XQ Institute

What XQ Institute does

XQ Institute is a California-registered nonprofit founded in 2015 by Laurene Powell Jobs (founder/president of Emerson Collective) and Russlynn Ali (former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education for Civil Rights). Operating as an independent affiliate of Emerson Collective, XQ partners directly with public schools, districts, and state education departments to redesign American high schools through a portfolio of free research-backed tools and frameworks. Its core intellectual property centers on six XQ Design Principles, five XQ Learner Outcomes, a 37-competency XQ Competency Framework, and an XQ Competency Navigator digital platform, complemented by project-based curriculum (XQ Math Algebra I), mastery-based assessment (XQ Math Badging with 23 badges), the Educational Outcomes Audit & Analysis (EOAA) diagnostic, and toolkits such as XQ in a Box, XQ Design Journey, the Youth Voice Toolkit, and the XQ PowerUps Bundle (co-developed with Arizona State University's Mary Lou Fulton College). XQ distributes all resources at no cost via its website, supported by philanthropic funding and grants, with technology integrations into Google Classroom, Canvas, and Schoology. The organization engages roughly 40,000 students across more than 150 U.S. sites through its network of partner schools (including 16 original Super Schools selected from a 2015 open call that drew 10,000 participants across all 50 states) and reaches state-level audiences through partnerships with Rhode Island Department of Education, Kentucky and Idaho Departments of Education, and the Bureau of Indian Education.

Name

XQ Institute

Legal name

XQ Institute

Website

https://xqsuperschool.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

XQ Institute is a nonprofit founded in 2015 by Laurene Powell Jobs that partners with U.S. high schools, districts, and state education agencies to reimagine high school through free, research-backed design principles, competency frameworks, curricula, and assessment tools serving roughly 40,000 students across 150+ sites.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Education Transformation

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Higher Education Course Design & Online Program Development (EDAGAKAB)

Keywords

• High school redesign
• Competency-based education
• Project-based learning
• Education policy reform
• School transformation frameworks

Headquarters

HQ city

Palo Alto

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic/Foundation Funding: As a nonprofit organization founded in 2015 by Laurene Powell Jobs and Russlynn Ali, XQ Institute is primarily funded through philanthropy. Laurene Powell Jobs is the founder and president of Emerson Collective, and XQ operates as an independent affiliate of Emerson Collective.
2. Partnership and Grant Revenue: XQ generates revenue through partnerships with states, districts, and educational organizations, including grants for specific initiatives like the Rhode Island partnership and Math Badging pilots in Kentucky, Idaho, and Bureau of Indian Education schools.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

XQ Institute provides free, research-backed design principles, competency frameworks, and curriculum resources that help U.S. high schools, districts, and state education departments reimagine secondary education. Its portfolio centers on six XQ Design Principles, five XQ Learner Outcomes, the 37-competency XQ Competency Framework, the project-based XQ Math curriculum, mastery-based XQ Math Badging, the XQ Design Journey digital experience, and the XQ in a Box interactive toolkit. XQ also produces the award-winning documentary "The First Class" and partners directly with schools, districts, and states (e.g., Rhode Island, Kentucky, Idaho, Bureau of Indian Education) on transformation programs. All resources are provided at no cost to maximize adoption among educators, students, and families.

Product overview

XQ Institute offers a comprehensive suite of free tools and resources for high school transformation, organized around its core XQ Design Principles (6 research-backed principles) and XQ Learner Outcomes (5 outcomes for adolescent learning). The portfolio includes curriculum products (XQ Math, project-based Algebra I), assessment tools (XQ Math Badging, Educational Outcomes Audit & Analysis, Design Principles Rubric), competency frameworks (XQ Competency Framework with 37 competencies, Competency Navigator, Competency Builders), professional development resources (XQ PowerUps Bundle in partnership with ASU), student empowerment tools (Youth Voice Toolkit), and comprehensive design toolkits (XQ In A Box with 13 modules, XQ Design Journey). The products work together to help communities redesign existing schools or design new ones, with a documentary (The First Class) serving as inspirational content. All resources are free to use.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• XQ Design Principles: Research-backed design principles that guide school communities to rethink high school education.
• XQ Learner Outcomes
• XQ Competencies
• XQ Math
• XQ Math Badging
• Youth Voice Toolkit
• XQ PowerUps Bundle
• XQ in a Box
• The First Class
• Educational Outcomes Audit & Analysis (EOAA)

Products and services

• XQ Design Principles Six research-backed design principles foundational to the XQ school design process: Strong Mission and Culture, Meaningful Engaged Learning, Caring Trusting Relationships, Youth Voice and Choice, Smart Use of Time Space and Tech, and Community Partnerships. Provided free to schools, districts, and communities as the framework XQ uses in its school transformation partnerships.
• XQ Learner Outcomes Five rigorous, scientifically-based outcomes defining what young people need to thrive: Masters of All Fundamental Literacies, Holders of Foundational Knowledge, Original Thinkers for an Uncertain World, Generous Collaborators, and Learners for Life. Provided free for use by schools and districts designing high school experiences.
• XQ Competency Framework A research-backed framework translating XQ Learner Outcomes into 37 specific attainable goals for learning across academic content, cognitive skills, and interpersonal capacities. Provided free for use by schools, teachers, and curriculum designers.
• XQ Competency Navigator An online digital tool that makes the 37 XQ Competencies accessible and easy to use, integrating cognitive and social-emotional skills with academic standards to support college and career readiness. Aimed at teachers and school leaders, and provided free.
• XQ Competency Builders A growing collection of classroom activities that help teachers bring the XQ Competencies into their classrooms, pluggable into existing curriculum in any content area to boost learning across academic, cognitive, and interpersonal dimensions. Provided free.
• Design Principles Rubric A rubric that articulates what 'rethinking high school' looks like in action, with dimensions of practice and indicators to help place schools on a developmental scale from emerging to sustained. Provided free to schools and districts.
• XQ Math An innovative project-based Algebra I program that teaches challenging concepts through practical, relevant, real-life applications, covering all Algebra I standards through projects and targeted fluency-building activities. Free to use with LMS interoperability (Google Classroom, Canvas, Schoology). Built for high school math teachers and students.
• XQ Math Badging A groundbreaking initiative empowering students to follow their own learning pathway, earning badges every time they demonstrate mastery of core math concepts. Currently being piloted in Kentucky, Idaho, and select Bureau of Indian Education schools. Provided free.
• Educational Outcomes Audit & Analysis (EOAA) A detailed four-year data portrait that helps schools and states understand how well a high school meets the needs of every student, providing in-depth analysis of a graduating class over all four years of high school. Provided free to states and districts and used to inform graduation standard reforms (e.g., Rhode Island).
• The First Class Documentary A feature-length documentary following the founding class of Crosstown High in Memphis, Tennessee, showcasing one of the innovative XQ schools redefining the future of learning. Aimed at educators, policymakers, communities, and students; available free through TheFirstClass.org.
• XQ PowerUps Bundle Nine professional learning modules blending insights from the science of learning with real examples from schools and classrooms. Created in partnership with ASU's Mary Lou Fulton College with contributions from Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond of the Learning Policy Institute. Organized into an Essential Elements series (six PowerUps) and a How-tos series (three PowerUps). Provided free.
• Youth Voice Toolkit A toolkit with tools to help students understand issues that matter most to them and become catalysts for positive change during their high school journey, including a website, companion guide, and case-making template aligned with XQ's Design Principles and Learner Outcomes. Provided free.
• XQ in a Box A comprehensive interactive digital toolkit with 13 knowledge modules organized in three phases (DISCOVER, DESIGN, DEVELOP) to support community changemakers in tackling high school design challenges. Available in English and Spanish. Provided free.
• XQ Design Journey A community-centered digital experience that guides schools and districts through the work of redesigning high school, based on XQ's design principles and learner outcomes. Provided free.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students in XQ schools are more likely to take advanced courses, complete workplace learning experiences, and feel a strong sense of belonging compared to students nationally.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability4 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Delaware State UniversityflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Delaware State University provides guaranteed admission to HBCU Early College Prep High School students who complete the program, offering an accelerated pathway to earn both a high school diploma and an associate's degree.
• UNCF (United Negro College Fund)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNCF collaborated with XQ Institute and Transcend to develop the HBCU Early College Prep High School model, the first early college high school in New York City modeled after historically Black colleges and universities.
• TranscendflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerTranscend partnered with UNCF and XQ Institute to develop the HBCU Early College Prep High School model for replication in New York City, New Orleans, and other communities.
• Arizona State University Mary Lou Fulton CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerXQ partnered with ASU's Mary Lou Fulton College to create the XQ PowerUps Bundle, professional learning resources blending research with real-world tools for educators.
• Learning Policy InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Linda Darling-Hammond of the Learning Policy Institute contributed to the development of XQ PowerUps Bundle, adding expertise in education policy and teacher professional development.
• Educating All Learners Alliance (EALA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrooklyn LAB co-founded EALA with five other partners during the pandemic to create a digital hub and online forum for schools and districts to access professional development resources for supporting students with disabilities.
• Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership launched in 2018 to help unlock changes in Cranston schools including schedule reforms that enabled CTE program expansion. EOAA analysis informed new graduation standards establishing college and career-ready coursework as default expectation.
• Kentucky Department of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKentucky is piloting XQ Math Badging initiative, testing the mastery-based approach to math education that replaces traditional seat-time progression with badge demonstrations.
• Idaho State Department of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIdaho is piloting XQ Math Badging initiative where students respond positively, reporting they 'don't feel stupid anymore' and can 'actually do math' through the badge-based approach.
• Bureau of Indian EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBureau of Indian Education schools are piloting XQ Math Badging initiative to advance a more rigorous and student-centered approach to math education.
• Crosstown ConcoursecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCrosstown High is housed inside Crosstown Concourse, a ten-story, one-million-square-foot Memphis landmark redeveloped with over 40 businesses, nonprofits, health facilities, and civic groups.
• Grand Rapids Public MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrand Rapids Public Museum School is a collaboration between the school district, museum, Kendall College of Art and Design, and Grand Valley State University, with students using and exploring over 250,000 artifacts.
• Amazon MGM StudiosminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAmazon MGM Studios is developing the 'Murder 101' podcast about Elizabethton High School students' cold case investigation into a feature-length film, with Jon Watts attached as director.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Transcend: Nonprofit that partners with schools and communities to design innovative learning environments. Directly comparable — and explicitly partnered with XQ and UNCF to develop the HBCU Early College Prep High School model — operating in the same school-redesign niche.
• GreatSchools: National nonprofit providing school information and parent engagement resources for K-12. Comparable to XQ in nonprofit status, parent/student-facing communication model, and ambition to influence K-12 school choice and quality.
• EdReports: Independent nonprofit that provides free, evidence-based reviews of K-12 instructional materials. Comparable to XQ in nonprofit positioning, free resource distribution, and role within the K-12 ecosystem as a trusted intermediary for school decision-makers.
• Big Picture Learning: Nonprofit network of 70+ project-based high schools emphasizing real-world learning and student internships. Directly comparable to XQ in K-12 redesign methodology, network-school model, and project-based pedagogy.
• NewSchools Venture Fund: Philanthropic venture fund focused on K-12 education innovation and school redesign. Highly comparable to XQ in mission (reimagining K-12), funding model (philanthropy-backed), and target audience (school leaders, districts, and edupreneurs).
• Summit Public Schools: Public charter school network with a personalized learning model for high school students. Directly comparable to XQ in targeting high school redesign, competency-based progression, and personalized learning frameworks.
• High Tech High: Network of project-based K-12 schools emphasizing deeper learning and student agency. Comparable to XQ in operating model (school network), pedagogical approach (project-based), and target segment (high school redesign).
• Jobs for the Future: National nonprofit driving education and economic mobility transformations, including high school redesign. Comparable to XQ in policy engagement, state-level partnerships, and focus on college-and-career readiness for underserved students.

Broad incumbents

• DonorsChoose: Nonprofit crowdfunding platform that connects public school teachers with donors to fund classroom resources. Comparable to XQ as a high-profile education nonprofit but operates at a larger scale and broader scope (all K-12 resources vs. high school redesign).
• KIPP Foundation: Large national charter school network focused on college-prep outcomes for underserved students. Overlaps with XQ in K-12 college-readiness mission but operates a much larger school portfolio (200+ schools) with a centralized network model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/xqamerica
• Facebookfacebook.com/XQAmerica
• Instagraminstagram.com/xqamerica/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/xq-institute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about XQ Institute