Fueling Fieldwide Action: A 1ooKin10 Case Study
Building on the truth that we are each necessary but insufficient to achieve meaningful change, The Starfish Institute supports clients to enlist and inspire diverse sets of players to articulate and commit to a shared purpose. But assembling the organizations is only a sliver of the work. We partner with clients to create conditions that allow diverse players to build trust through relationships, vulnerability, and authenticity; to maintain focus on the shared purpose; and to continuously inspire one another to take action by celebrating progress and making meaning, together.
Case Study: Tackling the STEM Teacher Shortage
100Kin10 (now Beyond100K) launched in 2011 to bring together the nation’s top academic institutions, nonprofits, foundations, companies, and government agencies behind the shared goal of preparing 100,000 STEM (science, tech, engineering, and math) teachers in 10 years and tackling the STEM teaching shortage. In 2021, the 100Kin10 network surpassed that goal together, preparing nearly 110,000 excellent STEM teachers.
The Challenge: Whether it's climate change, disease, or economic inequality, almost all the world's most pressing problems require STEM-based solutions. Yet only a tiny fraction of our population has the STEM knowledge to even be at the table solving them. To solve these challenges, we need all of tomorrow’s problem-solvers to be equipped with STEM skills and inspiration. And tomorrow’s problem-solvers need excellent STEM teachers today to guide them.
In his 2011 State of the Union, President Obama issued a call for adding 100,000 excellent STEM teachers to our nation’s schools over the coming decade. Knowing that no single organization or foundation could reach this goal on their own, 100Kin10 was born.
The Result: 100Kin10 cultivated a thriving, cross-sector network of more than 300 leading organizations from around the country, with likely and unlikely allies, many of whom otherwise compete or negotiate head-to-head. Contributing toward a goal that no single entity could reach on its own, each partner organization made a commitment to preparing 100,000 STEM teachers and addressing the root cause of the STEM teacher shortage (explore 100Kin10’s Grand Challenges system map here). In doing this, partners were inspired to become co-owners of and active partners in reaching the shared network goal.
In 2021, the 100Kin10 network exceeded the goal together, training nearly 110,000 STEM teachers and supporting about 2.5 million STEM teachers across the country. A third-party evaluation conducted by Bellwether Education Partners found that “through their dedication, creativity, and transformational support for their partners,” 100Kin10 enabled “a more connected, focused, and prepared community of actors, collectively driving impact on the STEM education field, on STEM educators, and on K-12 students.” Learn more about how the 100Kin10 network did it here.
Through 100Kin10, we have tested, refined, expanded, and otherwise iterated to find what works best in collaboration. We’ve learned that “the speed of a network is trust” and have developed a set of tools to help build trust amongst partners through large gatherings, small-group convenings, and one-on-one opportunities. 91% of partners reported feeling free to share insights and vulnerabilities without holding back.
Through the 100Kin10 network, partners are improving their work and tackling big challenges together:
94% of partners have accessed expertise or ideas they wouldn’t have encountered otherwise at our programs.
85% of partners have said participating in the network positively impacted their work in the last year.
84% of partners changed something about their work as a result of participating in the network.
75% of partners have tackled challenges they couldn’t have taken on alone.
The Experience:
“Participating in the 100Kin10 movement has enabled the Dana Center to work with organizations that share our mission to tackle one of the grand challenges of our generation: improving STEM learning outcomes for our nation’s youth. 100Kin10 has been a source of inspiration and a wealth of great ideas for improving our work.”
- Dr.Philip Uri Treisman, Executive Director,
Charles A. Dana Center at the University of Texas, Austin
“The California State University’s partnership with 100Kin10 has been instrumental to our success in preparing new teachers for excellence with the Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards. Collaboration with other network members has been a significant asset in our planning, evaluating, and disseminating effective strategies addressing the new standards.”
- Dr. Timothy P. White, Chancellor, The California State University