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Hi! My name is Royce Conner, and I recently joined the team as ELP’s Executive Director. In many ways, I feel like I have returned home. While I am new to Envision, my education career began by learning about progressive education from leaders in the field such as Ted Sizer and the Coalition of Essential Schools. Since then I have put students at the center of each of my classrooms and schools. I am thrilled to be part of a team that cherishes the idea that students thrive when given authentic, challenging and rigorous work that is personally meaningful to them and their communities.
A bit more about me…
What experiences brought you to ELP?
A visiting professor from a teacher preparation program once visited my classroom. He observed students deeply engaged in projects that provided them various opportunities to use their knowledge and skills to answer challenging questions about the world and their places in it. Some students led Socratic seminars about the nature of goodness. Others wrote policy briefs for local legislators. A few wrote an original play to be performed along with local actors using interviews the students conducted with immigrants. When the professor left, he said, “This is the way school should be.”
I spent ten years learning the craft of teaching using projects and performance-based assessments. I became a lead teacher in my school, supporting new teachers as they designed projects and aligned performance assessments to local standards. My middle school students, the majority low-income students of color, would often return to my classroom as high school and college graduates sharing gratitude that the work we did in my classroom prepared them for what one student called “the world I almost missed out on.”
After my time in the classroom, I spent two years in the public policy arena, working on statewide and national education issues with Rhode Island Kids Count. I enjoyed policy, but I eventually felt the call to return to education. I moved to California to pursue a degree in educational leadership and policy. After that I spent two years consulting with various school districts, including Oakland USD. I then spent one year leading the recruitment team for San Francisco USD. Following SFUSD I entered the world of school leadership. I served as Head of School for three Bay Area charter schools. One of my schools scored a front page article in Education Week for its innovative blended learning design, and another connected me with Bob Lenz and PBLWorks for its dedication to project-based learning for our students in K-8.
Before joining ELP, my most recent role was as a Fellow with Foster America, a national nonprofit working to improve outcomes for foster youth and develop innovations for the child welfare system.
And this brings me to Envision. While my career has had many interesting turns, I am delighted that I find myself back in an organization that operates and promotes schools that are, like that professor once said, the way schools should be.
What are you hoping to learn while you’re at ELP?
I am going to learn a tremendous amount from our schools! I look forward to seeing how partners in rural, suburban and urban districts rally their school cultures around student-centered design and performance assessments. We know there is no such thing as “one size fits all,” so I cannot wait to learn about how our partners are implementing high-quality performance assessments, graduate profiles, and portfolio defense in their unique contexts.
What are you most excited about starting at ELP?
Truly, it’s the team. I have the great pleasure to work with expert educators, coaches, facilitators, designers, researchers and operations professionals. They are parents, siblings, authors, cooks, readers, adventurers, musicians and athletes. They appreciate a challenge and embrace the power of difficult conversations. As excited as I am to connect with schools, it is the team that brings me the most joy.
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
I would love to tell you that I dive deeply into great works of art and literature, but the truth is that I love my PlayStation and I play it like a teenager guzzling Mountain Dew. I am also a movie fan, especially horror movies. But I also love my outdoor time, especially hiking. In addition, I love to travel. So far I have traveled to 48 states (I’m looking at you, Mississippi and Hawaii!).
Anything else to add?
My favorite quote is “Don’t dream it—be it.” Extra points if you can name the source.
Royce’s Bio:
Royce joined Envision Learning Partners in 2023. A native of Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, he attended Brown University, where he was first introduced to progressive principles of education through Ted Sizer and the Coalition of Essential Schools. He spent 10 years teaching at Community Preparatory School in Providence, Rhode Island. He then worked on statewide and national education policy with Rhode Island Kids Count, where he was selected as an Emerging Leader by The Children’s Defense Fund. He moved to California in 2007 to attend Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education, where he earned a Master’s degree in Policy, Organization and Leadership Studies. He spent two years consulting with urban school districts and another year leading the recruitment team at San Francisco Unified School District. He then served as Head of School for three Bay Area charter schools. His most recent role was as a Fellow with Foster America, a national nonprofit working across the country to improve the child welfare system and increase opportunities for foster youth. Royce lives in Richmond, California with his husband. He is thrilled to be part of the team at Envision Learning Partners!
Connect with Royce on LinkedIn.
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Insights, partner highlights, guest perspectives, and resources to support your work
A newly published case study from the Center for Innovation in Education (C!E), featuring Envision Learning Partners in Appendix C, highlights Allen County, Kentucky’s multi-year effort to redesign assessment and accountability through Inclusive Design. The report, Better Together, shows how the district co-created their graduation competencies called “Profile of A Patriot” and embedded project-based learning and performance assessments to place students’ passions and real-world skills at the center of learning.
Envision Learning Partners has been proud to support Allen County in this work, and we’re excited to share C!E’s new case study. We’ve partnered closely with C!E through the Assessment for Learning Project, working together to advance learner-centered assessment practices nationally.
A reflection on how the Linked Learning Conference renewed momentum for Envision’s college and career pathways, inspiring stronger partnerships and the return of Envision Academy’s job fair.
By Michael Viera, Envision Education’s College and Career Pathways Manager
Several years ago the city of Oakland came together to support college and career programming for high schoolers, by advancing and deepening career pathways in alignment with the Linked Learning Alliance standards and methodology. The Linked Learning Alliance hosts an annual conference where educators share best practices and takeaways from school sites around the state. Oakland schools always show out in big numbers at the conference, but this year it took place in downtown Oakland, so the presence was even greater.
I had been to the conference previously, but this time was different. Being my 3rd year at Envision in this role, I felt like I finally understood what it was all about. I had colleagues from Envision Learning Partners in attendance and collaborating with me. I got to connect with colleagues from other Oakland schools. I knew what to look for and who to listen to in order to improve our programming at Envision Academy and across the Envision network.
The conference was motivating, to say the least. It is a breath of fresh air being in rooms of educators who are excited and realistic about their work in schools, and who understand the skills students need to have success in their futures.
I came back from the conference and immediately organized Envision Academy’s first job fair since COVID. We had twelve community partners visit our campus to share information with students on internship opportunities, after school and summer programs, and community resources. Students seemed excited about these experiences that they can be a part of outside of their regular curriculum.
At the end of the event, two students stayed back and pulled me aside. I thought something bad had happened. Instead, one of them simply said, “Mr. Viera, we just wanted to thank you for putting together this event. It’s really inspiring to see all these opportunities we didn’t know about until now.”
After a couple of weeks of back and forth emails and phone calls with partners, planning meetings with administration, and quite literally running around setting up tables and chairs on the day of the event, those students made it all worth it. When students are able to take their learning outside of school walls and make connections with their community, they feel seen and they thrive.
Hear from Michael and ELP Assessment Design Partner, Josette Neal-De-Stanton on their takeaways from the Linked Learning Conference.
A reflection on how the Linked Learning Conference reinvigorated Envision’s college and career pathways work, leading to strengthened community partnerships and meaningful opportunities for students. Michael Viera shares how renewed insights and collaboration resulted in Envision Academy’s first post-COVID job fair—and the student impact that made it all worth it.
Envision Education is excited to share the culmination of its two-year research project, Pursuing Equity for Black & Latine Students with Learning Differences, which
documents and illustrates the systems, practices, cultures, and supports that are associated with the well being and success of Black and Latine students with learning differences – students with disabilities and multilingual students with disabilities.
In 2023, Envision Learning Partners (ELP) and Social Policy Research Associates (SPR) embarked on a research study to identify and learn from schools that demonstrated positive outcomes for Black and Latine students with learning differences (including students with disabilities and multilingual learners). After a review of data from secondary schools across the country, the study team identified two schools for a more in-depth study, which was conducted during the 2023–2024 school year.
The results of the research are shared through case studies of the two schools that were the focus of the research: 1) Crosstown High: Building a Culture of Inclusion; 2) Capital City: An Inclusive School Community Committed to Whole-Child Learning and Well Being; and 3) An Executive Summary/Synthesis of Findings.
In addition, we have authored four practice briefs based on the findings of the research that provide practical steps that schools can take to create more inclusive environments that support the success of Black and Latine students with learning differences.
This research was made possible through the generous support of New Profit, a venture philanthropic organization, and the Oak Foundation.
Envision Education is excited to share the culmination of its two-year research project, Pursuing Equity for Black & Latine Students with Learning Differences, which documents and illustrates the systems, practices, cultures, and supports that are associated with the well being and success of Black and Latine students with learning differences – students with disabilities and multilingual students with disabilities.
Explore our diverse events. Enhance your expertise, connect with thought leaders, and broaden your horizons.
A newly published case study from the Center for Innovation in Education (C!E), featuring Envision Learning Partners in Appendix C, highlights Allen County, Kentucky’s multi-year effort to redesign assessment and accountability through Inclusive Design. The report, Better Together, shows how the district co-created their graduation competencies called “Profile of A Patriot” and embedded project-based learning and performance assessments to place students’ passions and real-world skills at the center of learning.
Envision Learning Partners has been proud to support Allen County in this work, and we’re excited to share C!E’s new case study. We’ve partnered closely with C!E through the Assessment for Learning Project, working together to advance learner-centered assessment practices nationally.
By Michael Viera, Envision Education’s College and Career Pathways Manager
Several years ago the city of Oakland came together to support college and career programming for high schoolers, by advancing and deepening career pathways in alignment with the Linked Learning Alliance standards and methodology. The Linked Learning Alliance hosts an annual conference where educators share best practices and takeaways from school sites around the state. Oakland schools always show out in big numbers at the conference, but this year it took place in downtown Oakland, so the presence was even greater.
I had been to the conference previously, but this time was different. Being my 3rd year at Envision in this role, I felt like I finally understood what it was all about. I had colleagues from Envision Learning Partners in attendance and collaborating with me. I got to connect with colleagues from other Oakland schools. I knew what to look for and who to listen to in order to improve our programming at Envision Academy and across the Envision network.
The conference was motivating, to say the least. It is a breath of fresh air being in rooms of educators who are excited and realistic about their work in schools, and who understand the skills students need to have success in their futures.
I came back from the conference and immediately organized Envision Academy’s first job fair since COVID. We had twelve community partners visit our campus to share information with students on internship opportunities, after school and summer programs, and community resources. Students seemed excited about these experiences that they can be a part of outside of their regular curriculum.
At the end of the event, two students stayed back and pulled me aside. I thought something bad had happened. Instead, one of them simply said, “Mr. Viera, we just wanted to thank you for putting together this event. It’s really inspiring to see all these opportunities we didn’t know about until now.”
After a couple of weeks of back and forth emails and phone calls with partners, planning meetings with administration, and quite literally running around setting up tables and chairs on the day of the event, those students made it all worth it. When students are able to take their learning outside of school walls and make connections with their community, they feel seen and they thrive.
Hear from Michael and ELP Assessment Design Partner, Josette Neal-De-Stanton on their takeaways from the Linked Learning Conference.
Envision Education is excited to share the culmination of its two-year research project, Pursuing Equity for Black & Latine Students with Learning Differences, which
documents and illustrates the systems, practices, cultures, and supports that are associated with the well being and success of Black and Latine students with learning differences – students with disabilities and multilingual students with disabilities.
In 2023, Envision Learning Partners (ELP) and Social Policy Research Associates (SPR) embarked on a research study to identify and learn from schools that demonstrated positive outcomes for Black and Latine students with learning differences (including students with disabilities and multilingual learners). After a review of data from secondary schools across the country, the study team identified two schools for a more in-depth study, which was conducted during the 2023–2024 school year.
The results of the research are shared through case studies of the two schools that were the focus of the research: 1) Crosstown High: Building a Culture of Inclusion; 2) Capital City: An Inclusive School Community Committed to Whole-Child Learning and Well Being; and 3) An Executive Summary/Synthesis of Findings.
In addition, we have authored four practice briefs based on the findings of the research that provide practical steps that schools can take to create more inclusive environments that support the success of Black and Latine students with learning differences.
This research was made possible through the generous support of New Profit, a venture philanthropic organization, and the Oak Foundation.
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