Accelerate Institute Annual Appeal 2026

Your Support Powers Transformational Leadership

Accelerate Institute

Leading a school is hard.
You don’t have to do it alone.

Accelerate Institute equips school leaders with the skills, support, and community to create lasting impact for students.

Explore how Accelerate Institute can help you achieve lasting impact
The Problem

Too many schools mirror the inequities present in society rather than disrupting them. 

Nationally, about one in ten principals leave their school each year; that number doubles for school leaders in under-resourced communities. 

Students are falling further behind, and inequities are widening.

  • 0%

    Principal Turnover

    More than one in five principals leave their school each year

  • 0%

    Below Basic Level in Reading

    40% of 4th graders are working below the NAEP basic level in reading

  • 0%

    Chronic Absenteeism

    The chronic absenteeism rate is still 50 percent higher than it was before the pandemic

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    Teachers More Likely to Leave

    The odds of teachers leaving are 17% higher when they have a new principal

The Solution

Accelerate Institute

Our work directly addresses systemic challenges. By building leadership capacity, internal pipelines, and sustainable systems, schools are retaining leaders longer, strengthening leadership teams, and continuously improving student academic growth.

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    School Stability

    91% of Accelerate Institute school leaders continue to lead as principals or in network/district leadership positions

  • 0%

    Continuous Improvement

    100% of Accelerate Institute schools increased ELA proficiency and/or math proficiency in one year

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    Increased Confidence

    95% of Accelerate Institute leaders feel more confident in their school leadership and management skills after support from Accelerate Institute

How it Works

Options for Every Situation

Accelerate Institute develops long-lasting partnerships with schools and districts to build the leadership capacity and systems that sustain transformation for our students.

Option 1

Get Started for Free

Accelerate Institute has developed content, frameworks, and tools based on the patterns found in successful gap-closing schools. Download free resources, request a free consultation, or sign up for a tour of our proprietary Accelerate Online platform.

Get to Know Us
Option 2

Find Your Best Solution

Accelerate Institute offers a range of programs and services for districts, schools, and individual leaders. Our solutions provide proactive and collaborative leadership support aligned to school improvement goals.

Explore Solutions
Option 3

Build a Package

Explore popular combinations of services and solutions. Better yet, we can build a perfect program completely customized for your unique needs!

Invest in Continuous Growth

Hear From Some of Our Partners

"Through Ascend, Accelerate Institute is adding to my team's toolbox which improves their individual decision-making and our leadership team's decision-making process. They are starting to take on some of the mental load and considering big picture things they’ve never thought about before."

Yadira Guzman
Principal, Chicago, IL

"This program was an eye opener! I started it thinking I did not need any improvement - Oh, boy was I wrong! I have learned to be reflective and have started to use the 80/20 method in our school building."

Jannet Vega
Assistant Principal, Chicago, IL

"This program is awesome. Just what I needed to reinvigorate my soul and passion to continue to do this work."

Liz Jamison Dunn
Principal, Chicago, IL

"Ascend gives you the building blocks for becoming a leader; no stone is left unturned."

Keviyona Ray
Principal, Chicago, IL

"I attribute most of my success as a principal to Accelerate Institute because they didn’t just teach me what to do, but HOW to do it."

Juwana Foster-Wells
Principal, Chicago, IL

"Accelerate Institute is an awesome proverbial "tool sharpener" for education leaders in a world where continuous building is necessary."

Jacob Morgan
Principal, Chicago, IL

"I cannot say enough about how transformational this experience has been for me personally, and in turn, for my team. Accelerate Institute’s support isn’t just about quick fixes; it’s about building something sustainable. Having someone who was so invested in us made me and my team feel confident and motivated to keep pushing forward."

Yalil Nieves
Principal, Chicago, IL

"This experience continues to influence how I lead and support schools across my network. It has strengthened my strategic thinking and reinforced the importance of focusing on what truly drives student outcomes especially for those furthest from opportunity. I am more intentional in guiding school leaders to prioritize with clarity, act with purpose, and hold ourselves collectively accountable for achieving equitable and impactful results for every student."

Marilou Rebolledo
Chief, Network 2, Chicago, IL

"Accelerate Institute gave me the vision, structures, procedures, and the confidence to continue the work. I know who I am as a leader now."

Dorienne Canada-Pendleton
Principal, Chicago, IL

"As school leaders, we often prioritize the professional development of our teachers and staff to support our students, but professional learning for ourselves as leaders is critical to improve the culture, climate, and academics at our schools. Accelerate Institute has changed my school tremendously! Thank you!"

Patrina Singleton
Principal, Chicago, IL

"I love all things Accelerate Institute - it is the best leadership content out there."

Amore Porter
Vice President of Culture and Principal Coaching, Chicago, IL

"The leaders at Accelerate have a wealth of knowledge, are consistent and supportive, and have adapted throughout the years to meet the ever changing needs of education."

Ashley Zamora
Director of Scholar Supports and Interventions, Chicago, IL

Latest News & Resources

Not sure where to begin?

Start With Our Free Resources

If you’re a school or district leader ready to take the next step, these tools will introduce our core frameworks and practices.

Accelerate Institute

Annual Appeal 2026

Join forces with the Ryan Family to uphold the essential work of Accelerate Institute.