We Work to Shine a Light on Inequity and Find Contemporary Solutions in an Ever-Changing World
HCM Strategists is dedicated to improving achievement for all students, but especially low-income students and students of color who continue to be underserved by the education system.
Our diverse team is tackling some of the most challenging issues in education. We remain committed to finding new solutions to old problems, from accountability and assessment to reporting and parent engagement. As the world reels with the impacts of a global pandemic, we remain dedicated to finding innovative solutions to new challenges, such as remote learning and closing the digital divide.
We believe the most effective strategies require partnering with states and districts and listening carefully to the students, parents and teachers impacted by the education system.
Our
Approach
We are effective because we do not believe in silver bullets, but rather all assets working in combination toward a shared goal. Our team represents a diverse set of skills and talents with decades of experience and our network allows us to tap into great minds when there is a gap. Click on each section of the wheel to learn more.
- Communications
+ Develop overarching strategic communications plans.
+ Craft narratives, key messages and ways to differentiate messaging in order to achieve a desired outcome.
+ Work with communications leaders across the education space to build messages across important subject areas. - Strategy
+ Partner with clients on the development of their short and long term strategies.
+ Proactively identify opportunities for client engagement that will support and further their work.
+ Develop risk assessments against existing strategies to better understand how external factors could impede success. - Policy
+ Develop stakeholder engagement campaigns to engage target audiences in shaping policy decisions.
+ Regularly conduct landscapes of state education activity on key policy issues.
+ Provide technical assistance to states, and assist in the development and assessment of their accountability plans. - Research
+ Use qualitative and quantitative research to understand how to effectively communicate to stakeholders and to create evidence-based communication materials.
+ Use qualitative and quantitative research to explore how various policies are viewed across states, party lines and among different groups of stakeholders.
+ Maintain an extensive portfolio of research on stakeholder mindsets and perceptions of policy issues. - Advocacy
+ Translate complex policies for parents, teachers, policymakers and other key education stakeholders.
+ Develop tools and resources to advance client priorities.
+ Work with state education leaders to help identify both local and national trends and best practices.
+ Work with teacher organizations to ensure educators are supported and their voices are heard. - Coalition Building
+ Identify appropriate and effective partners to engage in client campaigns.
+ Collaborate with a diverse set of organizations to amplify state voices and concerns regarding education issues in their state.

K-12
Case Studies
+ View All Case Studies

K-12
Publications
+ View all K-12 Publications