In Tandem

This week, our team is taking a full week off. No meetings. No Slack. No catch-up work. Why? Because rest isn’t a luxury—it’s part of impact. As our CEO, Dave Hersh, puts it: “Like any intense activity, it should be energizing?and?take a ton of energy. Rest periods are not just a reward; recovery is not a break from training; it’s part of training.” At In Tandem, we’re building something ambitious. We work hard. We listen deeply. We show up fully for our partners and each other. But we also know that sustainable impact requires sustainable practices. Creativity, clarity, and care don’t come from running on fumes—they come from honoring the rhythms that make meaningful work possible. Here’s to a week of rest, reset, and whatever refills the tank. We’ll see you on the other side.?

Our latest newsletter is here! ??? ? Students aren’t just test-takers—they should have a voice in how their skills are measured. ETS and The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching are partnering with In Tandem to ensure assessments reflect how young people think, engage, and apply knowledge in real-world settings. As part of this effort, our team will: ? Engage youth in user testing ? Facilitate student participation ? Ensure diverse perspectives are included ? Create ongoing feedback loops At In Tandem, we believe young people should have a voice in shaping the tools that define their learning experience, and this partnership is a great reflection of that. Read our newsletter to learn more! #InTandem #InTandemOrg #Newsletter

Sneak peek! ?? ?? Education isn’t just about what students know—it’s about how they think, engage, and persist in a rapidly evolving world. We're teaming up with ETS and The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching to invite students to shape how their skills are measured. Stay tuned for more details later this week! #InTandem #InTandemOrg #EdTech

Want more youth input within your organization? Surprisingly, a youth advisory board *might* not be the right tool. When launched without purpose or structure, a youth advisory board can lead to wasted resources, frustration, and disengagement. The reality is, that if youth input isn’t being actively used to shape decisions, it can feel like a checkbox exercise—leading to a breakdown in trust and participation. And, if it doesn’t reflect a wide range of experiences, the board can actually limit your perspectives. Check out the link in the comments to learn whether a youth advisory board is the right fit for your organization. #YouthAdvisoryBoard #InTandem

Does your organization need a youth advisory board—or just a better way to engage young people? A youth advisory board can be a powerful tool, but only when it’s the right fit. Too often, organizations create one without considering whether it’s the best way to integrate youth perspectives into decision-making. Before your team launches one, it’s worth asking: – Does a youth advisory board fit with your mission? – Do you need ongoing involvement or just occasional feedback? – Will young people’s input actually shape decisions? Head to the link in the comments to learn whether a youth advisory board is right for your organization. #YoungPeople #InTandem #ResearchandDevelopment

Had the best time at SXSW EDU in Austin this year! ?? It's always a blast catching up with our In Tandem friends & partners, meeting new people creating impactful change, and getting inspired by the incredible sessions. Shoutout to my teammate, David Torres, PhD, on conquering his first SXSW and for the quality in-person team time ?? Shoutout to Erin Mote Katie Boody Adorno Malvika Bhagwat Cassie Crockett on their panel: "How to fund your edtech evidence effort". They left me with a couple key themes I am chewing on: ???? When designing products for students, the idea of a "paper student persona" on the wall at ed tech companies isn’t good enough to design. We can't keep designing for what we THINK students want or who we THINK students are. You have to get products in front of real students! (And a personal take- the earlier, the better!) ??Classic efficacy studies/ signals for edtech remain important, but given the current context of education, the suite of signals companies can use in R&D need to be a much broader set than just academic achievement data. I love the vibe of SXSW EDU and how open everyone is to networking, swapping notes, and getting inspired together. I'm excited to keep this momentum going! #SXSWEDU #EdTech #ResearchandDevelopment #YouthCenteredDesign #InTandem

Just got back from SXSW EDU where my notes were… let’s call them “real-time reflections” - not exactly polished takeaways. But maybe that’s the point. In the messiness are the real signals about what’s shifting in education, philanthropy, and the evolving role of earned revenue in social impact models. A couple quick themes stood out, not because they were the loudest, but because they connect directly to the work so many of us are doing to align vision, sustainability, and real outcomes for young folks. 1. The New Philanthropy Playbook There’s a shift happening. Funders are moving beyond check-writing to become strategic partners, helping their portfolio organizations figure out diverse revenue streams. And the tension is real: Earned revenue can create skin in the game, but it also risks skewing incentives if product design bends toward buyers, not beneficiaries. As Margaret Honey at Scratch Foundation put it: “We design for kids, not for districts.” Philanthropy’s real power? Aligning vision and mission across that whole chain: from funder to district to student. That’s where Joshua Elder's thinking stood out: they’re leaning into philanthropy acting as risk capital - bold, audacious bets rooted in relationships and trust. 2. Seeding Innovation with More Than Just Money Everywhere you look, there’s another network or fund promising to spark breakthrough ideas. But how many of those come with the infrastructure to turn breakthroughs into repeatable, scalable solutions? Nancy Poon Lue and Frances Messano named something we don’t talk about enough ...the importance of data collection systems from day one. The best ideas die if you can’t measure them. What if innovation funding wasn’t just seed capital, but also an investment in the learning infrastructure itself? Rapid learning cycles. Structures to learn from failure. Real-time feedback loops that feed product design, not just reporting dashboards. And what if we applied that same thinking to how the field itself learns? Studios, networks, and shared infrastructure — not just for individual ventures, but for whole problem spaces. Innovation isn’t a moment. It’s a system. Shoutout to Kumar Garg, Auditi Chakravarty, and Jean-Claude Brizard for quick but impactful conversations on this front. Final Thought: The Hidden GTM Thread If there was an unspoken throughline across all these conversations, it was this: Financial sustainability comes from solving meaningful problems and doing it in a way that creates value for all stakeholders. My humble opinion? Go-To-Market Strategy is the sustainable, repeatable methodology that brings it all together. Whether you’re a funder, a founder, or educator— everyone’s playing a role in the same go-to-market process, even if they don’t call it that. The strongest organizations aren’t just building products; they’re building alignment across problems, solutions, incentives, and outcomes. #EdTech #GTM #SXSWEDU2025

In Tandem launched in July 2024 to connect young people and organizations in co-designing better products, programs, and technologies that impact youth. Seven months later, over 1,000 of you are following along, sharing insights, and imagining a better future with us. We’re excited to keep building the bridge between organizations and young people—co-designing solutions that are truly made with and for them. Thank you for your support. This is just the beginning! #InTandem #CoDesign #EdTech

Another great day at #SXSWEDU! We loved seeing these amazing organizations showcasing the power and value of inclusive R&D in action. Jean-Claude Brizard, Digital Promise Auditi Chakravarty, Advanced Education Research and Development Fund (AERDF) Sunanna Tara Chand, The Reinvention Lab at Teach For America #SXSWEDU #InTandem #Researchanddevelopment #EdTech

Our team had a great first day at #SXSWEDU! One highlight of the day was attending the Reinventing High School for the 21st Century & Beyond panel featuring Jamie Jutila, Babak Mostaghimi, Sarah Navarro (she/her), and Brooke Stafford-Brizard. The panel explored how we can create relevant, personalized experiences for high school students by empowering educators, edtech innovators, and ecosystem builders to work together, involving students as stakeholders in the conversation. Key Takeaway: It's time to pass the mic to young people! ?? Looking forward to another great day! What sessions should the team attend? Let us know in the comments ?? #SXSWEDU #SXSW #EdTech #InTandem #InTandemOrg