PBL Leadership Academy
A collaboration between High Tech High and the California Department of Education to grow innovative, effective project-based learning statewide.
The PBL Leadership Academy is a year-long in-person and online teacher professional learning program for diverse teams of California public educators to grow project-based learning within their schools, especially as a means to improve educational experiences for traditionally marginalized students.
Why Join?
Engage
Students
Ground teaching and learning in larger, purposeful endeavors—and students’ communities and lived experiences—to facilitate dynamic growth among students and educators.
Build Design Skills
Develop your creative capacities as you collaboratively design, facilitate, and share original solutions with your colleagues and students to address your school-communities’ authentic needs.
Join a Powerful Network
Join a dedicated community of educators committed to growing the practices that sustain deeper learning across California.
In the 2024–2025 PBL Leadership Academy, you will...
Learn together at in-person Leadership Institutes at HTH, where you will experience active, hands-on work with adults and students, visits to HTH schools and the surrounding community, and more.
- Fall Institute: October 24–25, 2024
- Spring Institute: April 24–25, 2025
Learn continuously online with the whole cohort, while focusing on your interests and goals:
- Join online learning sessions once per month to advance your PBL design and facilitation skills.
- Collaborate regularly with your colleagues and other PBLLA participants to develop your PBL lessons, units, and core practices.
Learn together with an HTH Educator Mentor.
- A current HTH educator coaches you and your team for the year.
- Get answers to your questions, receive up-to-the-minute resources for your work, and access personalized mentoring to reach your goals.
Earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs) through the HTH Graduate School of Education.
Who Can Apply to the PBL Leadership Academy?
California public educators who serve learners in middle school, high school, or community colleges are encouraged to form teams and apply.
Who should be on our team?
The ideal team is composed of four to six highly collaborative educators working to grow as PBL designers, facilitators, and leaders.
Each team should include at least one classroom teacher-leader and at least one school or district administrator. From there, design your team around authentic goals for your school and community. Teams typically include educators focused on English, Math, and/or Career Technical Education.
The most important element to consider in designing your team is your structures for collaboration. In the past, successful teams have focused on many different topics, but one thing they all have in common is an authentic way to regularly work together.
How Do I Apply to the PBL Leadership Academy?
Build a school, district, or county-based team of four to six educators who will lead this work. Then, complete the application.
The 2024–2025 PBL Leadership Academy runs from September 2024 to May 2025.
Participating teams commit to joining the fall and spring Leadership Institutes at HTH and all online sessions.
How much does the PBL Leadership Academy cost?
Participation costs $700 per participant ($2800 per team of four).
Participation is generously supported for California public school educators by the California Department of Education.