Our Mission
MISSION
Using innovative education practices as a catalyst for social change, Highlander Charter School and Highlander Institute are working to ensure that all children have the educational opportunities and support they need to achieve their full potential.
VISION
We design and provide research-based, quality educational services. We strive to make these accessible to all learners, as well as to their teachers and families.
VALUES
Highlander Institute works to further the causes of accessibility, empowerment and excellence in education.
Our History
Founded in 1990, the Highlander Institute was more of an idea than an organization until 1999 when philanthropists David and Kim Dunn committed multi-year gifts to help the emergent Institute develop programs and expand services.
In 2005, a dynamic collaboration with the Highlander Charter School (an urban K – 8 school in South Providence), was the catalyst for our new mission-driven strategy of supporting “all kids”, expanding our target audience from students with diagnosed learning differences to all students performing below grade level. Recognizing that proven interventions for LD students are also effective for a large percentage of struggling students, we expanded programming for students, teachers and families.
In 2006, the launch of the Hasbro Center for Teaching Excellence (through generous multi-year support from Hasbro, Inc) established the Institute as a credible regional provider of high quality professional development.
Over the past six years, we have expanded our programs, designing and providing research-based, quality educational services that are accessible to all learners, as well as their teachers and families.
Our experiences facilitating professional development projects for thousands of teachers across the region have helped us develop programs and school reform efforts that dramatically improve teacher practice and increase student proficiency levels. When possible, our professional development efforts are site-based, aligned, focused, intense and continuous. The Highlander Institute has supported school and district initiatives around Orton-Gillingham, Integrated Technology, Response to Intervention, Literacy Reform and Data Use.
