An impactful and engaging education system puts people first – students, parents, teachers, community members. Human-Centered Design (HCD) provides the toolbox and mindset to ensure a system stays agile and responsive to current and future stakeholders.

This course will introduce school leaders to design thinking and, more specifically, Human-Centered Design. Design thinking encompasses five phases of design: empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test. Throughout this course, participants will learn about and apply each phase of the design cycle to a challenge within their school system that will foster student growth and achievement.

HCD is a subset of design thinking that focuses on empathy as a means for collaborative problem solving. When school leaders know their students well, the school systems better meet their needs. When leaders understand the challenges facing their communities, they can adapt to their priorities.

Participants will work throughout the course to develop and implement a plan for addressing an area of need in their school system around student growth and achievement.

This course includes direct instruction, individual and group activities, independent assignments, as well as job-embedded applications. Resources, including explainer videos and design templates, will be available.

Synchronous Meeting Dates and Times

Thursday, September 25, 2025 - 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 - 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Tuesday, November 18, 2025 - 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Wednesday, December 17, 2025 - 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Thursday, January 29, 2026 - 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

Synchronous meetings are planned in person at the Consortium for Public Education (1100 Industry Road, McKeesport, PA 15132). Coffee and tea, as well as lunch, will be provided and free parking is available.

Asynchronous and job-embedded assignments will take place between sessions. All work will build toward the completion of a final project that utilizes an HCD mindset and strategies to support student growth and achievement.

Participants who complete the course will receive 50 hours of Act 45 credit. These hours include 25 face-to-face (synchronous) hours; 10 online hours (asynchronous); and 15 job-embedded hours of work.

The course is $500 per person with a 5% discount for district teams of three or more school leaders.

25-26 Using Human-Centered Design to Support Student Growth and Achievement