ABOUT
US
PAHARA | ABOUT US
OUR
MISSION
Our mission is to strengthen and sustain values-driven leaders who are transforming public education so that every child is prepared to lead a free and fulfilling life.
OUR
APPROACH
Achieving both educational excellence and equity is essential to realizing a democratic society. This begins by ensuring every child has access to the tools and opportunities they need to thrive.
Pahara Institute at Lone Rock strengthens the movement for educational excellence and equity by:
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Sustaining experienced and innovative leaders
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Identifying and developing the next generation of changemakers
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Connecting leaders across sectors and silos to accelerate impact
We invest in bold leadership to ensure every child in America has access to an excellent public education.
OUR
STORY
Pahara Institute at Lone Rock was founded in 2007 by education innovator and entrepreneur Kim Smith. A co-founder of NewSchools Venture Fund and an early team member of Teach For America, Kim saw firsthand the power of bold, values-driven leadership to transform opportunities for students - especially those from low-income communities.
Pahara Institute was built on a simple but ambitious idea: lasting change in public education requires courageous, connected, and diverse leadership. From the beginning, our work has been grounded in five core commitments: increasing the diversity of leadership in education, expanding the definition of student success, strengthening parent power and choice, supporting the sustainability of leaders, and nurturing innovation.
Over the years, Pahara has brought together exceptional leaders across sectors and lines of difference to reflect, build trust, and collaborate on solutions to some of the most complex challenges in education. Leaders enter our community through the Pahara Fellowship, joining a vibrant network of changemakers committed to reimagining public education so every child in America can lead a free and fulfilling life.