Exploring Educational Ecosystems through the Lens of Intermediary Organizations: Insights for Policy and Practice

In their study of the educational ecosystems that surround schools, the authors recognized a growing global trend that has positioned "intermediary organizations," and particularly non-system intermediary organizations, or those not involved in the formal governmental education system, in an oversized ecosystem role. Through their direct work with schools, especially the most vulnerable schools, these organizations straddle the larger ecosystem and the local schoolhouse, becoming a primary and proximal conduit of external leadership resources into schools. With this in mind, the authors examined a set of more mature non-system intermediary organizations that work directly with schools to generate important insights about their work in forging relationships within and gaining vital resources from these expansive and diffuse ecosystems. Examining the ecosystem from the vantage point of these organizations has potential for helping non-system intermediary organizations to better consider and gain access to the kinds of ecosystem relationships and resources that are likely to prove important to their work, to schools, and to students. It also sheds light on broader issues relevant for ecosystem-building efforts. [Foreword written by by James P. Spillane. This report was co-produced with WISE (World Innovation Summit of Education), an initiative of Qatar Foundation.]