioral reasons. "You can tell it's working when you walk into a classroom and see students leading the conversation, collaborating, and taking ownership of their learning," said Howe Elementary Principal Trenton Williams. District Superintendent Dr. Ian Roberts credits GLEAM^® with creating the consistent structure and expectations that were previously missing, helping ensure all students have consistent access to grade-level instruction.

In Massachusetts, Springfield Public Schools is embracing GLEAM^® as a foundation for districtwide change, integrating it into school improvement plans, instructional coaching, and everyday teaching practice. "We've gone from focusing on 'I teach content' to 'I teach children.' And I think that has been a really powerful shift," said Michelle Balch, Chief Instructional Officer at SPS. These transformations underscore the district's commitment to meaningful, student-centered learning that prepares every student for a brighter future.

At Synergy Academies, implementing GLEAM^® helped deepen student engagement and bring new meaning to classroom feedback. Chief Executive Officer/Superintendent Rhonda Deomampo described the shift to standards-based grading as a missing link — one that helped realign grading practices with ongoing student growth and mastery. "It marked a mindset shift from 'do, finish, done' to understanding learning as a continuum," she said. "It created more opportunities for intellectual engagement, where the focus became feedback and continuous learning rather than one-time assessments."

Coinciding with its anniversary, UnboundEd is announcing the registered trademarking of its — grade-level, engaging, affirming, and meaningful — GLEAM^® — instruction approach, a profound mark of originality and innovation.

"The trademarking of the GLEAM^® approach validates its power to help districts implement high-quality, affirming instruction," said Lacey Robinson, President and CEO of UnboundEd. "Our partners, from large districts to small charter networks, are showing what's possible when we center high-quality instructional materials and professional learning."

To learn more about UnboundEd's decade of impact, visit https://unbounded.org/10th-anniversary/.

About UnboundEd
UnboundEd empowers educators to meet the needs of every single student through grade-level, engaging, affirming, and meaningful — GLEAM^® — instruction. UnboundEd continues to expand its offerings and drive long-needed changes in instruction, partnering with school districts and education agencies across more than 40 states.

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SOURCE UnboundEd