Co-Creation Builds Capacity

"Improvement doesn’t happen to people—it happens with them."

The Common Assumption:

Most school improvement efforts begin with experts analyzing the data, identifying what’s wrong, and prescribing a plan. The assumption is that if we just tell schools what to do and how we expect them to do it, then things will improve. In this model, context is secondary, and buy-in is something that happens after the plan is created.

The New Perspective:

We believe that’s exactly why most change efforts fail.

At Compass Edvantage, we start with a different assumption: that the people in the building are the experts on their context. Co-creation isn’t a warm and fuzzy process—it’s a practical strategy. It leads to a better understanding of the school’s unique context because the plan is shaped by the people who know it best. It leads to greater commitment because those same people help design what change looks like using their everyday, lived experiences working there. And it builds long-term capacity because it’s not just about solving this problem—it’s about learning how to prevent the next one.

Why Co-Creation Works

It builds ownership.

When people are part of designing the changes they will be expected to make, they’re more likely to own it and stick with it.

 → For school leaders: Co-creating plans with staff increases buy-in and implementation, because the people enacting the change helped shape it.

 → For coaches: When teachers co-construct goals, strategies, or lesson plans with their coach, they’re more likely to implement them with fidelity—because they’ve helped build them with their own experiences and preferences.

It surfaces wisdom.

The best solutions come from blending research with on-the-ground insight.

 → For school leaders: Staff know their students, families, and building dynamics. Co-creation allows leaders to leverage that expertise rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all plan that may not apply to the school’s culture and context.

 → For coaches: Teachers know their students, content, and constraints better than anyone. Not asking for that information is a disservice to the students and can feel disrespectful to the teachers who have information to freely share. Coaches who ask for their expertise get stronger, more realistic solutions—and stronger relationships because they are acknowledging the experts in their buildings - not bulldozing them with their own assumptions.

It develops leadership.

When people help lead the change, they grow in their ability to lead future change on their own. Not only are they more knowledgeable, but they are more empowered and more confident. 

 → For school leaders: Co-creation helps develop leadership across the school. ILTs and teacher leaders build real skills through the process.

 → For coaches: Collaborating on instructional planning or student data builds teacher leadership. Over time, teachers get better at reflecting, adjusting, and leading their own growth.

It builds trust.

Change requires risk—and risk requires trust.

 → For school leaders: Authentic collaborative planning signals respect and belief in your staff, which strengthens relationships and accelerates progress.

 → For coaches: When coaching is a partnership—not a prescription—teachers feel safe taking risks. That trust leads to real instructional change.

It focuses the work.

Co-creation leads to clarity and coherence by identifying what matters most.

 → For school leaders: Engaging staff in defining improvement priorities avoids initiative overload and aligns everyone’s energy.

 → For coaches: Teachers are juggling a lot. Co-creating a plan with clear focus helps prioritize tasks by eliminating the unnecessary work and ensures coaching efforts support the most urgent and impactful work.

How We Do It at Compass Edvantage

Collaborative Needs Assessments – We don’t start with a set of fixed criteria. We co-analyze classroom data, interview staff, and build a shared picture of strengths and opportunities.

Design Thinking with ILTs – We co-facilitate leadership team sessions that build strategy, not just compliance. Schools design plans that align with their goals, not ours.

Side-by-Side Implementation – We don’t hand off a binder. We co-teach lessons, co-lead PLCs, and coach in real-time. The work lives in classrooms, not documents.

Coaching Coaches and Leaders – From building principal feedback cycles to developing instructional coaches, we embed alongside staff to grow their capacity—while doing the work shoulder-to-shoulder.

Summary

Co-creation isn’t just a strategy—it’s a mindset. It shifts improvement from something delivered to educators into something built with them. Whether you’re a school leader developing your next big initiative or a coach planning your next cycle, co-creation deepens understanding, builds commitment, and strengthens the very capacity that lasting change depends on. 

At Compass Edvantage, we’ve seen firsthand how this approach transforms not only systems, but the people within them. That’s the kind of change that sticks.

Where in your school or district could a shift from telling to co-creating unlock more meaningful change?