Case Study: Ephrata's Journey to Life Ready Learning

Case Study: Ephrata Area School District (Pa.)

How a decade-long transformation helped one district align instruction, culture, and reporting around what students truly need to thrive.

Nearly 10 years ago, leaders in the Ephrata Area School District began their system redesign with a single question: What matters most for our students to thrive in life?

The Ephrata team realized the world was changing faster than their system was. They couldn't keep preparing students for a future that may not exist. They needed to do something different.

That realization became the catalyst for a long-term transformation grounded in clarity of purpose, community partnership, and an unwavering commitment to measuring what matters.

The district’s journey illustrates what it looks like to align an entire system around a modern definition of student success — and to build the tools, culture, and capacity to measure it meaningfully.

Companion Guides for Principles 2 & 5

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