About XQ
XQ is working to radically transform the high school experience for young people everywhere
Our Mission
XQ exists to transform high school in America so every student graduates ready for the world they’re entering—prepared to thrive in college, career, and life.
From classrooms to statehouses, we work to redesign teaching, learning, and policy in support of this goal. Since 2015, XQ has helped communities build new schools, redesign old ones, and replace outdated seat-time systems with mastery-based, relevant learning.
Guided by research and the experiences of students, we partner with educators and policymakers to make lasting change. Our mission is simple and urgent: to ensure every high school prepares every student for our shared future.
History
XQ is a nonprofit organization and independent affiliate of Emerson Collective, founded in 2015 by Laurene Powell Jobs, founder and president of Emerson Collective, and Russlynn Ali, former US assistant secretary for civil rights in education. That same year, XQ issued an open call—an invitation to the nation to join teams, build community, and reimagine the high school experience. The response was overwhelming. 10,000 people from all 50 states formed 700 teams. Sixteen schools were selected as part of our “Super School Project” and we worked hand-in-hand to turn their vision into reality. Today, alongside that cohort of schools we have a presence in over 180 sites across the country.
Whether it’s working with communities to reimagine the high school experience, collaborating on products that enable new ways of teaching and learning, or identifying policies that create the conditions for systemwide change, we’re on a mission to radically transform what high school looks like for young people everywhere.
Helping communities dream big about what high school can be
We work closely with students, families, educators, and district leaders to turn their ideas into action. Together, we embark on a journey—grounded in XQ’s design principles and learner outcomes—that strengthens the high school experience. This work, based on the science of how adolescents learn, is driving meaningful outcomes for young people across the country.
Empowering educators with innovative products
XQ’s suite of free, high-quality tools and resources helps bridge the gap between vision and practice. Developed alongside educators, makers, learning scientists, and other experts, our products put high school transformation within reach of communities everywhere.
Unlocking the conditions for lasting, systemwide change
Policy makers at all levels can accelerate high school redesign by creating the conditions for educators, students, and community members to undertake bold innovation. XQ engages in research and analysis to identify policies that support meaningful transformation—and lay the foundation for sustained change.
Meet the XQ Team
Board of Directors
Emerson Collective
Emerson Collective
XQ works in direct collaboration with Emerson Collective, a company founded and led by Laurene Powell Jobs that uses a range of tools to increase opportunity, so that every person can make the most of their life, fueled by their own hard work and determination. Emerson Collective’s work focuses on addressing complex challenges in education and economic mobility, immigration and the environment. XQ is an independent affiliate of Emerson Collective.
