Blog
What we learned from the Education Changemakers Summit
The education system plays an essential role in preparing young people to shape and drive the future. For Detroit youth to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world, they need access to an excellent and equitable education that equips them to meet the opportunities and challenges of tomorrow. No single organization, perspective, or approach can address education’s complex challenges. By aligning efforts, educators, students, advocates, parents, and community leaders can create meaningful improvements in education through collaboration and policy change.
The Education Changemakers Summit brought together The Skillman Foundation’s grant and philanthropic partners across the K-12 education policy ecosystem to connect, reflect, and unite around a shared purpose.
At the Summit, held in November 2024, Angelique shared a powerful metaphor: transforming education is like a constellation. Each individual and organization contributes their unique light, but when we work together in harmony, we form something greater than the sum of our parts, illuminating a brighter future for Detroit youth.
Why we convened the Summit
The Summit offered space to step beyond individual contributions to imagine what might be possible when we come together with a collective vision for the future of education. It was designed to deepen connections across the various fields involved in education policy change—organizing, advocacy, media, philanthropy, and data—while sparking meaningful conversations and uncovering opportunities for collaboration.
The Summit also helped the Foundation refine its role as a convener. Rather than coming with predefined notions, we focused on creating a space for relationships to grow, ideas to flourish, and common ground to emerge. This approach reflects The Skillman Foundation’s commitment to a People Powered Education system that recognizes philanthropy as one of the many actors, including students, parents, educators, grassroots organizers, and policymakers, working to ensure an excellent and equitable education for Detroit youth.
At its core, the Summit was about reaching across silos and envisioning a more connected path forward. In the event survey, 62% of respondents reported making new, meaningful connections at the Summit, and 90% reported being inspired to explore opportunities for collaboration with others across the education policy ecosystem.
What we learned from partners
Following the Summit, our team reviewed the insights shared by partners to understand the implications for our work. Four takeaways emerged:
1. A call for deeper connections
Partners expressed a strong desire for more opportunities to connect across roles, organizations, and sectors. They emphasized the importance of creating spaces where ideas can collide, partnerships can form, and shared solutions can emerge—affirming the need to strengthen the ecosystem through intentional connections. They also cautioned that this work takes effort. As one partner shared post-Summit, “As we are seeking alignment and ecosystem diversity if we want to stand and move in solidarity – how are we going to navigate generative, productive conflict and tension?”
2. A desire for shared language and understanding
We heard that activating the vision for education systems change requires a shared language—including common understandings of equity, excellence, and collective action. Partners underscored the need for tools and frameworks to bring clarity and alignment to their work, enabling them to tell a cohesive story about collective impact across the ecosystem.
3. Recognizing learning as a strategic imperative
Systems change is adaptive by nature and requires continuous learning. Partners highlighted the importance of dedicated time and space to reflect, assess progress, and share lessons across sectors—not just as a value-add but as a strategic necessity.
4. Fostering shared accountability for impact
Beyond surface-level collaboration, partners called for mechanisms that foster mutual accountability. They want structures that ensure shared goals translate into tangible outcomes for students, reinforcing trust and commitment across the ecosystem.
Check out more insights from the Summit in these graphic recordings created by Yen Azzaro during the event.
See examples of notes taken by participants during their group discussions:
The road ahead
The Summit affirmed that across the ecosystem, we share a belief that with intention, clarity, and shared purpose, transformative education change is possible. As we move forward, we are asking ourselves, and our partners, questions to guide the journey:
- How can we nurture an ecosystem identity where collaboration becomes second nature?
- How do we break down silos and foster shared learning across roles to fuel education system change?
- And most importantly, how do we ensure that the best interests of Detroit youth and their well-being remain at the heart of everything we do?
These questions aren’t just for The Skillman Foundation—they are for everyone invested in the future of youth and their education in Detroit. They reflect our belief that transformation begins with curiosity, shared purpose, and a willingness to learn and grow together.
Moving forward Together
The Summit reminded us that progress will take trust, patience, persistence, and a shared commitment to action. We are inspired by the dedication of our partners, the changemakers who create a People Powered Education system.
The challenge now is to sustain the momentum. The Summit was not just a moment of reflection but an invitation, a call to action. As we continue this journey, we travel alongside you, our partners. Share your insights, challenge our thinking, and imagine what we can accomplish together. Change doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens when we listen, learn, and act in alignment.
There is more planned for the year ahead. Look for The Skillman Foundation to continue listening and learning with and from our partners and creating spaces for connections across the education ecosystem in 2025.
