TLA: Exponential Learning Initiative Grant Program

_NOTE:_

• _The first Full Proposal deadline represents the priority deadline._
• _The second Full Proposal deadline represents the final call deadline to apply._

Exponential Learning Initiative

The Learning Accelerator (TLA) invites network applications for its Exponential Learning Initiative, which seeks to advance the scaling of high-quality, virtually supported approaches to K-12 learning acceleration at the core of learning.

The Initiative’s Accelerating Adoption Network will:

• Identify and fund up to ten (10) networks of school sites expanding adoption in this school year, representing a diverse composition of types of strategies, teams, and implementation contexts.
• In partnership with evaluation partner, Mathematica, generate evidence about the effectiveness of these strategies and the conditions that support implementing and scaling them, particularly for students who are traditionally positioned furthest from opportunity.

Funding

Selected network applicants will receive up to $150,000 to increase access to and scale their innovative approaches across a set of school sites in this school year. Networks will work with TLA and the Initiative’s evaluation partner as they implement scaling efforts and participate in a mixed-methods evaluation to build evidence of impact on student-level outcomes.

Eligibility

_ You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's [website]().

Application Details

Request for Proposals
Exponential Learning Initiative: Accelerating Adoption Network
The Learning Accelerator (TLA) invites network applications for its Exponential Learning Initiative, which
seeks to advance the scaling of high-quality, virtually supported approaches to K-12 learning acceleration at
the core of learning.
Selected network applicants will receive up to $150,000 to increase access to and scale their innovative
approaches across a set of school sites in the 2024-25 school year. Networks will work with TLA and the
Initiative’s evaluation partner as they implement scaling efforts and participate in a mixed-methods evaluation to
build evidence of impact on student-level outcomes.
Proposals should be submitted according to the guidance and criteria outlined below by midnight ET on May 5,
Submission Questions and Live FAQ 10
To access a PDF version of this document, click here .

Context and Opportunity
Widespread, persistent gaps in K-12 learning remain one of the most urgent challenges to solve. Despite
significant post-pandemic focus and investment in wraparound and supplemental learning acceleration
approaches (mainly, high-dosage tutoring and additional staff), efforts have led to limited change within the core
of instruction and the school day.
At a moment of declining resources and public confidence, The Learning Accelerator (TLA) believes that now is
the time to champion more durable and sustainable strategies with greater potential to radically improve
students’ core learning experiences and trajectories. Leveraging new tools and proactively investing in
practices and system capabilities necessary for equity, today and in the future.
Given this, TLA, with philanthropic support from the Walton Family Foundation, is excited to launch this
request for proposals for participation in our Exponential Learning Initiative’s Accelerating Adoption
Network. This network will advance the scaling and adoption of high-quality strategies that accelerate
are using, please see the FAQ section at the end of this document.)
The Initiative’s Accelerating Adoption Network will:

• ● Identify and fund up to ten (10) networks of school sites expanding adoption in the 2024-25 school
• year, representing a diverse composition of types of strategies, teams, and implementation contexts.
• ● In partnership with evaluation partner, Mathematica, generate evidence about the effectiveness of
• these strategies and the conditions that support implementing and scaling them, particularly for students
• who are traditionally positioned furthest from opportunity.
• This is a unique opportunity for partners reimagining students’ instructional experience to:
• ● Access up to $150,000 in flexible, unrestricted grant support , with future eligibility for follow-on
• funding.
• ● Tap into rigorous research support to help them understand and improve their work, as well as build
• compelling independent evidence for its impact on learners.
• ● Collaborate and problem-solve with a community of leaders seeking to advance and accelerate
• adoption of innovative solutions.
• ● Build national awareness of their innovative work through TLA’s communications and dissemination
• activities and infrastructure.
• ● Receive targeted support from TLA and their network of experts as they scale access and implement in
• new sites.
• The Learning Accelerator (TLA) Request for Proposals- TLAFY24-ELINET 2

Grant Details, Eligibility, and Requirements
Intermediary Network Grants: (up to $150,000) are available to networks seeking to
scale evidence-based, virtually-supported learning acceleration strategies that impact
the core of instruction. The purpose of these grants is to support the growth of
high-potential strategies and collect, document, and share evidence of impact for
broader system change.
Each network will seek to scale the adoption of a particular learning acceleration
strategy that meets the following criteria:

• ● Clear evidence base supporting effectiveness as an approach to accelerate

learning. At minimum, there should be preliminary descriptive evidence
demonstrating the strategy 1) has been successfully implemented on a small
scale and 2) is associated with improved outcomes for students. Rigorous prior
research studies are welcome but not required. We welcome both early-stage
and more developed, established approaches and models.
● Potential and intent for scalability to reach and improve outcomes for large
numbers of learners, within or beyond the existing network as well as across
new contexts (grade levels, sites, content areas, etc.).
Grant Details
and Criteria ● Innovative use of technology as a key component of a students’ reimagined
instructional experience. Students are expected to interact directly with the
technology in support of their learning.
● Potential for durable change and sustained impact via meaningfully altering
the ways teachers and students work and organize to learn together during
the school day, such as changes to use of time, staffing, physical environment,
etc.
Priority will be given to strategies meeting the criteria that:
● Improve outcomes in the core subjects of ELA and/or Math .
and interested in strategies that support these outcomes through broader,
whole-child approaches, provided a compelling case is made for their
connection to core subject outcomes as well.
● Accelerate learning for subgroups who are traditionally furthest from
opportunity , including but not limited to students experiencing poverty,
students with disabilities/exceptionalities, students of color, and students who
identify as LGBTQIA+.
scale an innovative, virtually-supported strategy that accelerates learning at the core
of instruction.
Eligible applicants will be comprised of a lead organization working with a group of
implementing school sites. Lead organizations may be any of the following entities:

• Eligible Applicants
• ● Individual school system, working within its system’s sites or with a collective of
• other school systems;
• ● Service provider, curriculum, or technology company;
• ● Membership, consortium, or community organization;
• ● Regional or state entity.
• The Learning Accelerator (TLA) Request for Proposals- TLAFY24-ELINET 3

For-profit organizations are eligible to apply so long as the intended use of the grant is
for charitable purposes only. For-profit applicants must agree to comply with required
processes for confirming this.
Applicants must have the legal authority to submit the application on behalf of the lead
organization.
Grantees will be expected to:

• ● Implement their strategy in planned new sites and contexts, scaling their
• innovation to reach more students over the course of the 2024-25 school year.
• ○ Selected grantees are expected to identify and manage
• implementation at expansion sites.
• ○ While scaling access and impact is a key goal of the Initiative, we
• recognize that “scale” in 2024-2025 will depend on a number of

factors, including stage, geography, complexity, etc. Selected grantees
will vary in size/reach.
● Engage in a TLA-led and -funded research process), including:

• ○ Securing data sharing agreements in their network sites with guidance
• and support from TLA and our independent evaluation partner.
• ○ Actively collaborating in documentation and evaluation activities with
• TLA and Mathematica, including two to three two-hour planning
• sessions in summer 2024 to consider refinements to theories of
• change and align on measures and research questions.
• Requirements
• ○ Supporting data collection, including completing or fielding surveys,
• identifying focus group participants, and facilitating district
• administrative data collection (e.g., student demographics, attendance,
• and achievement data).
• ● Collaborate with TLA and Mathematica to track implementation of strategy.
• ○ Outcomes we will seek to track include but are not limited to, fidelity of
• implementation, student achievement measures, and proximate but
• related student outcomes.
• ○ Specific measures will be identified in partnership with network leads.
• However, we expect to utilize de-identified student-level achievement
• and demographic data for at least part of the analysis.
• ● Participate in up to monthly project check-ins and/or virtual cohort learning
• activities, as well as attend one in-person convening with other grantees.
• ○ Additional opportunities for cross-cohort collaboration, national
• dissemination opportunities, and shared technical assistance will be
• provided to interested grantees.
• The Learning Accelerator (TLA) Request for Proposals- TLAFY24-ELINET 4

Timeline
Feb 29, 2024 Request for Proposals (RFP) available.
Mar 22, 2024 (Optional) Submit intent-to-apply form and opportunity for Q&A.
This form is non-binding. However, applicants who submit will be able to submit
questions and receive updates on the FAQ up until end-of-day April 1st. While this is not
required, it is highly encouraged as it will allow TLA to offer guidance to applicants on
fit with the grant opportunity, including the make-up of their network.
question and answer webinar to learn more about the RFP from 2-3 p.m. ET.
A recording of this webinar is now available along with the slide deck .
ET.
TLA will begin reviewing applications for the grantee cohort on this date. Applicants
submitting by this date who are selected for interview will be offered priority slots as
well as the opportunity to respond to clarifying questions on their application.
ET.
May 10, 2024
June 2024 Awards made to grantees.
Summer 2024 Initial check-ins and research design meetings.
2024-2025 Implementation Period. (Note, TLA will be pursuing future funding to expand work with
School Year promising implementation sites.)
Summer 2025 Final data collection and analysis.
The Learning Accelerator (TLA) Request for Proposals- TLAFY24-ELINET 5

Proposal Requirements
Proposals should be organized into five sections. Please submit your response to each section in one PDF via
the Application Submission form following the timeline above.
Organization Name
If partnership, include both organizations.
Organization Type Please select the type that most accurately describes your
organization(s):

• Individual school
• School system/ local education agency
• Nonprofit service provider, curriculum, or technology company
• Nonprofit membership, consortium, or community organization
• (e.g. regional intermediary, standalone initiative/institute)
• For-profit service provider, curriculum, or technology company
• For-profit membership, consortium, or community organization
• Regional or state entity
• Other [please describe]
• Team Lead
• Name, title, email, phone
• Additional Team Members
• Name, organization, title, email
• Strategy Description
• High-level, 1-2 sentence description of the
• strategy to be implemented
• Proposed Implementation Sites
• Identify school systems and sites you will
• partner with for implementation
• Current Student Reach
• How many students you are currently
• reaching with this strategy
• Proposed Increased Student Reach
• How many students you anticipate
• reaching with your strategy over the
• course of the grant period
• The Learning Accelerator (TLA) Request for Proposals- TLAFY24-ELINET 6

Section II: Narrative Questions
Please answer each question separately and succinctly, totaling no more than ten (10) single-spaced pages.
A. Strategy

• Please describe your strategy, including the learning acceleration challenge it solves, its theory of

change, and how it meets the core grant criteria :

• Clear evidence base supporting effectiveness
• Potential and intent for scalability
• Innovative use of technology
• Potential for durable change and sustained impact
• If applicable, please explain how this strategy is effectively positioned to address the Initiative priorities :
• Improve student outcomes in the core subjects of ELA and/or Math.
• Accelerate learning for subgroups who are traditionally furthest from opportunity.

B. Plans for Increased Access and Adoption

• Describe your plans for implementation, including your approach to and plan for scaling your strategy

and any essential conditions needed for success. Please include details on current and planned
implementation sites (including the number and location of schools and classrooms) as well as the
number and potential demographics of students who will be served.

• How are you considering the sustainability of the scaling efforts past the timeline of the grant (consider

resourcing, planning, and capacity)?

• What data would you look for to know your implementation is successful and is having its intended

impact on learning outcomes? Why?
C. Project Alignment

• How does the scaling of this strategy align with your organization’s priorities, and why will you be

successful in doing so?

• How will participation in the Initiative add value to your strategy and plan for scaling it?
• Explain the process, necessary steps, and expected timeline for achieving permission to share and

analyze student-level data as part of this initiative, with attention paid to data security and the protection
of student privacy. If possible, provide evidence of experience working with an external research partner
in the past to ensure safe, efficient data sharing.

• Describe a record of, or outline your organization’s commitment to, sharing learnings with the field and

participating in a collaborative learning experience.
D. Team, Leadership, and Stakeholder Support

• Describe the make-up of your network team and the qualifications they bring. Include the leader’s role,

their level of decision-making authority, and why they are best positioned to lead this project. It is
expected that the proposed lead will be highly engaged and serve as the primary point of contact
throughout the project.

• Identify relevant stakeholders for the strategy and plan to scale, and how you will engage them. Include

evidence speaking to the level of commitment you have secured from site and district/system leaders.
The Learning Accelerator (TLA) Request for Proposals- TLAFY24-ELINET 7

Section III: Budget
Grant funds may be used flexibly to support the project objectives and in line with charitable purposes. Please
include a high-level breakdown of your proposed budget, including personnel, non-personnel, and indirect
costs. Indirect costs (costs for activities or services that support the entire organization and cannot be tracked
directly to a grant program or project) may not exceed 15%. Please provide a proposed budget summary that
describes:

1. How you plan to use the funds and why they are needed; and
2. How the funds will help you sustainably scale the strategy to reach more students.

Section IV: Optional Attachments
Applicants may choose to include the following attachments with their application:

• Prior We do not expect all applicants to have formal research to support their strategy’s effectiveness.
• Evidence However, applicants must have preliminary/early-stage evidence speaking to its potential.
• Letters of Letters from key stakeholders can demonstrate an applicant’s level of support or buy-in for
• Support participation in the Initiative.
• Team A 2-3 minute video telling us about the network lead and team, the organization, the strategy,
• Video and how the strategy accelerates learning for kids.
• Section V: Confirmation of Understanding

Please attest to the following in your application. Include all the italicized language below as well as a signature
from an authorized person.
By submitting this application, I attest to the following:

1. I am an authorized person to apply for my organization and I have permission to use materials from the

organization for the purposes of the application.

1. TLA is building an education field where practitioners, leaders, and policymakers learn faster and

change systems together to ensure every child reaches their full and unique potential. I understand that
the goal of this program is to accelerate progress and understanding across the K-12 field and that
participation in the broader Initiative network and openly sharing lessons learned is a key component of
the program.

1. TLA respects the intellectual property of organizations seeking grant funding. We will seek to share

learnings and demonstrate the potential of selected applicants’ strategies to be utilized in a variety of
contexts, and all resources produced by TLA will be offered under CC BY licensure.
seek to take ownership of any strategy, tool, or concept within the grant program. Applicants are
responsible for ensuring that efforts funded by the grant do not infringe upon or violate existing
intellectual property rights. I understand this and recognize that TLA will not seek ownership of
intellectual property.

1. I understand that this program has a significant research component and that collecting data on student

application are willing and able to share the necessary data with TLA and Mathematica.
The Learning Accelerator (TLA) Request for Proposals- TLAFY24-ELINET 8

Request for Proposals
Exponential Learning Initiative: Accelerating Adoption Network
The Learning Accelerator (TLA) invites network applications for its Exponential Learning Initiative, which
seeks to advance the scaling of high-quality, virtually supported approaches to K-12 learning acceleration at
the core of learning.
Selected network applicants will receive up to $150,000 to increase access to and scale their innovative
approaches across a set of school sites in the 2024-25 school year. Networks will work with TLA and the
Initiative’s evaluation partner as they implement scaling efforts and participate in a mixed-methods evaluation to
build evidence of impact on student-level outcomes.
Proposals should be submitted according to the guidance and criteria outlined below by midnight ET on May 5,
2024, with a priority deadline of April 22, 2024. Selected applicants will receive funding in June 2024.
Table of Contents
Context and Opportunity 2
Grant Details, Eligibility, and Requirements 3
Timeline 5
Proposal Requirements 6
Section I: Lead Applicant Information 6
Section II: Narrative Questions 7
Section III: Budget 8
Section IV: Optional Attachments 8
Section V: Confirmation of Understanding 8
Submission Questions and Live FAQ 10
To access a PDF version of this document, click here .
The Learning Accelerator (TLA) Request for Proposals 1

Context and Opportunity
Widespread, persistent gaps in K-12 learning remain one of the most urgent challenges to solve. Despite
significant post-pandemic focus and investment in wraparound and supplemental learning acceleration
approaches (mainly, high-dosage tutoring and additional staff), efforts have led to limited change within the core
of instruction…