Challenge Success

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Challenge Success

An affiliate of Stanford School of Education Increasing Student Well-Being, Engagement, and Belonging in K-12 Schools.

Challenge Success is a non-profit affiliated with the Stanford University Graduate School of Education that provides schools and families with proven strategies to promote well-being and engagement with learning in order to transform the student experience into one where all kids can create their own paths to success.

08/17/2026

If you're stepping into a new leadership role this fall — or into a new school entirely — you've probably already gotten some version of the same advice: go slow, listen first, don't change too much too soon.

The traditional transition timeline looks something like this: months of quiet listening, then slowly building trust, then finally making real changes somewhere in year two. By the time meaningful change starts, a leader's tenure may already be half over. And in the meantime, communities learn to wait things out rather than lean in.

This new blog post lays out a "data-fueled transition" approach instead: before the year even starts, new leaders sit down with real student experience data alongside staff, and sometimes students themselves. Not just to read a report, but to talk through what it means together. Done well, this quickly makes four key things visible.

Read the full post to learn more!
https://www.challengesuccess.org/make-the-invisible-visible-a-better-way-to-lead-school-transitions/

06/05/2026

🎓 Meet some the educators shaping the future of student well-being, engagement, and belonging at the Challenge Success Annual Conference this September.

Hear from Dr. Meag-gan O'Reilly on overcoming self-judgment and building resilience, Dr. Michael McDowell on creating meaningful classroom discourse that drives deeper learning, and Kyle Holmes on how arts education is transforming student well-being and engagement nationwide.

These inspiring leaders, and many more, are bringing practical ideas, research, and real-world experience to help schools create lasting change. Join us at Stanford University on September 26-27 and be part of the conversation.

05/21/2026

We’re excited to share that our work is part of Ellis, a free digital teaching companion developed by Children’s Health Council, a nonprofit with over 70 years of experience supporting students with mental health needs and learning differences. 🎉

Ellis augments educator expertise by helping them respond to specific situations with students focused on strategies for learning, behavior, and emotional challenges by giving them quick access to guidance from Children’s Health Council and trusted organizations in the learning and mental health fields.

Rather than relying on general search, misinformation across AI tools, or hours spent researching, Ellis makes it easier to find guidance that can be used immediately or carried into planning conversations and team meetings.

Try Ellis for free: https://bit.ly/4aECwtN and a big thank you to CHC for their work to develop Ellis!

05/14/2026

Don't just take our word for it, hear it from someone who's been there! 🙌

Register today for the 2026 Challenge Success Annual Conference at challengesuccess.org/2026-annual-conference/

05/13/2026

In our new blog post, we connect with Sara Poplack, Associate Head of School for Academics at Phillips Brooks School, to explore how a dedicated school team, in partnership with Challenge Success, is doing the groundwork to strengthen well-being, engagement, and belonging in their elementary school.

Learn more about how student feedback, intentional reflection, and collaborative action are helping to shape a school culture where students feel seen, heard, and valued.

Read more: https://www.challengesuccess.org/building-a-healthier-school-community-an-elementary-partnership-with-challenge-success/

05/08/2026

At Challenge Success, we have organized our research-based, equity-centered strategies into a framework we call the S.P.A.C.E Framework for School Change™.

This framework embodies our vision to create educational systems that value each student for their unique identities, assets, and individual definitions of success and effectively prepare them for the variety of opportunities and challenges they will encounter in school and beyond.

We're thrilled to now offer a free adapted version that applies our original S.P.A.C.E. Framework to elementary school students (PreK-5th grade) with tangible, research-backed strategies for creating school change.

Download this new tool for free: https://www.challengesuccess.org/elementary-school-space-framework/

04/29/2026

Ticket sales are NOW OPEN for the 2026 Challenge Success Annual Conference! Join educators, school leaders, counselors, families, and students at Stanford University on September 26–27 for two days of learning, connection, and practical strategies to reimagine student success.

Over two full days, you'll connect with leading researchers and practitioners, hear what’s working in schools directly from students and educators, and leave with practical strategies to spark positive change in your school community.

Register now: https://www.challengesuccess.org/2026-annual-conference/

04/23/2026

As the school year draws to a close, many K–12 students face a surge of academic, social, and emotional pressures, such as final exams and demanding projects to life transitions and expectations about “what comes next.”

When demands exceed students’ coping skills, young people may feel disengaged, anxious, or burnt out altogether. 🫩

The good news is that there are research-backed ways to help children and adolescents navigate stress. One of our most popular resources of the 2025-26 school year has been our newest research brief, Navigating Stress in Schools: How Adaptive Coping Builds Resilience.

We invite you to download these free resources today, including versions of the brief for educators and families, as well as an easy-to-share tipsheet. 📈

Download here: https://www.challengesuccess.org/navigating-stress-in-schools-how-adaptive-coping-builds-resilience/

04/09/2026

The research is clear: 🔎 Belonging is a key factor in successful student outcomes such as attendance, discipline, academic achievement, engagement, and emotional health.

Yet, only half of students report a high sense of belonging in school. 📊 (Challenge Success-Stanford Survey of Student Experiences, 2018-2025)

The desire to build belonging and a school culture of connection is nearly universal among schools. The challenge? Knowing which strategies and tools will actually move the needle.

Our new "Drivers of Student Thriving" series of resources is designed for school and district leaders and educators who want to explore how they might improve student well-being, engagement, and belonging in their communities. 🤝

Drawing on 20+ years of Challenge Success-Stanford research, this first tool highlights three key components of belonging and can help K-12 educators to identify their community’s strengths and opportunities through self-reflection and guided discussion prompts.

Download this new tool for free: https://www.challengesuccess.org/drivers-of-student-thriving-belonging/

04/08/2026

With AI reshaping the landscape of teaching and learning, how can educators keep student engagement, creativity, and dialogue at the center? Join us for our next live virtual workshop, "Engaged Learning in an AI World," on April 22 at 4 PM PT / 7 PM ET as we examine current research on student AI use, investigate how to leverage well-being and belonging to minimize academic dishonesty, and dive into hands-on activities that demonstrate how AI can be playfully harnessed to personalize assessments.

Can't make it live? A recording will be sent to all registrants, so we encourage you to sign up even if you can't join live. Learn more and register:

https://www.challengesuccess.org/events/engaged-learning-in-an-ai-world/

Address

PO Box 20053
Stanford, CA
94309

Website

http://www.challengesuccess.org/

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